Buzz
Credit: Alex Manders/Getty ImagesFor gardeners who prefer quicker results, waiting a year or more for plants to mature can be frustrating. Opting for fast-growing shrubs ensures your landscape fills out swiftly with lush foliage and vibrant blooms.
To achieve a flourishing garden in record time, these fast-growing shrubs are the perfect solution for filling your landscape effortlessly.
Essential Tips for Selecting Fast-Growing Shrubs
Not every shrub suits every garden. Consider these factors when picking the right plants for your landscape.
Ensure Adequate Space for Your Shrubs
While it might be tempting to plant shrubs in every available spot, it’s crucial to check their mature height and width. Leave sufficient space to allow them to grow fully without overshadowing neighboring plants.
To avoid bare spots in your garden while waiting for shrubs to mature, consider purchasing larger shrubs initially or planting annuals temporarily to fill gaps this year, allowing the shrubs to dominate next season.
Consider the Blooming Period
To maintain a vibrant garden, select a diverse range of plants that bloom at different times, ensuring continuous visual appeal. This principle applies to shrubs as well. "Think about the shrub’s seasonal features, like flowering times and foliage hues, to design a garden that remains dynamic and attractive throughout the year," advises Wright.
Select Shrubs That Match Your Garden’s Conditions
When choosing shrubs, evaluate the sunlight, soil type, and water requirements to ensure they thrive in their designated spot. (Placing a shrub that needs full sun in a shaded area can hinder its growth or even cause it to perish.)
Avoid Invasive Shrub Species
Some of the fastest-growing shrubs are invasive species that can quickly dominate your garden and become hard to manage once established. Wright highlights privet bushes and bamboo as prime examples. "These plants can overrun garden areas and displace native species," he explains.
Top Fast-Growing Shrubs for Your Garden
1. Smoke Bush (Cotinus coggygria)
Photo Credit: Jacky Parker Photography/Getty Images- Annual growth: 1 to 2 feet
- Final size: 10 to 15 feet tall and wide
- Bloom time: Spring and summer
- Sun: Full sun
- Hardiness zones: 4 to 9
If you’re looking for a plant that seems straight out of a Dr. Seuss story, the smoke bush is an excellent pick. "Its whimsical, cloud-like plumes bring a unique and enchanting touch to any garden," notes Wright.
2. Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii)
Credit: Alex Manders/Getty Images- Annual growth: More than 2 feet per year
- Final size: 3 to 12 feet tall, and 3 to 8 feet wide
- Bloom time: Summer
- Sun: Full sun
- Hardiness zones: 5 to 9
True to its name, the butterfly bush boasts striking, cone-shaped flowers that attract butterflies throughout the summer. Its low-maintenance nature has made it a favorite among gardeners, allowing you to sit back and enjoy its beauty with little effort.
Certain butterfly bush varieties are invasive in regions like the east and west coasts. Opt for non-spreading cultivars such as Blue Chip, Pink Micro, and Asian Moon to avoid this issue.
3. Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
mizuki/Getty Images- Annual growth: 1 to 2 feet
- Final size: 3 to 6 feet tall and wide
- Bloom time: Spring and summer, with berries in the fall
- Sun: Full sun
- Hardiness zones: 6 to 10
Wright believes this charming shrub is often overlooked. "The beautyberry truly shines with its stunning purple berry clusters in autumn," he remarks.
4. Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.)
Jennifer Blount/Getty Images- Annual growth: 2 or more feet
- Final size: 2 to 20 feet tall, 2 to 6 feet wide
- Bloom time: Summer and fall
- Sun: Partial sun
- Hardiness zones: 5 to 9
Hydrangeas, a garden favorite, can grow over two feet annually, making them ideal for quickly filling garden spaces. They flourish in partial sunlight and produce large, enduring blooms.
5. Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus)
Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus).
Mark Turner/Getty Images- Annual growth: 1 to 2 feet
- Final size: 8 to 20 feet tall, 5 to 20 feet wide
- Bloom time: Spring and summer
- Sun: Full sun to part shade
- Hardiness zones: 7 to 8
For a unique and low-maintenance shrub, the chaste tree is an excellent choice. Its early blooms attract butterflies, while birds enjoy its late-summer berries, making it a pollinator favorite.
6. Kaleidoscope Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope')
Fast Growing Trees- Annual growth: 1 foot
- Final size: 3 to 4 feet tall and wide
- Bloom time: Summer
- Sun: Full to partial sun
- Hardiness zones: 6 to 9
Wright highly recommends the Kaleidoscope Abelia. "Its glossy, variegated leaves feature vibrant yellow and green hues in summer, but the real spectacle comes in autumn when it turns a stunning ruby red, adding striking visual interest to late fall and early winter gardens."
7. Red Twig Dogwood
Fast Growing Trees- Annual growth: Up to 2 feet
- Final size: 6 to 8 feet tall and wide
- Bloom time: Spring
- Sun: Full to partial shade
- Hardiness zones: 2 to 8
This captivating shrub offers year-round appeal, featuring delicate white flowers in spring, lush green leaves in summer, and striking red stems in winter. "It combines fast growth with continuous visual interest," Wright explains.
8. Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
Simon McGill.
Simon McGill/Getty Images- Annual growth: More than 2 feet per year
- Final size: 6 to 25 feet tall, 6 to 20 feet wide
- Bloom time: Summer to fall
- Sun: Full sun
- Hardiness zones: 6 to 9
For a towering shrub to serve as a focal point in your garden, the crape myrtle is an excellent choice. This low-maintenance plant produces vibrant, enduring blooms that will enhance your landscape throughout the summer.
9. Viburnum (Viburnum spp.)
Alexander Denisenko / Getty Images- Annual growth: 1 to 2 feet
- Final size: 3 to 20 feet tall, 3 to 12 feet wide
- Bloom time: Spring
- Sun: Full to partial sun
- Hardiness zones: 2 to 9
Viburnum is an excellent choice for those seeking a fast-growing shrub with stunning spring flowers. Depending on the variety, it produces lovely white and pink blooms in spring or early summer.
10. Weigela (Weigela florida)
Weigela florida 'variegata' is a shrub with bicolored leaves.
Neil Holmes/Photolibrary/Getty Images- Annual growth: 1 to 2 feet
- Final size: 6 to 10 feet tall, 9 to 12 feet wide
- Bloom time: Spring and early summer
- Sun: Full sun
- Hardiness zones: 4 to 8
This shrub, a favorite among pollinators, is a hidden gem for gardens. It’s also ideal for creating privacy—plant several together, and they’ll grow into a natural screen for your yard.
11. Lilacs (Syringa vulgaris)
Antema/Getty Images- Annual growth: 1 to 2 feet
- Final size: 8 to 15 feet tall, 6 to 12 feet wide
- Bloom time: Spring
- Sun: Full sun
- Hardiness zones: 3 to 7
Renowned for its intensely fragrant and vibrant spring blooms, this timeless shrub also boasts lush green foliage that adds to its charm.
12. Forsythia (Forsythia spp.)
Getty Images/AndreaAstes- Annual growth: 2 feet
- Final size: 2 to 10 feet tall and wide
- Bloom time: Spring
- Sun: Full to partial sun
- Hardiness zones: 5 to 8
"Forsythia is a standout choice, delivering vibrant golden yellow blooms every spring that instantly enliven any garden," Wright notes. In autumn, its bright green foliage transforms into shades of yellow or purple, adding seasonal charm.
13. Pussy Willow (Salix spp.)
Karolína Hrdlicková / EyeEm / Getty Images- Annual growth: 2 or more feet
- Final size: 6 to 25
- Bloom time: Spring
- Sun: Full to partial sun
- Hardiness zones: 4 to 8
Pussy willows bring year-round beauty to your garden. Their soft, furry buds emerge in early spring, leading to delicate blossoms, while the leaves turn a golden hue in autumn. These shrubs thrive in moist conditions, making them perfect for rain gardens.
