Yellow-Leaved Shrubs

Yellow-Leaved Shrubs

• Plant golden Japanese barberry shrubs, Berberia thunbergii "Aurea," in full sunlight to get the most out of the bright yellow foliage. When golden Japanese barberry is planted in the shade, the leaves look more greenish-yellow. Golden privet, Ligustrum vicaryi, also grows vivid yellow leaves when it's planted in full sunlight. Ligustrum vicaryi "Hillside," hillside golden privet, is cold-hardy and may be grown in cool northern gardens. Golden mockorange, Philadelphus coronarius "Aureus," has golden yellow foliage. Dart's Gold ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius "Dart's Gold," also produces white flowers and yellow leaves. Golden elder, Sambucus canadensis "Aurea," is a large shrub that grows up to 10 feet tall. The golden elder has yellow leaves all through spring and summer. Goldflame spirea, Spiraea bumalda "Goldflame," is much smaller, reaching only 2 to 3 feet high. Goldflame is named for its colorful foliage, which grows initially in shades of yellow, orange and red. By summer, the leaves are yellow-green in color. Goldmound spirea, Spiraea "Goldmound," has golden-yellow foliage in spring and summer. Gold Coast juniper shrubs, Juniperus chinensis "Gold Coast," have golden yellow foliage all year long, though technically the plant is classified as an evergreen. Other evergreens with yellow foliage include Old Gold juniper, Juniperus chinensis "Old Gold," and Rheingold arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis "Rheingold." Most yellow-leaved shrubs require full sunlight, which brings out their vivid color.

Chlorosis

• Some shrubs aren't meant to have yellow leaves. Chlorosis, iron deficiency, commonly produces yellow leaves in shrubs and other garden plants. The yellow leaves may look attractive, but plants suffering from chlorosis are unhealthy. Dieback and stunted growth may also occur. Usually, the veins of the leaf stay green when chlorosis leaf yellowing takes place. Treat the soil with fertilizer, to provide plants with the nutrients they need and eliminate chlorosis.

Other Problems

• Chlorosis isn't the only reason that shrub foliage turns yellow unnaturally. Insufficient water, disease and pests may put stress on the plant, which makes the leaves turn yellow. Look for other signs that might indicate the source of the yellowed leaves. If weather has been excessively dry, give the shrub more water. Look for signs of eggs, leaf spots and other indicators of pest damage. When disease is present, gardeners may find signs of fungus on shrub leaves.

Fall Color

• Some shrubs have yellow foliage only in the fall. Arnold Promise hybrid witch hazel, Hamamelis intermedia "Arnold Promise," displays vivid yellow and orange leaves in the fall. Bottlebrush buckeye, Aesculus parviflora, has butter-yellow leaves during the fall season. Large fothergilla, Fothergilla major, displays blue-green foliage through most of the year, but in fall the leaves turn bright yellow, orange and red.