Flowering shrubs combine all of the best features of garden plants! They have long-lasting blooms bursting with color, lush foliage with multi-seasonal interest, and a full shape that provides structure in the landscape. Plus, they’re super low-maintenance once established! Looking to add some to your yard? Check out our top eight gorgeous shrubs that can withstand the hot summers and cold winters of North Dakota.
These Flowering Shrubs Are Just as Tough as They Are Beautiful!
You don’t need to live in the tropics to fill your yard with spectacular colors and fascinating plants. There are so many flowering shrubs to choose from that are perfectly suited for life in Bismarck. Here are our favorites!
1. Forsythia
Every spring, this ultra-vivid shrub lights up the landscape with its sunny golden blooms! What makes Forsythia so unique is how it begins flowering before its leaves appear, so during those first few weeks of spring growth, it’s pure sunshine. They grow incredibly fast—nearly two feet per year—up to 10 feet high, so if you want more privacy in the yard, Forsythia will definitely fit the bill.
2. Lilac
The scent of lilacs in spring is simply unmatched! We love the way their voluminous purple flower panicles contrast against their deep emerald foliage. Lilacs are fabulous as a single statement shrub in the landscape or for mass planting as a border hedge. Remember to prune your lilacs in summer after they’ve finished flowering—if you prune them in winter or early spring, you’ll remove all the buds!
3. Weigela
The candy-colored blooms of this flowering shrub look like they belong in the tropics, but they’re right at home here in the Northern US! Their tubular blooms with star-shaped petals are favorites among hummingbirds—especially the deep fuchsia varieties! After their first big bloom in spring, many Weigela varieties will rebloom with slightly smaller displays in summer or fall.
4. Spirea
You won’t believe how many fabulous varieties of Spirea can be grown here! This shrub is beautiful when actively flowering, but its foliage is incredible too. Some have cool blue leaves, some are chartreuse, and others emerge as red and transition to gold with orange tips! The transitioning foliage colors create a dazzling prismatic effect that adds so much dimension to the landscape.
5. Viburnum
If you want a flowering shrub with a powerful aroma, look no further than Viburnum! There are many different varieties to choose from, with unique scents and distinctive flower clusters. Some viburnums are deciduous, but there are some hardy evergreen varieties of this flowering shrub. Korean Spice viburnum is a favorite, with spicy-sweet light pink blooms that produce red berries in summer.
6. Hardy Hydrangea
Not all hydrangeas can be grown in USDA Zone 4a, but the Hydrangea Paniculata can handle our chilly winters just fine! Instead of the rounded mophead blooms you typically see on this flowering shrub, its blooms form panicles similar to the lilac. We particularly love the blushing pink varieties—they look like creamy white blossoms dusted with rouge!
7. Dogwood
This summer flowering shrub is unique in that it can be grown as a shrub or trained into a dwarf tree form. Its adorable, four-petaled blooms are usually white, but there are also some pretty pink varieties. For winter interest, try Red Twig Dogwood—its branches are a rich cranberry color that looks so striking against the snowy white landscape.
8. Barberry
Want some color contrast to break up the sea of green outside? This flowering shrub has the most striking foliage in a stunning spectrum of shades, like ruby red, electric lemonade, and rich concord grape. Its flowers are typically yellow or orange, but there’s still plenty of visual spectacle to appreciate even after they fade. Barberry has incredibly dense foliage and tiny thorns, so it’s an excellent border hedge for keeping deer and rabbits away or keeping pets contained!
Discover even more fabulous flowering shrubs for sale in Bismarck by visiting Plant Perfect Garden Center! Spring is the best time to plant, but if you miss your chance, you can also wait until fall once the temperatures have cooled off. Feel free to ask us for tips on proper planting to help get your new flowering shrubs properly established!