Evergreen Bushes for Wet Soil

USDA Zone 3 and Zone 4

• Leatherleaf, Chamaedaphne calyculata, grows from Alaska to Maine across the northern tier of states and southern Canada. Tolerant to U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone 3 and Zone 4 winters, leatherleaf is a broadleaf evergreen bush that grows to 3 feet. "Verdant" is a cultivar that generates white flowers in April and features strong green foliage. Ilex glabra "Chamzin" is a cultivar of inkberry, hailing from the holly family and well-adapted to damp sites. Chamzin is a compact, smaller version of the parent, growing to between 3 and 4 feet high. It has dark green leaves and produces black fruits on its female plants.

USDA Zone 5 and Zone 6

• Chamaecyparis thyoides "Heatherbun" is a rounded version of Atlantic white cedar, growing to 8 feet high and 5 feet wide. Atlantic white cedar grows naturally in swamps and bogs in Zone 5 and Zone 6, so Heatherbun has little problem with damp soil. Heatherbun's green foliage turns shades of purple in the winter. Use Ilex glabra "Compacta" in wet woodland gardens. This inkberry cultivar grows to 4 feet, and its green leaves turn an olive shade in the winter before reverting to a darker hue in the spring. Compacta is a female cultivar, producing white flowers and then dark black berries.

USDA Zone 7 and Zone 8

• "Shiva" is a dwarf cultivar of Atlantic white cedar suitable for using in wet places in Zone 7 and Zone 8. Shiva has a rounded appearance, grows to 8 feet tall and features bluish to gray-green foliage. In the winter, the foliage acquires a brownish tint. Sheep laurel, Kalmia angustifolia, needs to have a damp, acidic soil in which to thrive. This evergreen bush grows between 1 and 3 feet high. In June, sheep laurel turns out rose-pink blossoms. Plant sheep laurel in moist forest borders or in wet naturalized areas.

USDA Zone 9

• Yaupon holly, Ilex vomitoria, is a staple of the Deep South in Zone 9, where this large shrub forms thickets. It is evergreen, with glossy, leathery foliage. Growing between 10 and 20 feet, yaupon holly works as a screen or hedge in wet soils. Its red to yellowish berries attract wild songbirds. "Shamrock" is a type of inkberry that handles the climate of Zone 9. It grows to 4 feet high, and its foliage remains evergreen and handsome in winter cold. Shamrock has a reputation for not producing as much new growth from its roots --- suckering --- as other inkberry bushes do.