Shrubs That Tolerate Dry, Shady Conditions

Yaupon Holly

• Texas A&M Extension Service attests to the versatility of Yaupons. They are native American hollies, tolerant of drought and shade. With a distinctive vase shape, Yaupons are evergreen shrubs that adapt well to a wide range of soil and climate conditions. Leaves are small, glossy and lack stickers. Only female plants bear red berries and they require nearby male plants for pollination. Although berries are food sources for birds, they are toxic for human consumption.

Aucuba

• Tough as nails and bulletproof are good descriptions of Aucuba japonica. Aucubas are evergreen perennials that are highly adaptable to sun, shade, drought and pruning. Many varieties are available including Variegata, commonly called Gold Dust, which is a female plant. Females produce red berries only if a male plant is nearby for pollination. Crassifolia is a male plant with solid green leaves and Serratifolia is a female plant with solid green leaves that has heavy fruit set after successful pollination.

Boxwood

• Few landscape plants are as versatile as species of Buxus, or boxwood. Uses for this evergreen shrub include foundation plantings, single specimen plants, multiple hedgerow plantings, backdrops for other plants, border plants, topiaries, espaliers and container plants. Shrub forms are round, spreading, columnar, conical and pendulous. Disliking wet feet, boxwoods prefer drier sites so its roots don't stay waterlogged. It is extremely drought tolerant once established and thrives in part-shade to shade. Full sun conditions may burn the leaves.

Mahonia

• Commonly called grape hollies, species of Mahonia are not in the grape or holly families but are members of the barberry family. Leaves look like holly leaves and berries form clusters resembling grapes -- a favorites of birds. Native Mahonias, M. aquifolium and M. nervosa, thrive in dry shade once established. Other mahonias, native to China, are very shade tolerant and relatively drought tolerant. Larger hybrid Mahonias require supplemental watering during summer if drought conditions exist.