Remarks: Very coarse foliage. Landscape Plants for Georgia is an effort to compile a list of good plants organized into various sizes and groups. Specimen. Our 'Quick List of fast growing trees and shrubs is : Photinia. Remarks: Naturalistic. Remarks: Fragrant summer flowers attract butterflies. Remarks: Lustrous three lobed leaves with good red fall color. Landscape Remarks: Male and female plants. Weigela is a deciduous shrub that can reach a height of 6.5-9.8ft within two years, making it an ideal choice for quickly filling up any gaps in your garden, says Lindsay Hyland, founder of Urban Organic Yield (opens in new tab). Viburnum tinus is a dense evergreen shrub that makes a lovely, informal flowering hedge. They are also known as the butterfly bush, so if you want to know how to attract butterflies, planting one of these in your garden would be an excellent first step. You can plant several different varieties to literally have blooms from October to April. Fast-growing tree; Free Forsythias Hardy, one of our best vines. This deciduous shrub, which is particularly suitable for windy, coastal gardens, is both ornamental and has edible berries. Bearing lovely purple, blue, pink or white flowers throughout the summer, there are many different varieties of these drought-tolerant shrubs. It can grow up to 2 feet per year and needs only annual pruning to keep its shape. Disease resistant. . Direct: 404.252.6448 • Emergency: 404.569.8897. Specimen. This publication focuses on native trees, shrubs and woody vines for Georgia. Remarks: Yellow to reddish fall color. A good choice for large privacy hedges is the fast grower 'Green Giant', which can reach 50 to 60 feet tall (with a spread of 12 to 20 feet). 6 to 9 inches tall. If you have small children, make sure they do noteat the berries: Theirtoxic seedsclassify yew aspoisonous plants. But, there are types of broadleaf evergreen shrubs that offer year-round foliage as well as seasonal flowers. 'One of my absolute favorite fast-growing shrubs to include in almost any landscape, and good for zones 3-8, is sea buckthorn, Hippophae rhamnoides, also known as sea berry,' says Diane Kuthy, the founder of How to Grow Everything (opens in new tab). Sea buckthorn grows between 8 and 12 ft. (2.4 - 3.6 m) tall and wide. Remarks: White, pink, lavender or red flowers. Follow label directions. WARNING: The berries of some varieties of elderberry are toxic when eaten raw, so to be on the safe side, always cook the elderberries before you try to eat them. Ground cover plants are usually more satisfactory in narrow planters than shrubs. There should be a special place in your heart for forsythia bushes. Hydrangeas are well loved for their large, magnificent flower heads in a range of colors, making this flowering shrub a popular addition to many gardens. Bulletin . A privacy hedge need not be taller than 6 feet (in most cases), so be sure to prune for height as well as width and overall shape. Remarks: Cold hardy and striking flower color. Plants That Mature Fast. It is not possible to offer pictures of the plants. The latter usually reaches just 12 to 14 feet tall, with a spread of 3 to 4 feet. Remarks: Use grafted plants only for dwarf form. Usually, the human loses! Varieties to Try: Pearl Glam, Purple Pearls. Shrubs for Your Georgia Landscape. They are best planted in late fall or early spring while the plants are still dormant, but gardeners in frost-free climates can plant them in winter, as well. A general rule of thumb is to soak the rootball of newly planted shrubs every 3-4 days (including rainfall). Many types of this evergreen work well as a clipped hedge, while others look best left to naturalize. For that matter, homeowners simply hoping to enjoy stand-alone specimen bushes sometime in the not-too-distant future will also be glad to find plants as impatient for growth as are their owners. Remarks: Specimen or espalier with bold foliage. $25, THE HOME DEPOT. If the plant is a spring-flowering shrub, wait until after its bloom period to trim it. These plants naturally have a pyramidal shape and wider spread but can be trimmed and shaped however you like. Acer negundo (Box Elder) Hardy and fast-growing, Acer negundo (Box Elder) is a suckering, vigorous, deciduous tree of upright habit with an irregular rounded canopy of widely spreading branches. iStock. This fast-growing hedge plant can reach towering heights, but it's easy to prune it back to grow it as a lower hedge. Specimen. The leaves and stems produce an almond aroma when crushed. It grows well in hardiness zones 6-9. Remarks: Great fall color, tolerates moist sites. The Carolina Cherry Laurel is a fast-growing dense shrub or small tree, with an oval/pyramidal habit, smooth glossy green leaves that measure 2-4" long with a pointed tip. James T. Midcap, Department of Horticulture, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Neal Weatherly, Jr., School of Environmental Design, Revised by Matthew Chappell, Department of Horticulture, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, **This publication needs major revisions. Leathery leaves are dark green above and bluish gray beneath (because it is a member of the witch hazel family). A very handy chart that lists plants by rarely damaged, occasionally damaged and frequently damaged. They may be used to soften unattractive walls and fences or to create exciting shadow patterns on blank surfaces. Read the labels carefully before you buy and do your research, as some, such as Cotoneaster franchetii, are deemed invasive plants. Among the few evergreen shrubs that thrive with wet feet is bog rosemary (Andromeda polifolia), which is noted for its slender foliage and bell-shaped flowers. Choose these fast-growing shrubs in your planting plans, and before you know it your garden will be full of texture, color and form. Blooms on old wood, don't prune in winter. It has dark green leaves and clusters of strongly scented flowers from late winter to early spring. What makes Ember Waves unique is the sunny yellow new growth matures to chartreuse and bright green. Late spring or early summer flowers and attractive foliage make this graceful plant attractive in a mixed border. Wow. Many large trees may be used for specimens, displaying outstanding form, foliage or flowers. Remarks: Late season, large, white or pink flowers. Hydrangeas are one of the few plants that can be grown from coast to coast in most climates. Shade in Zone 8. Remarks: Compact form with dark red flowers in July. Leyland cypress (Zones 6-10): A slender evergreen tree that can grow up to four feet per year. The bark on mature trees flakes off, revealing the paler, smooth inner bark. There are many excellent plants in the large shrub class which are particularly useful as heavy screening and hedging or as specimens because of their outstanding foliage, flower or fruit. 11. White, wisteria-like, fragrant flowers hang from 10- to 14-inch stems enveloping the entire tree. They can vary in height, growing from 1-3ft, and can be dotted among flower beds, used for hedging when designing a parterre garden, or used in the kitchen garden as an aromatic herb. Dawn redwood (Zones 5-8): A low-maintenance shade tree that's good for large landscapes and grows more than two feet each year. Elderberry. This means it's not their favorite but hungry deer with few options will damage it, Korean Spice Viburnum Brandywine Viburnum Chinese Snowball Viburnum, 2. Small trees are important plants in a landscape since, with a minimum of maintenance, they provide outstanding foliage, flowers and fruits for gardens and public areas. Low, compact fast grower. Sweetbay Magnolia is a fast-growing tree in our shade garden. Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) Another ground cover that grows fast, Bearberry is a low-growing shrub that can easily thrive in dry, rocky, sandy soils. Cherry Laurel (Prunus Novita) . The bristly look is significantly softened once the red berries appear, as your attention will be drawn to their fleshy orbs. 'Space the shrubs at least six feet apart if possible, and prune them regularly to prevent the maze-like structure of stems from looking untidy,' adds Ellen. Remarks: Dark green foliage with bold features. UGA Extension is not responsible for any damages, costs, liability, or risk associated with any use, functionality, and/or content of the website translations. or maybe the Chinese Snowball Viburnum that blooms in spring and fall. Grow a lush dark green privacy screen with ease. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, This arching shrub boasts a mass of white flowers in spring and colorful orange or reddish foliage in fall. Even though ninebark was named for its bark, it is not in quite the same class as red twig dogwood. Remarks: Very hardy. As long as their basic needs are met, they are pretty easy to care for. . A tremendous advantage of the Oakleaf is that it can thrive in much dryer locations than its cousins. Best in filtered shade in piedmont. Good street tree. Remarks: Fragrant yellow cream to orange flowers. More in this Section. It grows best in zones five through eight. 'These yellow-flowering beauties blossom in the spring and are straightforward to care for and nurture,' explains Ellen of Outdoor Happens (opens in new tab). White fragrant flowers in spring. Requires well drained soils. More cold tolerant than the species, this beauty is one of the fastest growing in cultivation. Grows to about 4 feet tall and wide. Therefore, large trees should be chosen with care. Encore Azalea. This tall ornamental grass comes in a variety of species, one of which will fit your needs. Many publications, books and web sites, however, have good plant pictures. Remarks: Mass plantings, good green filler with fine texture. It is happy in sun or part shade in well-draining soil and requires very little maintenance. This fountain-shaped shrub with beautiful white flowers has a light citrusy scent and lush green foliage. Homes & Gardens is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Often confused with Siberian elm. Watering - How are you going to water your new tr. Remarks: Flowers in winter. In the evergreen class, English ivy and common periwinkle have rich green foliage, making them particularly valuable in landscape design. Remarks: Shade tree with bright red fall color. Plant height averages between 3 - 6 feet, making it ideal for most spaces, both indoors and outdoors. Planting the right shrubs in the state of Georgia is fundamental to maintaining a hardy, well-groomed, and sharp-looking landscape. for pricing and availability. There are many species and it gets confusing as to which ones need sun vs shade, blooms on new wood vs old wood, etc so we will break down the different species common to Georgia. Here is a list of Georgia native vines that are well-suited for plantings in gardens. Cut back the flowered stems by a third in late summer, and then tidy up again in late winter. The minimum average temperature of Zone 8a is 10-15 Fahrenheit, and the minimum average temperature of Zone 8b is 15-20 Fahrenheit. Sale Bestseller No. There are many fast-growing evergreen shrubs that you can plant in your garden for year-round interest. Remarks: Very hardy, useful for low hedges. This native shrub has fragrant blooms which have been described as combining hints of pineapple, strawberry and banana. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Remarks: Nuts and shade. It prefers dappled to full shade, but can cope with a range of soil types, so is a versatile choice for establishing a dense hedge quickly. Horticulture. Unusual weather patterns and events can cause these temps to fluctuate, and despite the averages, the coldest temps in Zone 8 rarely fall below 32. Remarks: Good foliage and flowers. Every Order Plants a Tree For every order placed through our Tree Nursery, you'll support our critical efforts to green our world. American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) Image by J E Theriot via Flickr. Picking the right strains to grow in Georgia's climate is vital if you want your plants to thrive and produce big, potent buds. Its creeping nature provides a naturally spreading barrier to landscapes. Alternatively, if you prefer the wilder look, then leave them to grow as nature intended and enjoy the burst of cheery, breathtaking blooms every year. It's not just interest and color from flowers and foliage that you should consider when looking for the best fast-growing shrubs stem color can make a real impact, too. The real show is the purple berries in fall. Remarks: Hardy tough shrub. Fragrant creeping phlox with purple flowers in spring. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful home and garden ever. Remarks: White flowers followed by red to purple fruits. Tenacious shrub. 20. Full sun. It grows best within U.S. Department . Continue regular watering for the first few months. It is quick to germinate, aggressive, and holds well throughout the spring, summer and early fall. Flower Form: Semi-double to double, large, Plant Form: Irregular young, Compact older upright, Flower Form: Semi-double, large ruffled petals. In the hottest regions, give them morning sun and afternoon shade so they dont fry. Clumping bamboo plants grow in dense clusters, making them perfect to use as tall hedges, privacy screens, and windbreaks for your home or office. Transplants well. Numerous flower colors. These native originals are the best choice, as they co-evolved with specific wildlife, which . In fact, they tend to prefer a little afternoon shade here in the south, Viburnum is rated as "occasionally damaged" by deer. More of the plants selected for the base of this type of residence should come from these small shrubs. Using tall plants is among the many vertical garden ideas that can make a small backyard appear larger, training the eye upwards. Plants in this category have limited use as foundation plants because of their ultimate size. Vines have many uses in the landscape. To Will Corley, Georgia Experiment Station (retired), for information pertaining to ornamental grasses, and to other individuals and organizations who contributed information. Divide every 3-4 years. Jacky Parker Photography. Sea buckthorn is a cold hardy low-maintenance deciduous prickly bush that grows in sun or partial shade. Wintercreeper is a woody, broadleaf that spreads by rooting stems. Arricca Elin SanSone writes for CountryLiving.com, WomansDay.com, Family Circle, MarthaStewart.com, Cooking Light, Parents.com, and many others. Rachel is senior content editor, and writes and commissions gardening content for homesandgardens.com, Homes & Gardens magazine, and its sister titles Period Living Magazine and Country Homes & Interiors.