South Carolina shrubs can be the best native plants to grow in your landscapes. How so? They have various types, from flowering shrubs to fruit-bearing native shrubs that will offer beauty in your garden and provide fruits you can consume during harvest time. Not only that, but they are generally low-maintenance, making them easier to care for.
As they grow lush, some South Carolina shrubs make a great privacy fence. Don’t worry that they will fall in autumn as those privacy shrubs are evergreen, showing off their leaves all seasons. Are you interested in growing one in your home landscape? If so, check out our lush South Carolina shrubs below!
Table of Contents
- 1. Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum)
- 2. Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla spp.)
- 3. Bridal Wreath Spirea (Spiraea prunifolia)
- 4. Butterfly Bush (Buddleja)
- 5. Canadian Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
- 6. Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
- 7. Creeping Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis)
- 8. Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica)
- 9. Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)
- 10. Inkberry (Ilex glabra)
- 11. Limelight Hydrangeas
- 12. Pinxterbloom Azaleas (Rhododendron periclymenoides)
- FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
1. Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum)
Among other low-maintenance South Carolina shrubs, it is the easiest one to grow. Arrowwood Viburnum or Viburnum dentatum is a deciduous shrub popular for its lovely clusters of petite white flowers that beautifully bloom from spring to mid-summer. Though they emit slightly unpleasant scents, the flowers attract birds and butterflies. Another notable feature is its sweet, edible dark blackberries that you can consume raw or cooked.
As a low-maintenance shrub, Viburnum dentatum is adaptable to most soil types. However, it prefers moist, dry to wet, acid sandy soil. It also grows well in sun, partial shade, or shade levels. Additionally, it is a flood, insect, disease tolerant, and pest-free shrub, making it truly deserves to be planted in the South Carolina home landscape.
2. Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla spp.)
Some shrubs are invasive species, which makes them quite tricky to handle. But, it is not the case with Bush Honeysuckle or Diervilla lonicera. It is a deciduous, versatile shrub with green to yellow flowers that will turn into exquisite red to purplish color as they fully bloom in summer.
Meanwhile, the foliage will showcase its charm in fall when they turn yellow to red shade, creating a fantastic sight in any landscape it grows.
Belonging to low-maintenance and fast-growing shrubs in South Carolina, Bush Honeysuckle can tolerate light shade but produce more flowers under full sun exposure. It is generally pest and disease-free, also drought-tolerant shrub once established. The shrub stands in various soils yet favors dry to medium moist, acidic, well-drained soils.
3. Bridal Wreath Spirea (Spiraea prunifolia)
This flowering, deciduous shrub comes with round double white flowers resembling bridal bouquets. Bridal Wreath Spirea grows clusters of white flowers covering the arching branches in early spring, creating a center point for South Carolina landscapes. Meanwhile, the leaves will display their charm in fall by turning the greenery into red and orange shades.
Similar to other South Carolina shrubs, this flowering shrub favors full sun exposure to thrive. In addition, well-draining soil with neutral pH is preferable. Even though it is drought-tolerant for a particular time, it is necessary to do regular summer watering at least once a week.
As for maintenance, pruning is vital to prevent invasive growth. For all these features, we can say that it is one of the best flowering shrubs in South Carolina that is worth planting.
4. Butterfly Bush (Buddleja)
It belongs to the fast-growing shrubs in South Carolina that provide food for pollinators in the wildlife habitat. Butterfly Bush or Buddleia davidii produces long, heavy head clusters of purple flowers through summer and early fall. The shrub can grow up to 6 feet tall, creating a center point to the landscape.
Before planting Butterfly Bush, you will need to know its growing preferences. Besides needing 8 hours of full sun exposure, it needs some afternoon shade in the southern area. In addition, it tolerates many soil types as long as they are acidic, moist, and well-drained.
This hardy plant also requires hard pruning in late spring to ensure the flowers grow just as the peak butterfly period in August.
5. Canadian Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
Based on its growing habit, Canadian Serviceberry or Amelanchier arborea belongs to tall shrubs and small trees since it can reach up to 30 feet tall. This attractive tree has fragrant white flowers which grow early, followed by young bronze hairy leaves. As it grows older, Canadian Serviceberry produces edible bright red berries that will turn purple once they are ready to harvest in late summer to fall.
Canadian Serviceberry will be a great addition to your South Carolina landscape, considering the beautiful features. In that case, you must prepare some growing requirements, such as dry to moist, well-drained, acidic soil conditions. However, you do not have to worry about lighting levels as it can live under the sun, part shade, and shade.
Unfortunately, it is prone to pests and diseases even though it is not life-threatening to the plant.
6. Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Similar to Butterfly Bush, Common Lilac or Syringa vulgaris has clusters of purple flowers, only with medium-sized heads and branched flower stalks. They are fragrant and may appear in different shades depending on the cultivar. Its exquisite flowers bloom in spring and last for 3-4 weeks, making it the longest blooming period plant within the species.
Contrary to previously mentioned shrubs, Common Lilac grows well on alkaline to neutral soil pH with humus-rich, dry to medium, and well-drained conditions. It performs best under the full sun yet tolerates light shade. Moreover, it perfectly suits the North regions with cold temperatures.
7. Creeping Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis)
Thanks to its wide-spreading habit, Juniperus horizontalis is one of the native evergreen shrubs ideas for ground cover in South Carolina. Despite not producing flowers and fruits, this native shrub offers you another beauty of dark green needle-like foliage that will refresh any place it grows.
In addition, people also grow Creeping Juniper to suppress the growth of common lawn weeds.
As a native evergreen shrub, Juniperus horizontalis grows through all seasons, even in winter, making it one of the hardy plants worth planting. It can add great winter interest to your front yard, especially when covered in thin snow.
It loves full sun and quickly adapts to various soil conditions, including poor and dry soils. It also does not need pruning, proving itself as a low-maintenance shrub for the South Carolina landscape or garden.
8. Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica)
Known for its dramatic red fall foliage, fragrant foliage, and unique hairy fruits, Rhus aromatica or Fragrant Sumac is an attractive shrub to plant in South Carolina. The flowers appear before the spring foliage, covering the brownish stems with yellow blooms. They are a nectar source for bees and butterflies, while birds take advantage of the red-hairy fruits in winter.
Meanwhile, the splendid foliage offers a breathtaking view of your landscape or garden.
Following the other low-maintenance shrubs for the South Carolina home landscape, Fragrant Sumac is an easy-growing shrub that will not disappoint you. It withstands drought, is pest and disease-free, and is salt-tolerant once established.
This sun lover’s shrub is highly adaptable to many kinds of soil with circumneutral pH and dry to moist conditions. Despite thriving best in the sun, it still copes part shade and shade well.
9. Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)
You must be familiar with Highbush Blueberries. They are tiny and have a delicate texture and sweet taste, making them everyone’s favorite fruit. No wonder people are interested in growing Highbush Blueberries and just harvest them from their backyard during the seasonal fruiting. Besides having a delicious taste, the ripening clusters of blueberries give a pleasant feeling just by seeing them.
In addition, the green foliage turns red in fall, adding an exquisite characteristic to this native shrub.
Since it is viral among edible plant enthusiasts, it is better to know how to plant them. Luckily, Highbush Blueberry loves sun and shade and is adaptive to a wide range of soil moisture, as long as it is rocky soil and acidic.
However, it is intolerant to alkaline soil since it can cause plants to experience chlorosis. Provide organic mulch to maintain soil acidity. Furthermore, it needs pruning in its third year after planting.
10. Inkberry (Ilex glabra)
Like Arrowwood Viburnum, Inkberry is also one of the evergreen shrubs that produce blackberry fruits, attracting birds to eat them. Unlike other holly families with thorns on their leaves, this colony-forming shrub only has dark green foliage with teeth on the tips thick enough to hide the fruit. Additionally, it grows to medium-sized but very rarely grows large.
To obtain fruits, male and female plants of the same species must be planted together to have the same blooming season. They must also have proper growing conditions, such as regular watering, humid soil, and partial shade planting.
In addition, it is hardy to cold; thus, growing the plant in a cold climate is not an issue. Since it is toxic to humans and animals, planting them away from children and pets is necessary to avoid any harm.
11. Limelight Hydrangeas
Unlike other hydrangeas with cheerful blooms, Limelight Hydrangea features a lime-green cluster of flowers with a hint of pink. They showcase their beauty from July to September, adorning your garden with vibrant summer color. Not only the blooms but the foliage is also attractive, bearing reddish shade in the fall.
Moreover, this fast-growing shrub is also a hardy one. It thrives in the US hardiness zone 3 to 9, where South Caroline is included. Despite loving full sun in cold climates, it prefers afternoon shade in the warmer zones. But in terms of soils, it loves moisture and does not tolerate soggy soils. To keep Limelight Hydrangea in shape, prune one-third of the plant in the spring.
12. Pinxterbloom Azaleas (Rhododendron periclymenoides)
Rhododendron perciclymenoides or Pinxterbloom Azalea is one of the South Carolina shrubs that highlights exquisite funnel-shaped white and pink flowers with emerging stamens from the center, filling up the reddish-brown stems in spring. Their alluring appeal attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies to visit. Plus, the yellow foliage starts to appear as a sign that fall is coming.
Despite being an appealing native plant, it is toxic for humans and animals. Therefore, planting them away from children and pets is a must. However, Pinxterbloom Azalea has better resistance to pests and diseases than other commercially cultivated hybrid Azaleas and relatively tolerates dry sites.
You must provide the plant’s high organic, moist, acidic soil and full sun. Give the plant shelter from frost as it can damage the flowers. Also, pruning spent flowers is necessary after flowering.
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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What are the fastest-growing shrubs in South Carolina?
Bush Honeysuckle and Butterfly Bush are South Carolina shrubs growing fastest among others. The Bush Honeysuckle can grow up to 5 feet tall with a growth rate of 1-2 feet per year, while Butterfly Bush reaches a height of around 10 feet, and the rate per year is approximately 24 inches. Hence, they are perfect flowering shrubs if you wish to quickly have a cheerful atmosphere in the garden all summer.
What is the best shrub for a privacy fence in South Carolina?
The best shrubs for South Carolina that will work great as privacy screens for your home are Leyland Cypress and Juniper. Juniper, especially Juniperus virginiana, can grow tall, reaching 20 feet with broadly conical, dense, and sticky foliage. Meanwhile, Ilex glabra grows lush, which will perfectly make a green privacy fence around your home.
What is the easiest shrub to grow in South Carolina?
Diantara daftar our South Carolina shrubs, yang paling mudah untuk ditanam dan dirawat adalah species Viburnum, salah satunya Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum). It is adaptable to most soil types and grows well in sun, partial shade, or shade light levels. Additionally, it is a flood, insect, disease tolerant, and pest-free shrub.
What is a good tall shrub in South Carolina?
Canadian Serviceberry, Inkberry, and Juniper are the tallest and best shrubs in South Carolina, which, because of their height, can be an option for privacy plants in your garden. Apart from the front of the garden, you can plant these shrubs on the south side of the house because they are to soak under the full sun.
In addition, the serviceberry and inkberry are both fruit-bearing native species that produce edible berries you can consume during the harvest season.
