Think pink when planning your garden! From pale pink to magenta, you’re sure to find a shrub with pink flowers that will look spectacular in your yard.
If you’re looking to incorporate pink into your garden, consider these shrub options with gorgeous pink flowers.
Shrub Basics
- What Is a Shrub
Shrubs are woody plants with several main stems. They can be deciduous (go dormant and lose their leaves over the winter) or evergreen (do not go dormant and keep their leaves over the winter).
- The Difference Between a Shrub and a Bush
From a gardening perspective, there is no clear distinction between shrubs and shrubs. This often comes down to regional preference – some people consider plants grown in gardens to be shrubs, while plants grown in the wild are shrubs; others say that shrubs’ leaves almost always fall to the ground, while bushes stand taller .
- The Difference Between Shrubs and Trees
Shrubs are generally much smaller than trees, often with a more rounded shape and thinner stems. Many shrubs can be grown into a tree form with a single trunk – like this hydrangea tree – while some trees can be grown into a shrub form with multiple trunks – such as crape myrtles.
- Area
Make sure the shrubs you plant are compatible with your planting area. If you’re growing shrubs in containers, it’s best to place hardy shrubs in a lower area because the roots will be less insulating than if they were in the ground.
- Sun or Shade
Know where you want to plant and choose accordingly. Shrubs labeled for full sun need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day, shrubs labeled for partial shade should get 4 to 6 hours of direct sun, and shrubs labeled for full shade should receive only a few hours of morning sun. Don’t cheat flowering shrubs with sunlight, they won’t bloom either.
- Soil
Most shrubs are reasonably adaptable to a variety of soils as long as they are well-drained.
Some Shrub Options
- Sonic Bloom Pink Vigra
Traditionally, weigela is considered a lush shrub with pink flowers that bloom in spring. Summer flowers may reappear. New varieties produce more flowers of different shades in summer and fall. The Sonic Bloom collection blooms continuously from spring to fall and comes in shades of red, pink and white. Plant in full sun; it grows 4 to 5 feet tall and wide.
- Autumn Hell Cotoneaster
In spring, look for small pink flowers on the branches. In fall, once temperatures start to drop, the leaves of fall hellbender change from dark green to orange and red. Plant this shrub in full sun to partial shade. It can grow up to 5 to 6 feet tall and almost as wide.
- English Rose
Few shrub roses bring wildlife to Scarborough Fair like the David Austin rose. It produces long-lasting, soft pink cup-shaped flowers with a musky, old rose scent. Golden stamens among pink petals attract pollinators. Plant it near a walkway or patio to fully enjoy the delicious smell. Also try Anne Boleyn.
- Strawberry Milkshake Hydrangea
For a spectacular summer display, plant Strawberry Milkshake, a delightful new panicle hydrangea. Sturdy stems support large flower heads that start off white and turn delicate pink as they mature. Plant it as a foundation, in a flower bed or in a container.
- Summer Wine Nabac
This delightful deciduous plant has mature stems that peel away to reveal red and light brown inner bark. Summer wine is a pink-flowered shrub that reaches 5 to 8 feet tall and wide with distinctive dark purple (almost black) leaves. This hardy plant grows best in full sun and adapts to most soil types.
- Electric Azalea
Electric Double Pink Rhododendron has no problem catching attention in spring. That’s when it unfurls a boatload of fragrant rose-pink twin flowers. The plant grows 6 to 7 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide, and its burgundy fall foliage is a treat. Plant this shrub with pink flowers in full sun to part shade.
- Viburnum
Viburnums are versatile shrubs that offer beautiful pink flowers as well as attractive foliage and berries. Varieties like ‘Mohican’ and ‘Pink Beauty’ produce clusters of pink blooms that will brighten up any garden.
- Camellia
Camellias are renowned for their glossy evergreen foliage and stunning blooms. Varieties like ‘Pink Perfection’ and ‘Debutante’ offer exquisite pink flowers that will add a touch of elegance to your garden.
- Ann Mulan
This small magnolia is full of beauty because of its size. It is one of the “Little Girl” magnolia series, which can be cultivated to grow 8 to 15 feet tall and bloom in mid to late spring. Many little girl varieties produce additional flowers sporadically throughout the growing season. Magnolia Angustifolia has deep pink flowers.
- Spirea
Spireas are versatile shrubs that bloom in various colors, including pink. The ‘Goldflame’ variety, with its pink flowers and golden foliage, adds a touch of warmth to any garden.
- Potentilla
Potentillas are small, compact shrubs that produce charming pink flowers throughout the summer. Varieties like ‘Pink Beauty’ and ‘Abbotswood’ are easy to grow and require minimal maintenance.
- Yuki Sakura Nectar
This small shrub with pink flowers (only 1 to 2 feet tall and wide) blooms best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. The woody stems of snow cherry blossoms tend to be short-lived, so they need to be pruned regularly to keep them looking their best. Since it blooms during the previous season’s growth, it should be pruned immediately after blooming.
Shrub Care Tips
- Deep but infrequent watering encourages plants to establish a good root system.
- Water regularly during the first year. Established shrubs do well with less frequent supplemental watering.
- When planting, it is best to apply controlled-release fertilizer at the bottom of the planting hole.
- Fertilize established shrubs in early spring. Fertilizer can help plants become more vigorous and make them more resistant to pests and diseases.
- Most landscape shrubs don’t require as much pruning as you might think, and no plant has died from lack of pruning.
- Knowing when a plant is blooming is the best guide to when to prune. General rule: If it blooms early in the season (forsythia, lilac, azalea, etc.), prune it right after blooming. If the blooming season is late (roses, butterfly bushes, rose of Sharon, etc.), prune in late winter to early spring.
- Prune re-blooming shrubs after the first round of blooms to encourage a second round of more blooms.
- Prune evergreens (boxwood, holly, arborvitae) in spring after new growth appears.
