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Full sun broadleaf evergreen?

16 years ago

Hi, everyone! I haven't posted here before, just lurked. But now I have a question. My (totally un-landscaped) house faces south by southeast. Consequently, the front foundation receives full sun almost all day. I am looking for some broadleaf evergreen shrubs that will tolerate that exposure. I am partial to kalmia and rhodies, but I'm pretty sure the rhodies won't like it there. However, I've read much conflicting information on kalmia. Does anyone here have any personal experience with (hopefully, blooming) broadleaf evergreens in this environment in zone 7? BTW - in future, these areas will be partially shaded - when the trees I just put in grow....

Thanks,

Dot

Featured Answer

Cindi_KS

16 years ago

Dot,
I don't know much about your region, but how about magnolias? Are you set on shrubs, or would you maybe want a tree that might give your house a bit of shade? Some of the evergreen magnolias stay under 10 feet tall. I know in zone 7 Oklahoma, they plant magnolias right up next to buildings and they look great.
Cindi

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Comments (6)

Embothrium
16 years ago
Region?
hoyasncats
Original Author
16 years ago
zone 7. Mid-atlantic.
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Any broadleaf evergreen will produce flowers. Even though they might be tiny and you not notice them, the bees will :-) Conifers do not produce flowers as most of us recognize them so no nectar production that would attract bees and they are pollinated by wind, seldom insects. If you don't want any bees, go with a conifer. FWIW, the flowering period of most broadleaf evergreen shrubs is relatively short, so the bees don't hang around long - when the flowers are over, they move on. And when they are present they are busy - they won't bother you unless you bother them. Boxwood is a very common, almost ubiquitous, hedging plant and is used in similar situations with great frequency. And it is appealing to bees when in bloom but that does not discourage its use for this purpose by 1000's of homeowners. You may be being a bit overcautious :-)
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I would urge you to consider verbena "Sissinghurst". I gardened in Zone 6 for 30+ years and this was planted and thrived on a slope near the front door. It not only looked good year round, but the long strands would root along their length and did a wonderful job of holding the soil in place during heavy rainfall. I bought my original plant from Bluestone, so they've been selling it for a lot of years and for good reason - it's a winner. Here is a link that might be useful: Verbena
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I'd suggest La. Iris along with some of the others. Just about any hardy hibiscus would likely do well too. One not mentioned that I'd highly recommend is hedychium ("butterfly ginger.")If the area stays moist, hedychium would do well and they put out gorgeous white blooms from late summer till frost that smell just like gardenias.
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hoyasncats
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks, Cindi. I'm actually considering sweet bay magnolia for one corner of the bed, but I need something I can keep under about 6' tall to go under the windows. I know you can plant azaleas in full sun around here, but everybody has them and I want a slightly more informal cottagey look. Eventually there will be some shade, but the trees are too small to help right now. I'm leaning toward trying mountain laurel, and if it resents the location, I'll move it.
Dot
gardenscout
16 years ago
Look for Viburnum Prague. Gorgeous foliage, white flowers, and evergreen.
hoyasncats
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks, gardenscout. Never heard of that one, but I looked it up and it appears very interesting - although it looks like the perfect plant for the hedge I'm going to do at the front edge of the property nest year, so maybe I better use something else for the foundation planting. I think you've solved a problem for me that I hadn't even gotten around to worrying about yet.
Dot

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