Shrubs and Bushes
Shrubs and bushes have formed a part of our lives since school and continue to do so. Whether it is for school projects, gardens, or for their medicinal values, shrubs and bushes help us everywhere. Read on to know more about them and their characteristics...
Definition
Bushes and shrubs are small plants that do not grow more than a few meters in height. Unlike trees, they also have a number of stems at times. However, some shrubs do come in the family of certain trees, but this difference of height and multiple stems differentiates them from trees. A bush, basically, is a commonly used name for a shrub. They mean the same thing and thus serve the same purpose too. Shrubs are either evergreen or deciduous. Here are some commonly used terms in context to bushes and shrubs.
Shrubbery: Shrubbery is an area where a lot of bushes and shrubs are grown, but not naturally. They are grown either for commercial purposes or for a garden or lawn.
Topiary: A shrub is called a topiary after it has been given a certain shape and cut into a proper structure.
Categorization
Bushes less than 2 Meters High
| Type of Foliage | Percentage Cover | Name |
| Dense Foliage Cover | 70-100% | Closed-heath |
| Mid-dense Foliage Cover | 30-70% | Open-heath |
| Sparse Foliage Cover | 10-30% | Low Shrubland |
| Very Sparse Foliage Cover | Less than 10% | Low Open Shrubland |
Bushes 2 to 8 Meters High
| Type of Foliage | Percentage Cover | Name |
| Dense Foliage Cover | 70-100% | Closed-scrub |
| Mid-dense Foliage Cover | 30-70% | Open-scrub |
| Sparse Foliage Cover | 10-30% | Tall Shrubland |
| Very Sparse Foliage Cover | Less than 10% | Tall Open Shrubland |
Shrubs and Bushes for Landscaping
There are a variety of bushes and shrubs for landscaping. The number is so huge that you can experiment with your garden/lawn the way you want. It will not only make your house look greener, but will also give a nice shape and structure to your garden. An important point to keep in mind while choosing some shrubs for landscaping is that they shouldn't be easily destroyed by any kind of weather. Most of these comprise hedge plants. Here are some famous shrubs used in landscaping.
- Myrica (Bayberry): You can use this shrub to not only decorate your garden but also spice that beer at home. The foliage can be used as an insect repellent and the wax can be used to make candles. This shrub can also grow into a tree under some species.
- Broom: Used largely as a ornamental landscape plant, this shrub used to serve as a yellow dye and was commercially grown for the same. It makes the garden look colorful with its bright yellow flowers. Although it is used widely for reclamation areas, it has various species that can make a garden or lawn look vibrant with its flowers.
- Hyssop: These are aromatic shrubs with small blue flowers with not one but many uses. They can be moderately used in salads and soups to add a bitter mint taste. Hyssop is also known as a sacred plant and its most known species is the herb hyssop.
- Variegated Yucca: This too is an ornamental plant that can be grown absolutely under any extreme conditions. Let it be drought, heat, slope, humidity, this plant will grow absolutely anywhere in semi arid conditions. The roots of this shrub are used in shampoos in native America.
- Red Chokeberry: This is a species of the shrub Aronia. It has beautiful red flowers that make any garden look beautiful and adds to the variety in color. Its fruits are used in making jam and can also be eaten raw. This shrub is pollution and drought tolerant and grows very well under shades of trees.
- Red Rum Honeysuckle: This shrub grows to a height of approximately 8 to 12 feet and is also a good candidate for providing privacy. It has flowers that turn from white to yellow with passing summer. It has beautiful red berries that last through the winter months.
- Black Chokeberry: This shrub is again from the Aronia family. However, this does not grow more than 1 meter tall and has white flowers. The berries do not last till winter and sometimes the berries are used to make wine.
- Barberry: This shrub has around 400 to 500 species and is available as both evergreen and deciduous plants. The shoots have thorns and thus the berries are mostly consumed by birds. Most of them have yellow flowers and ornamental leaves.
- Calycanthus (Sweetshrub): This is a flowering shrub that grows approximately 2 to 4 meters tall and the flowers have a strong aroma. The oil extracted from this plant is used in perfumes and other fragrances. The bark too, smells of camphor.
- Ilex (Holly): This genus has about 600 species with toxic berries that can be fatal with an overdose. Quite a few species are used to make caffeine drinks. It is a flowering plant and is cultivated extensively in parks and gardens.
A lot of people also use bushes and shrubs for privacy purposes. If the area around your home is often crowded or if you have a populated neighborhood in general, you can opt for these bushes. Hedges are built along the compounds to avoid prying eyes. If you are in a hurry, you can use the fast growing hedges for privacy to cover your home or garden faster. There are certain fast growing shrubs available that provide you with a natural wall and give you all the privacy that you need. Some bushes and shrubs grow quite a few feet tall. These will help in covering some windows on upper levels too. Thus, you can use bushes and shrubs for privacy and decoration of your garden too. Here are some famous shrubs for privacy. These shrubs also come under shrubs and bushes for shade.
- Bougainvillea: This plant is available in a few species is mostly grown everywhere around the world. It has heart shaped flowers mostly in the colors orange, pink and purple. Since it's a vine, it grows well on walls and fences and can provide a thick, natural and colorful wall for privacy. In warm climates, it can grow all year round.
- Forsythia: A genus of about 11 species, this shrub produces yellow flowers. They grow mostly up to 3 meters tall and in very rare cases up to 6 meters. The flowers bloom in early spring and are able to produce lactose which is hardly ever available in any other form but milk.
- Redtwig Dogwood: This shrub grows up to 4 meters tall and has an extensive network of twig like stems that provide good cover. It is up to 5 meters wide and spreads quickly. It grows well in wetlands and forms dense thickets that can hide absolutely anything in that size frame.
- Dwarf Pink Almond: This plant grows up to 5 feet tall and has beautiful flowers. It needs regular and proper pruning for better blossoms. However, this shrub suffers from many plant diseases and needs to be taken care of.
- Nikko blue Hydrangea: This shrub has a dense foliage which is usually covered with blue or white flowers depending upon the acidic levels in the soil. It requires full sun and regular watering. They grow up to 3 meters and some of the small trees in the species grow a bit taller.
- Bluebeard: This shrub is also known by the names Blue Spirea and Blue Mist. It requires full sun and moderate climates. It grows up to 3 feet tall and should not be planted near walking or jogging tracks as they attract bees.
- Chinese Privet: This shrub grows around 7 meters tall and has dense shoots. A huge variety of this shrub is found in China. It is mostly used to build hedges. It is an ornamental plant but also grows widely in the wild.
- American Cranberry: These cranberry shrubs grow up to 4 meters tall and have dense arched stems. They have leaves that are similar to maple leaves and its white flowers are pollinated by insects. The plant starts producing fruit after approximately 5-6 years.
- Northern Bayberry: This bush grows up to 4 feet tall and has green or white flowers. The wax extracted from this plant is used in making candles. The leaves are about 4 inches and when brushed, leave a certain aroma.
- Mock Orange: This shrub is a deciduous shrub that grows about 12 feet tall and 12 feet wide. This shrub has a lot of nectar in its flowers and thus attracts a lot of butterflies. It makes for a good natural wall that keeps people from prying into your home.
Have flowering bushes, shrubs and trees always tempted you to have a flowering ornamental garden of your own? If you want to build a flower garden or want your garden to have more flowers, you can opt for flowering bushes and shrubs. These will make your garden look more colorful and also make it look lively. There are a number of flowering shrubs available with a number of species in them. If you live in a hot climate area, in this list you will find some bushes and shrubs for full sun. Here is a list of flowering bushes.
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| G & H | I, J & K | L |
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| M & O | P | Q & R |
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Here is a list of non-flowering shrubs and bushes that can be used in landscaping, in ornamental gardens, for building hedges and natural privacy walls. Some of them can also be categorized under shrubs for shade.
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| E | F | G |
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| H | I, J & K | L |
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| M & N | P | Q |
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| R | S | T & U |
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| V | W, X & Y | Z |
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There are even more uses of shrubs and bushes such as building medicinal gardens, using them in home remedies for curing various rashes and illnesses, and making nurseries. Bushes and shrubs will help you throughout your life in more than one way, so always know as much as you can about them.
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