Shrubs Not Unhealthy to Dogs

Hardy In USDA Zone 4

• The ASPCA includes the nannyberry viburnum (Viburnum lentago) on its list of plants that aren't toxic to dogs. This deciduous shrub reaches heights of 18 feet with a 10-foot spread. It's hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7 and produces blue-black fruits that attract wildlife in the autumn. The Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) grows up to 15 feet tall with a similar spread. This tough shrub tolerates severe pruning, salt spray and drought, making it a good choice for poor sites. It's hardy in zones 2 to 7 and has deciduous, silvery gray foliage.

Hardy in USDA Zone 7

• Members of the Potentilla genus aren't toxic to dogs, says the ASPCA. The shrubby potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa) is a drought-tolerant, deciduous shrub that grows slowly to 3 feet tall with a wider spread. Hardy in USDA zones 2 to 7, this low-growing shrub blooms with bright-yellow blossoms from summer through late fall. Another flowering shrub, the camellia (Camellia japonica) brightens the winter and spring garden with showy pink, white and red blooms. An evergreen, the camellia's tough yet shiny foliage provides year-round screening. Camellias are hardy in zones 7 to 9 and grow best in partially shaded sites. They reach heights to 15 feet.

Hardy in USDA Zone 8

• The eleagnus (Elaeagnus x ebbingii) has dense, silvery evergreen foliage, making it an excellent screening plant. This broadleaved shrub grows to 10 feet tall and 10 feet wide. It produces edible fruits in the autumn and is hardy in USDA zones 7 to 9. Cultivars include "Gilt Edge," which has yellow-margined leaves and blooms with aromatic white flowers in autumn, followed by red spring fruits. Another member of the Elaegnus genus, the thorny elaegnus (Elaeagnus pungens), is hardy in zones 6 to 9. A fast-growing evergreen, this non-toxic shrub reaches heights of 15 feet with a 10-foot spread and has glossy leaves with rippled edges. It tolerates pollution, drought and salt spray and can grow in shady spots, although its foliage may be a bit thinner, says North Carolina State University.

Hardy in USDA Zone 10

• Members of the Callistemon genus are non-toxic, says the ASPCA. The lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus) is a evergreen shrub that grows to 15 feet tall and wide. Hardy in USDA zones 8b to 11, this shrub is named for the lemony fragrance its leaves emit when crushed. Lemon bottlebrush shrubs produce long, bright-red flowers and thrive in well-drained, sunny sites. The weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis) grows to 20 feet tall. A native of Australia, this tropical shrub has pendulous branches and, like the lemon bottlebrush, produces brilliant, fuzzy-looking blooms. It's hardy in zones 9 to 11 and grows best in full-sun exposures.