About Zone 8 Evergreen Shrubs
Zone 8 evergreen shrubs offer long-term structure and focal points for your backyard, as well as year-round color and texture. Shrubs also provide food and shelter for birds and other wildlife. It’s important to make careful selections. Pick evergreen shrub varieties that will grow happily and without too much maintenance in your landscape. You’ll find evergreen shrubs for zone 8 that are small, midsize, or large, as well as conifer and broad-leaf evergreens.
Growing Evergreen Shrubs in Zone 8
It’s fairly easy to start growing evergreen shrubs in zone 8 if you pick appropriate plants and site them properly. Each type of shrub has different planting needs, so you’ll need to tailor sun exposure and soil type to the zone 8 evergreen shrubs you select. One classic evergreen bush frequently used in hedges is Arborvitae (Thuja spp). This shrub thrives in zone 8 and prefers a full sun site. Arborvitae grows fast to 20 feet (6 m.) and is a perfect choice to create a quick privacy hedge. It can spread to 15 feet (5 m.) so it’s important to space the young plants appropriately. Another very popular choice for zone 8 evergreen shrubs is boxwood (Buxus spp.) It is so tolerant of pruning that it is a top choice for garden topiary. The leaves are small and fragrant. Although some species of boxwood can grow to 20 feet (6 m.), other species are suited for small, graceful hedges. Here are a couple other zone 8 evergreen shrub varieties to consider: California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica) has aromatic blue-green foliage that is often used in cooking. The shrub can grow to 20 feet (6 m.) tall and equally wide. Another one of the aromatic evergreen shrubs for zone 8 is coast rosemary (Westringia fruticose). This is a plant that works well along the coast since it puts up with wind, salt, and drought. Its gray needle-like leaves are dense, and the shrub can be sculpted. Grow this plant in full sun and well-drained soil. Despite its tolerance to drought, rosemary looks best if you water it from time to time in summer.
