3 Hardy Broadleaf Evergreen Shrubs for the Mountain West

Proper siting is key to growing these woody plants in the Rockies

You may have noticed that the Rocky Mountain region — especially if you moved here from either seashore or the South — is notably lack inbroadleaf evergreen . That is because these evergreen are more prostrate to burn from both wintertime sun and wind — as well as to support winter pee loss — than deciduous woody plants or needled evergreens . As a result , gardener in our region must choose and place such woody plant more thoughtfully than gardeners in other area . Of naturally , what we call “ Rocky Mountain ” is really more like two area : one that reliably retains winter snow cover , and one that does not . The three broadleaf evergreen indigen distinguish here , however , do well in a miscellanea of gardens and exposure .

Learn more : How to Protect Broadleaf Evergreens from Winter Damage .

Siting Broadleaf Evergreens for Success

In winter - dry garden , fend off model broadleaf evergreens in locations that receive winter sun all day ; the east brass of a star sign , for example , is idealistic . wintertime snow cover bring down wintertime focus on evergreen plant plant life , so garden that continue snow cover can feature broadleaf evergreens in a gravid diversity of situation with less work . Regardless , these sumptuous , structural garden addition add vibrance to our outdoor worlds when we apprize it most and are deserving the modest investment .

During governance , water all three of these plants regularly , and mulch with leafage , Sir Henry Wood , or gravel mulch .

Rocky Mountain gardens that hold back winter snow covercan host these plants in a miscellany of site with relatively fiddling winter upkeep .

gardener in snowless areasshould site broadleaf evergreen plant life where they receive a bit of shade in the afternoon . It is also a adept estimate to water them in winter .

Daphne

Daphne × burkwoodii‘Carol Mackie ’

Zones:4–8

Size:4 feet panoptic and 4 feet improbable

One of our most striking broadleaf evergreen plant remain the Hellenic ‘ Carol Mackie ’ daphne . With a brilliant arm structure and restrained ontogenesis that return it a shapely form , it ’s an well-off alternative for semi - schematic garden and compressed configurations where large or ramble - prone woodies just wo n’t do . tear - shape leave of absence with variegate edge just goo tasting , and issue forth spring , the plant enjoy with an effusive bloom of four - petaled , soft - pinkish flowers . As if that is n’t enough , they ’re fragrant — so deliciously so that a friend of mine insist on a ‘ Carol Mackie ’ specimen by the threshold everywhere they ’ve lived , an insistence I wholeheartedly hold up . A few Word for winner on this one : Do n’t constitute ‘ Carol Mackie ’ in a corpse that sits slopped , and site thoughtfully ; this bush despises transplant . Hardy to Zone 4 , the plants strive 4 foot high-pitched and wide in ideal conditions with age .

Littleleaf mountain mahogany

Cercocarpus ledifoliusvar.intricatus

Zones:3–10

Size:5 foot wide and 8 groundwork tall

This plant fits into a category we in horticulture sometimes call “ workhorse ” plants . They wo n’t dazzle with a gaudy heyday or scent , and they wo n’t stop you at the nursery ; they show their value in other shipway — in this case , by vaporous toughness . Littleleaf mountain mahogany does n’t worry what kind of territory it ’s farm in , or how much it ’s irrigate after organisation . In fact , thisCercocarpuswill not prosper in a heavy irrigate , amended garden soil once established .

assume an ellipse shape to around 5 feet , littleleaf batch mahogany is a cervid - trial impression ( as much as any plant can be ) industrial plant that looks as good in January as it does in June . This all right - textured plant life is xeric thanks to high - desert origins and is stale hardy , too , unfazed well into Zone 3 . Unsurprisingly , it prefers full sun . Thanks to a dense , slow outgrowth habit , it requires virtually no pruning , makes a good screen for an outside bread and butter blank , and makes a good concealment place for local songster .

Manzanita

Arctostaphylos × coloradensis

Zones:5–8

Size:5 animal foot wide by 2 foot tall

An easy choice for gardens in Zone 5 and warm , our aboriginal Arbutus menziesii have quickly become regional staples when it comes to tough and jaunty shrub choice . Reaching just over 2 feet tall with age , plant ramble to cover 4 or more foot across . They present with poise in the garden , adorn in unco dark green , sheeny leafage above beautiful , cinnamon - colored exfoliating barque . Thanks to precocious flower , manzanita supply a very other nectar origin for flying insects . The attractive red berry work on plants in this group are the source of the plant ’s common name , which is Spanish for “ little apple . ” Be discourage , however , that while these flora do fine on coarser land , they do fight in some clays . If you have clay soil but desire to try develop a manzanita , take a berm ; that has done the john for me .

Bearberry is aboriginal to most of North America . Photo : Jennifer Benner

See more aboriginal plant for the Mountain West

Native Tree Species for the Rocky Mountain Region

Native Shrubs That Do It All in the Mountain West

Native Annuals and Biennials for Rocky Mountain Gardens

Bryan Fischer lives and gardens at the intersection of the Great Plains and the Rockies . He is a horticulturist and the curator of plant life collections for a local botanic garden .

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Cercocarpus ledifoliusvar.intricatus.Photo: courtesy ofJim MorefieldviaCC BY-SA 2.0 DEED

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Cercocarpus ledifoliusvar.intricatus.Photo: courtesy ofJim MorefieldviaCC BY-SA 2.0 DEED

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