Topiary Trees With Berries

For Moist Sites

• Some topiary trees grow best in moist soil. The toothed azara (Azara dentate) grows to 20 feet tall, in a rounded form. This evergreen has lustrous, dark green foliage and produces showy, yellow spring flowers followed by small berries in summer. Toothed azara trees grow best in sun to partial shade and moist, acidic sand to loam. They are cold hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zone 8.

  The sweet bay (Lauris noblis) grows from 8 to 12 feet tall, and thrives in partial shade and moist soil. Sweet bays have dark, broadleaved evergreen foliage and produce black berries. They are hardy in USDA zones 8b to 9 and grow in a dense, pyramid shape.

For Clay Soil

• Clay soils tend to have poor drainage, making it hard for trees to obtain enough oxygen. The dwarf brush cherry (Eugenia myrtifolia "Compacta") thrives in full sun to partial shade and moist clay to loam soil. This 35-foot-tall evergreen flowers in spring and produces abundant purple to pink berries in summer. It is hardy in USDA zones 10 to 11.

  The Saratoga laurel (Laurus saratoga) is hardy in zones 5 to 9 and thrives in full sun to partial shade. An evergreen, this 25-foot-tall tree has gray-green foliage and produces small, black to purple berries in fall. Plant in moist to dry sand, clay or loam soil.

For Well-Drained Sites

• Some trees prefer well-drained soils. The common myrtle (Myrtus communis) grows from 15 to 20 feet tall with an equal spread. This evergreen has dense, lustrous foliage and blooms with white, aromatic flowers in summer. Myrtles produce small, blue to black berries in fall. Plant these trees in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. They are hardy to USDA zone 8.

  The yew (Taxus baccata) is hardy in zones 6 to 7. This slow-growing evergreen thrives in sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. Yews grow in a broad, shrubby form and have dark green needles. Female plants produce red berries. They grow to 60 feet but can be severely pruned.

Adaptable

• Some topiary trees tolerate a range of site conditions. The Lalandai pyracantha (Pyracantha coccinea "lalandei") is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 9, and prefers full sun and clay to sand soil. This evergreen tree grows to 20 feet tall and produces an abundance of orange berries in fall. It has glossy green foliage and produces showy, fragrant white spring flowers.

  The yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) grows from 15 to 25 feet tall in a vaselike shape. Female plants produce bright red to yellow berries that attract wildlife. Yaupons have grayish, evergreen foliage and are hardy in zones 7 to 9. Plant these hollies in full sun to partial shade and a range of soils, from wet to well drained.