Overwhelmed by choices? Discover ten popular evergreens and why they stand out!

You’ve probably walked past these evergreen shrubs countless times without giving them much thought, but to landscapers and designers, they’re the backbone of a well-structured garden.

Evergreen landscaping provides year-round color, texture, and form, making it an essential part of every design.

If you’re looking to refresh your landscape or add more structure, the sheer number of shrub options at the garden center can feel overwhelming.

This article breaks down 10 of the most popular evergreen shrubs, highlighting how to use them effectively in your landscape. Let’s take a look!

1. Dwarf Japanese Garden Juniper

Botanical name: Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’

Zones: 4-9

Light requirements: Full sun

Size: 6-10 inches high and 3-5 feet wide

Attributes: Blue-green foliage; a creeping, ground-hugging habit; no pruning required; drought-tolerant; deer resistant.

Landscaping ideas: Ground cover for hot, dry sites; erosion control on sunny slopes; edging along a sidewalk or driveway; front of the border; filler for irregularly shaped beds.

Tip: Prefers sandy soil with good drainage, but very adaptable as long as the soil is well-draining.

low creeping green juniper evergreen plant in a landscaping garden bed with stone edging and mulch next to asphalt — Dwarf Japanese Garden Juniper is a popular evergreen landscaping ground cover.

2. Blue Star Juniper

Botanical name: Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’

Zones: 4-8

Light requirements: Full sun

Size: 2 feet high and 4 feet wide

Attributes: Bright, densely packed steel blue foliage; spreading form; deer-resistant; drought-tolerant.

Landscaping ideas: Mass planting; ground cover; filler for irregularly shaped beds; foundation planting; specimen planting; rock garden.

Tip: Slow-growing; will not tolerate wet soils and high humidity.

low growing evergreen landscaping plant with blue needled foliage and mulch behind — Blue Star Juniper is a low-growing evergreen landscaping shrub. Image courtesy of Bailey Nurseries.

3. Sky Pencil Holly

Botanical name: Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’

Zones: 5-8

Light requirements: Full sun to part shade

Size: 4-10 feet high and 1-3 feet wide

Attributes: Maintains a tall, narrow shape with no pruning required; deer-resistant; tolerates urban pollution and a wide range of soil conditions.

Landscaping ideas: Vertical accent; framing entryways and gates; containers; formal gardens; screening; softening the appearance of fences or walls.

Tips: Likes moisture and does not do well in drying winds or drought conditions.

5 tall narrow evergreen sky holly pencil shrubs of varying heights in landscape in front of brick building and fencing with grey houses and porches visible in back — A group of Sky Pencil Holly evergreen shrubs planted as vertical accents.

4. Nellie Stevens Holly

Botanical name: Ilex x ‘Nellie R. Stevens’

Zones: 6-9

Light requirements: Full sun-part shade

Size: 15-25 feet high and 10-15 feet wide

Attributes: Glossy dark green foliage and bright orange-red berries; no male pollinator plant required for berry production; fast-growing, up to 3 feet per year; deer-resistant; provides food and shelter for birds.

Landscaping ideas: Dense hedge; privacy screening; specimen plant; bird garden; noise buffer; windbreak; block ugly views.

Tips: Plant with a male holly pollinator like Ilex cornuta species or Ilex x ‘Edward J. Stevens’ to produce a heavier berry crop.

an evergreen holly tree at the corner of a brick home with landscaping mulched beds, grass and sidewalk — The dark glossy evergreen leaves of the Nellie Stevens Holly shrub provide year round structure in the landscape.

5. Golden Mop False Cypress

Botanical name: Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Golden Mop’

Zones: 4-8

Light requirements: Full sun to part shade

Size: 2-5 feet high and wide

Attributes: Unique, fine-textured foliage; bright yellow-green color; semi-weeping habit; burgundy-red bark.

Landscaping ideas: Specimen; foundation planting; low hedge; container; border garden.

Tips: Slow-growing; does best in moist, well-drained soil and part shade.

a golden green thread leaf evergreen landscaping plant called golden mop chamaecyparis planted in a modern white planter sitting on a sidewalk in front of brick building and window — Golden Mop's bright color and soft texture pops when planted in a smooth, modern container.

6. Manhattan Euonymus

Botanical name: Euonymus kiautschovicus 'Manhattan’

Zones: 5-8 (*may not be evergreen in zones 5&6 during very cold winters)

Light requirements: Full sun-part shade

Size: 4-6 feet high and 3-5 feet wide

Attributes: Dense, glossy green leaves; rapid growth rate; white summer flowers are a pollinator favorite.

Landscaping ideas: Hedge; foundation planting; screening; mass planting.

Tips: Unlike other Euonymus varieties, Manhattan euonymus is not considered to be an invasive plant in most areas.

a pruned evergreen hedge in the landscape with utility wires and trees in background — A freshly pruned Manhattan Euonymus hedge.

7. Skip Laurel

Botanical name: Prunus laurocerasus ‘Schipkaensis’

Zones: 6-9

Light requirements: Full sun-part shade

Size: 10-15 feet high and 5-7 feet wide

Attributes: Upright, dense shrub with glossy green leaves; fragrant white spring flowers; provides berries and nesting cover for birds; deer resistant; tolerates urban pollution; fast growth rate of up to 2 feet per year.

Landscaping ideas: Hedge; privacy screen; sound barrier; screening utilities, fences or walls; mass planting; delineating property lines.

Tips: Can be clipped into a tight hedge, or left alone to develop a looser, natural form. Avoid overhead watering, which contributes to shot-hole disease.

3 glossy evergreen cherry laurel shrubs growing in a landscape with white pine branches overhead — Skip laurel evergreen landscaping is extremely popular in the mid-Atlantic states.

8. Dwarf Japanese Cedar

Botanical name: Cryptomeria japonica ‘Globosa Nana’

Zones: 5-8

Light requirements: Full sun to part shade

Size: 4-8 feet tall and wide (grows very slowly)

Attributes: Soft, fine-textured green foliage; low-maintenance; maintains domed shape with no pruning needed; deer and rabbit resistant; needles turn rust-colored in winter.

Landscaping ideas: Specimen planting; Japanese garden; rock garden; foundation planting; container planting; border garden.

Tips: Does best in full sun and moist, well-draining soil enriched with compost.

a rounded evergreen landscaping shrub in a mulched garden bed — Dwarf Japanese cedar maintains a compact dome shape with no pruning required!

9. Emerald Green Arborvitae

Botanical name: Thuja occidentalis 'Smaragd'

Zones: 4-8

Light requirements: Full sun

Size: 15 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide

Attributes: Dense, emerald green foliage; maintains narrow shape with no pruning required; tolerates heat and humidity.

Landscaping ideas: Formal screening; vertical accent; corners of the house; delineate property lines; soften a fence line.

Tips: Requires deep waterings for two years after planting to help with the establishment of a healthy root system.

a tall narrow evergreen emerald green arborvitae in landscaping in front of an apartment building next to a sidewalk — Emerald Green arborvitae adds a vertical evergreen accent to this winter landscaping.

10. Celtic Pride Microbiata

Botanical name: Microbiota decussata 'Prides'

Zones: 2-7

Light requirements: Full sun to part shade

Size: 1-3 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide

Attributes: Soft, fern-like green foliage; deer-resistant; tolerates light shade and drought; cold-hardy; turns purple-russet brown in winter.

Landscaping ideas: Foundation planting; ground cover; edging; mass planting.

Tips: Needs well-draining soil.

an evergreen edging plant next to landscaping bricks — Celtic Pride® Siberian Cypress. Image courtesy of Proven Winners, provenwinners.com.

Set Your Evergreen Landscaping Up for Success with These Essential Care Tips

Choose the Right Zone: Select evergreens suited to your USDA hardiness zone to ensure they thrive year-round.
Match Light Requirements to Your Site:
- Full sun evergreens need 6+ hours of direct sunlight daily.
- Full sun to part shade varieties require at least 3 hours of direct sunlight.
Water for Strong Establishment: Even drought-tolerant evergreens need deep watering during their first two years. Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy to support root growth.
Continue Watering Through Late Autumn: Unlike deciduous trees, evergreens retain their foliage year-round. Needles must be well-hydrated to withstand winter winds and cold temperatures. Deep watering in fall helps prevent winter desiccation.
Monitor Drought Conditions: Check the US Drought Monitor map to stay informed about local conditions and adjust watering as needed.