Other Shrubs for the Prairies

    

Cultivar Name Height Spread

Zone

Foliage

Flowers

Description
BOXWOOD          
Green Mountain Boxwood

Buxus                'Green Mountain'

 3-4 feet      3 feet 4b Evergreen. Small, glossy, dark green leaves  Fragrant Slow growing,  cone shaped shrub which requires little maintenance. 
BUFFALOBERRY          
Silver Buffaloberry

Shepherdia argentea

 8-10 feet  8-10 feet 2 Silver-grey Small, yellowish- white Tiny,  bright orange red  berries  attract birds and make a  good jelly.  The thorny branches are  silver when young,  but turn brown and flaky  with age.  The Silver Buffaloberry is very salt tolerant and grows well in hot and dry locations.  Excellent  for barrier planting.  Spreads quickly by suckers. 
CHOKEBERRY          
Autumn Magic Chokeberry

Aronia melanocarpa 'Autumn Magic'

 3-4 feet      3-4 feet 3 Dark, glossy- green, turns to a stunning purple in fall Fragrant, white clusters This attractive,  upright shrub has clusters of purple-black berries that remain on branches well into the winter.   Attracts birds. 
COTONEASTER          
Hedge Cotoneaster

Cotoneaster lucidus

 8-10 feet    4-5 feet 2 Glossy, dark green turning to brilliant orange- red in fall Whitish flowers One of the most popular shrubs for hedges because it responds well to shearing and renewal.  Very hardy shrub  with small persistent black fruit.
CURRANT          
Green Mound Alpine Currant

Ribes alpinum  'Green Mound'

 3-4 feet      3-4 feet 2 Three lobed, dark shiny green.  Good resistance to leaf disease.   An excellent slow-growing border or hedge plant. A densely-branched,  compact shrub with a mounded form. 
Alpine Currant 'Schmidt'

Ribes alpinum

 3-4 feet      3 feet 2 Three lobed, dark shiny green   This slow growing shrub is an excellent choice for low hedges, formal hedges and foundation plantings.  The shape and size of this compact shrub is easily maintained. Grows well in sun or shade and is resistant to mildew.
Golden Currant

Ribes aureum

 4-5 feet      4-5 feet 2 Three lobed, dark green leaves turn scarlet in the fall Fragrant, rich golden yellow  Golden Currant grows well, even in dry locations.  An upright rounded shrub that produces flowers in spring followed by purple-black berries.
DAPHNE          
Rose Daphne

Daphne cneorum

 10-12 inches       4 feet 3b Dense, dark green foliage, broadleaf evergreen Showy clusters of deep rose- pink flowers, very fragrant Rose Daphne is a low spreading shrub that can be used as a groundcover.  Grows in heavy, well-drained soils.  Plant in a location where it will get a good snow cover throughout the entire winter. 
ELDER          
Madonna Elder

Sambucus nigra

 6-8 feet       6-8 feet 3b New leaves are golden variegated, turns to creamy  white & dark green Large clusters of fragrant white flowers The Madonna Elder is a fast growing, upright shrub with tiny black berries.  The contrasting colors on this attractive shrub make it a good background plant.  It is hardy on the Prairies when planted in a sheltered location. 
Red Elder

Sambucus racemosa

 8-10 feet    4-5 feet 3 Dark green, cut-leaf  Creamy white The attractive Red Elder is a fine-textured, vigorous shrub with showy, tiny red berries in summer. It provides food and a nesting place for songbirds. Regular pruning is required in a landscape setting.
EUONYMUS          
Turkestan Burning Bush

Euonymus nana 'Turkestanica'

 3 feet            3 feet 3 Broadleaf evergreen,  glossy,  narrow leaves, turn pinkish- red in fall Small creamy flowers followed by pink seed capsules A beautiful dwarf plant with an upright form and a sprawling growth habit.  Excellent for mass planting. 
Dwarf Winged Burning Bush

Euonymus alatus 'Compactus'

 3 feet            3 feet 3 Dark green, turning brilliant red in fall Pink seed capsules This popular, compact form of the Winged Euonymus has winged ridges on it's bark. Red berries add to the color of this  upright shrub,  making it  a good border or accent plant. 
Maacki Burning Bush

Euonymus hamiltonianus maacki

 10 tee         10 feet 3 Dark green turns brilliant red in fall Pink seed capsules Another compact form of the Winged Euonymus, Maacki Burning Bush has square corky branches and red fruit.
FALSE SPIREA          
Aurora False Spirea

Sorbaria x 'Aurora'

 5-6 feet       3-4 feet 3   White plumes This hybrid inherited the clean look and upright form of S. arborea and the hardiness of S. sorbifolia.  Great for mass plantings.
FORSYTHIA          
Meadowlark Forsythia

Forsythia x 'Meadowlark'

 6-8 feet       6-8 feet 3 Dense, deep green Tubular, bright yellow  flowers in clusters of 2 or 3 The showy flowers burst into bloom before the leaves appear, covering the entire length of the semi-arching branches. Great for shrub and border plantings in a sunny location.
Northern Gold Forsythia

Forsythia x 'Northern Gold'

 6-8 feet       5-6 feet 3 Dense,  dark green Tubular Golden- yellow, early spring before the leaves emerge. Blooming slightly earlier then the Meadowlark Forsythia, the Northern Gold has the hardiest flower bud of all the Forsythia. This vigorous growing, upright shrub has yellow-grey bark. An excellent choice for groupings and borders.
GENISTA          
Dwarf Broom

Genista lydia

 18 inches  3 feet 3   Golden yellow flowers resembling mini sweet peas completely cover bare branches in spring The bright and showy Dwarf Broom is a low, spreading shrub with slender, pendulous branches covered in flowers. Flowers make an excellent cut flower and add a splash of color to any landscape.  Grows well in a hot and dry location.  Prefers full sun.
MOCKORANGE          
Blizzard Mockorange

Philadelphus lewisii 'Blizzard'

 4-5 ft          5 ft 2b Yellow & orange in the fall Clusters of fragrant, single white flowers The Blizzard Mockorange is the hardiest variety
Galahad Mockorange

Philadelphus x 'Galahad'

 4-5 feet         3 feet 3 Glossy, turning yellow & orange in the fall Single, white, very fragrant Compact shrub with a nice rounded, uniform shape. A good choice for foundation plantings or shrub borders and flower gardens.
Golden Mockorange

Philadelphus coronarius 'Aurea'

 3-4 feet         3 feet 3 Golden turning to yellowish- green in summer Clusters of single, fragrant white flowers One of the most attractive of the golden foliaged shrubs, making it a great contrast plant.  It is compact with a rounded form  
NINEBARK          
Dart's Gold Ninebark

Physocarpus opulifolius        'Dart's Gold'

 5-6 feet       5-6 feet 2 Bright golden Pinkish- white flower clusters A refined, compact shrub with clusters of  red ornamental berries.  Great contrast shrub with golden brown papery bark making it an attractive shrub even in winter. Excellent for small spaces in shrub bed,  or for mass plantings. 
Diabolo Ninebark

Physocarpus opulifolius 'Diabolo'

 5-6 feet       5-6 feet 3 Dark purple Pink clusters An excellent contrast plant with strong, upright growth.  Peeling bark makes this shrub attractive in the winter. A great selection for a large shrub bed or for a hedge. Extremely hardy.
Nugget Ninebark

Physocarpus opulifolius 'Nugget'

 5-6 feet       5-6 feet 3 Textured, golden- yellow maturing to lime-green   With it's dense, compact growth habit, the Nugget Ninebark makes an excellent choice for small beds.
OLIVE          
Russian Olive

Elaeagnus angustifolia

 20 feet         20 feet 2 Silvery- grey Fragrant Russian Olive can be grown as a shrub or specimen tree. Decorative fruit. Very tolerant to salt and drought.
Silverscape Olive

Elaeagnus x 'Jefmor'

 5-6 feet       4-5 feet 2 Bright silvery- white   This cross between Russian Olive and Silverberry has a rounded form but can be sheared and shaped.  It has sterile fruit and reduced suckering.  Useful for natural plantings and bank stabilization..  Drought tolerant.
Silverberry (Wolf Willow)

Elaeagnus commutata

 5-6 feet       5-6 feet