Easy Care, Colorful Shrub That Loves the Sun

Japanese Barberry Helmond Pillar

• The Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) comes in multiple cultivars, but one of its most colorful is the hybrid called Helmond Pillar. The red-brown stems develop purple-red leaves in spring. The yellow flowers, though not highly conspicuous, emerge in April and May. However, they yield persistent red berries that combine with the red fall foliage to keep the shrub colorful. Helmond Pillar grows in full sun and it needs only a well-draining area to develop. Helmond Pillar also withstands exposure to the polluted air of urban settings.

Butterfly Bush Ellen's Blue

• If you plant the Ellen's Blue cultivar of butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) in the shade, it lacks fullness and appears weedy. In full sun, this colorful shrub develops to between 3 and 5 feet. Capable of surviving from U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9, Ellen's Blue has grayish-silver leaves. This mixes with the deep blue flowers that emerge in June and sometimes survives until the first fall frost to reward you with plenty of color. Butterflies are attracted to the flowers. Ellen's Blue will die all the way to the ground in cold climates, but reemerge in spring. Cut the shrub close to ground level in warm regions late in winter to enhance flowering once it grows back.

Japanese Spirea Golden Elf

• Gold foliage and springtime clusters of pinkish flowers adorn the Japanese spirea (Spirea japonica) cultivar Golden Elf. The shrub requires little pruning and thrives in nearly all kinds of soils. In full sun, Golden Elf grows to less than a foot tall, making it suitable for rock gardens. Plant several as a ground cover or use it along foundations or as a border along pathways.

American Cranberrybush

• The specimens of American cranberrybush (Viburnum trilobum) planted in full sun are less gangly than those placed in shade, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. American cranberrybush grows to 12 feet and it features dark green leaves, white flowers and brilliant crimson fruit that often are still on the tree into winter. American cranberrybush's foliage, possessing three distinct lobes, turns orange and yellow during the fall months. This shrub is easy to transplant, notes the University of Connecticut Plant Database.