Questions tagged [shrubs]

Another name for a bush - shorter than a tree and with multiple stems. Use this tag with questions about caring, propagating and indentifying shrubs.

Shrubs are bushes. Unlike s, shrubs have multiple and are shorter - usually under 5-6 m tall. A large number of plants can be grown as shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions.

Horticulturally, shrubs are usually broad-leaved plants, although smaller conifers (e.g. Common Juniper) can be grown with a shrub shape and structure.

Botany and ecology have stricter definitions, and ecology uses these along with cover to define different kinds of landscape (e.g. "open-scrub", "low shrubland");

Use this tag for general questions about shrubs, shrubberies, and choosing shrubs for a particular location. Species/variety specific questions should use the specific plant tags instead.

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What flowers and shrubs will grow without outside help?

I would like to plant some shrubs and/or flowers in a mostly wooded area behind my house (in NE Oklahoma). What are some good candidates that are (1) cheap, (2) perennial, and (3) hardy enough to survive without any assistance from me? (This is just…
xpda
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What is this dense, round, 1m-2m high and wide bush?

Can anyone please tell me what this is called? I had it my old house but forgot to take a cutting before I moved and now I have no idea what it is and haven't seen one anywhere but I really would like to get another as I really like it. All I know…
Lynn
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How can I stop bushes growing through a mesh fence?

My neighbour has lots of thorny bushes and ivy that grow against (and more importantly through) the fence on our shared boundary. They aren't the gardening type and have no inclination to remove the plants but I'm getting fed up of trimming them…
Notts90
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Can a large-ish Elaeagnus be transplanted?

I have eight or so Elaeagnus growing in front of my house. They're five years old and growing quite well; I have to trim them several times a year to keep them under four feet. I just don't think they're sized correctly for the front of my house. …
uncle brad
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Could you tell me of what four species these seedlings belong to?

I have been trying to germinate seeds from a mixed packet of tree/bush seeds: Holly, Rowan, Alder Buckthorn and Dogrose. Only these two seeds have been germinating nicely and becoming seedlings. I'm curious which of the four it is, could…
Droopy
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What are the best fast growing field windbreaks?

I'm searching for species that would grow fast to become field windbreaks and I have found a lot of articles on the web about this. However, I'm more interested in knowing if any of you have had or have actually grown them (in USDA hardiness zone…
Alina
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Is this plant a buttonbush?

I purchased seed from a reputable supplier that was labelled as buttonbush or Cephalanthus occidentalis. One seed germinated and managed to grow two inches tall in the first two years. I then planted it in a tiny pocket of soil with access to…
kevinskio
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Is there anything that can turn azalea blooms blue mid-season?

We've used aluminum sulfate to keep azalea blooms blue in the past. This season some new guys apparently missed a fair number of azaleas in a large grouping and we have pink blooms on enough plants to bother the homeowner. Would applying aluminum…
That Idiot
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How should I treat a weigela bush with a large section of dead branches?

I have two weigela bushes which have been healthy for at least five years. (That's how long we've lived here, so I can't say their exact age.) I don't know the specific variety, but it has variegated leaves and pink flowers. I'm in Northeast…
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Should a Rudy Haag Burning Bush be pruned?

Should my Euonymus alatus 'Rudy Haag' (Burning Bush) be pruned in spring or not at all? This is my first spring after planting it last spring.
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What's the best way to deal with scale insects on Pieris Japonica?

I have a heavy infestation of bark scale on 4 mature rhododendrons and 3 pieris japonica. I applied dormant oil to the rhododendrons yesterday and would like to do the same to the pieris. However, the pieris is already in full flower - is it too…
kataob
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How should I prune a damaged Rhododendron?

I had a 6ft tall healthy Rhododendron that a tree decided to fall on. Now it has a big chunk taken out of the middle. Either side of the chunk is still 4ft or so but the middle goes right to the base of the plant. I'm not sure how far back to prune…
ethrbunny
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What is this shrub with small red flowers, found in St. Lucia?

I photographed this unusual shrub in November, in St. Lucia, but haven't been able to identify it. It had small (1-2cm), red flowers, growing out of pink-ish sepals in many elongate clusters as shown below (click for larger view): Can anyone…
p.s.w.g
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What is this pink flowering alpine shrub?

What's the name of this plant and where can one find it? The picture is taken in the Austrian Alps in maybe 2500m. Click image for full size
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What is this pink/lavender flowering shrub?

The previous home owner has planted these in my backyard in Austin, Texas. They are blooming currently. What are these beautiful flowers?
Gardener
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