3 Low-Maintenance, Ornamental Shrubs Perfect For Homes In The Midwest

Posted on: 10 May 2016

Different regions of the United States have distinct climates that determine what trees or shrubs will grow best in that area. The U.S. Department of Agriculture labels the regions with hardiness zone numbers, such as the hardiness zones of either 5 or 6 for states in the Midwest, that help you match up the right plantings. What are some of the shrubs that fare well in the weather in the Midwest? 

Korean Spice Viburnum

The Korean spice viburnum has visual interest throughout the year with white spring flowers, red autumn leaves, and decorative red berries in winter. The shrubs are most well known for their distinct and unusual scent, which smells a bit like the cooking spice cloves.  

This shrub is available in dwarf size, which is great as an ornamental accent or as a partial groundcover, and the larger size that's appropriate for hedging. The shrubs have a moderate growth rate that makes it easy for you or your tree care service to trim the shrub to your desired shape and size while growing.

Korean spice viburnum looks great in cottage style gardens or anywhere that you would like to add a touch of color and fragrance. The shrubs also attract birds and butterflies, which can make another charming addition to your garden. While the shrub is relatively low maintenance, you do need to look out for tree diseases like gray mold or beetle insect infestations. A tree care service can help you keep those problems at bay.

Bottlebrush Buckeye

The bottlebrush buckeye is a larger shrub that can reach a height and width of up to 12 to 15 feet. This shrub has wide, pronged green leaves that appear in spring alongside white flowers that have red tips. The flowers drop off after a few weeks and the leaves turn bright yellow in fall before falling to the ground. Perhaps the shrub's most defining feature is its decorative smooth yellow nuts.

The bottlebrush buckeye is fairly resistant to disease and insect infestations and keeps its leaves well into the fall. You can still retain a tree care service to help shape, monitor, and fertilize the shrub for the best results.

Summersweet

The summersweet is a small, dense shrub that's a great choice for a garden with little horizontal space. A summersweet will bloom tall, narrow white flowers during the summer and the flowers give off a scent that's sweet with a hint of spice.  Those flowers will fall away in the autumn and leave behind brown seedpods. The shrubs glossy green leaves turn yellow or bronze in the fall before falling away.

A summersweet is another generally low maintenance shrub due to a natural resistance to most diseases and infestations. If you're extremely pressed for space, you might want to hire a tree services company (such as Tri-Point Tree & Landscaping) to prune the summersweet on regular intervals to keep the shrub as small as needed.

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