Shrubs That Are Good for Virginia Landscapes

Fragrant Sumac

• You have no need to fear contracting dangerous rashes from fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica). This type of sumac lacks the chemical in its sap that poison sumac possesses. Fragrant sumac will provide you with yellow flowers in March, groups of red fruits on the female plants in August and orange to reddish-purple fall foliage. Fragrant sumac grows only 2 to 6 feet, but spreads out as much as 10 feet, making it suitable as a ground cover. Fragrant sumac will develop well in full sun or shade. You can transplant this shrub from containers into your landscape and it comes in cultivars such as 'Green Globe,' --a rounded version.

Virginia Willow

• Virginia willow (Itea virginica) grows native in the South and as far north as New Jersey. A deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub, Virginia willow typically does not exceed 6 feet. The shrub's main assets are its clusters of small white flowers in summer and its vibrant foliage color in autumn. The leaves may turn shades of maroon, orange, red and yellow, according to the University of Connecticut Plant Database. Virginia willow handles some shade and can adapt to soil of different pH levels. The shrub works well in mass plantings; it suckers from the roots, sending new growth out from its root system to form colonies.

Meadowsweet

• Meadowsweet (Spiraea alba) suits wet areas of your property, since it grows near wetlands in the wild. Meadowsweet grows only to 4 feet as an upright shrub and it is part of the rose family. As such, the shrub has certain insect pests including scales and aphids that will attack it. Meadowsweet's flowers bloom in clusters shaped like cones, with their blooming period from June through August. The resulting seedpods split open to release the seeds. Meadowsweet needs full sun to grow to potential, but you must make sure the ground does not become dry; this is why it makes a good border shrub for ponds and streams.

Coastal Dog Hobble

• The landscaping uses for coastal dog-hobble (Leucothoe axillaris) are many. You can employ it in your rock garden, plant it on hillsides and slopes, put it next to a building as a foundation plant or use it as a shrub border. Coastal dog hobble is small and evergreen, featuring dark green foliage, small white flowers in May and colorful fall leaves. Coastal dog hobble will grow in full sun if you consistently water it, but prefers partial shade, notes the Missouri Botanical Garden. To protect it from potential damage, keep it out of exposed sites where the wind can affect it.