What Are Some 2- to 4-Foot Evergreens?

Tolerates Deer and Rabbits

• Deer and rabbits won’t disturb certain 2- to 4-foot tall evergreen shrubs. Boxwood “Saint Genevieve” (Buxus sempervirens “Saint Genevieve”) grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8 and prefers moist, sandy loam soil. Shear this broadleaf evergreen to maintain the desired height or, after about 25 years, it will grow up to 7 feet tall. Eastern white pine “Blue Shag” (Pinus strobus “Blue Shag”) grows in USDA zones 3 through 8 and prefers full sun. Intolerant of air pollution, this needled evergreen performs well in rock gardens but is considered invasive in some areas.

Sites with Dense Shade

• Enliven the sites in your landscape featuring dense shade with some 2- to 4-foot-tall, needled evergreen shrubs. Cow’s tail pine “Duke Gardens” (Cephalotaxus harringtonia “Duke Gardens”) grows in USDA zones 6 through 9 and prefers sandy soils. It appreciates partial shade in climates with hot summers but can grow in full sun in climates featuring cool summers. Canadian hemlock “Moon Frost” (Tsuga canadensis “Moon Frost”) grows in USDA zones 4 through 7 and its new growth emerges white. Intolerant of drought, it performs well on hillsides.

Ideal for the City

• The pollution tolerance of some 2- to 4-foot-tall shrubs makes them ideal for the city. American arborvitae “Golden Globe” (Thuja occidentalis “Golden Globe”) can grow 8 feet tall after about 70 years, but you can easily maintain a 2- to 4-foot height by pruning occasionally in early spring before its new growth emerges. The yellow canopy of this needled evergreen has a round growth habit. The plant is considered invasive in some places. Spanish dagger “Variegata” (Yucca gloriosa “Variegata”) is a broadleaf evergreen that grows in USDA zones 6 through 10. Its fragrant, white blossoms come out amid variegated foliage in July to August.

Spring Flowers in Partial Shade

• Expect spring flowers when you plant some 2- to 4-foot-tall, broadleaf evergreen shrubs in a site featuring partial shade in USDA zones 6 through 9. Evergreen azalea “Blaauw’s Pink” (Rhododendron “Blaauw's Pink”) puts out salmon-pink flowers in April to May. Clip off the blooms as soon as they die. This broadleaf evergreen performs best on north- or east-facing slopes. Leucothoe (Leucothoe axillaris) bears fragrant white flowers in May and won’t tolerate drought or wind. Valued for its thick, glossy foliage that turns purplish-bronze in winter, it is native to the southeastern U.S. Both evergreen shrubs prefer acidic soil.