skip to main content

Florida Gardening

Shrub recommendations for southern exposure

13 years ago

Now that the heat is here, I'm thinking about planting some shrubs along the front of my house, which faces south, to provide a cooling buffer between the shrubs and my house. What I'm looking for is something deciduous (so I can take advantage of the sun in the winter) drought tolerant (to not add to the humidity near the house). Light needs: shaded in the early morning and afternoon, filtered with a little direct in the midday.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
13 years ago
Do you want something low-maintenance (slow-growing), or do you mind trimming the shrubs every week?
dmaui
Original Author
13 years ago
Perhaps not every week, but every other or monthly would be fine. We're in a rural/country area, so if the shrub looked a bit wild occasionally that wouldn't be an issue.
Related Discussions
Shrub recommendation for western exposure
Q
Comments (1)
I think hollies do well in a partial shade area (I'm assuming since this is a western exposure, we are talking shade and possibly deep shade area). Also consider a tall Emerald cedar which is already columnar. Very popular up here in Ontario. Ianna
...See More
Drought Tolerant Shade Shrub - Hedge (Southern Maryland)
Q
Comments (1)
every county has a soil conservation district office ... in spring.. and sometimes in fall .. they off native ... small... stock.... for wind break purposes ... another word for a wind break.. is a sight break ... e.g. they sell pines in my area.. 25 for $16 .... at about one foot tall .... so you might be able to cover a lot of ground ... for not a lot of money.. with stock that is chosen for your county ... the lists usually offer trees.. conifers.. and shrubs .... thats were i would start ... let us know what they suggest .... ken ps: no matter what you decide to do .... go diverse .. a nice mixture of many different types of things for your project ...
...See More
FL Southern Exposure good for roses?
Q
Comments (6)
Roses LOVE southern exposure, particularly if they are irrigated regularly. The old tea and china roses will do superb for you, and with little fuss on your part. Many of them will do just fine own root. The Antique Rose Emporium and Roses Unlimited are both very familair with growing roses in the south. ARE is located in Texas, and the owner Mike will give you loads of advice if you call and ask for him. Pat Henry is co-owner of Roses Unlimited in South Carolina and will also gve you great advice if you call and ask for her. The old roses will thrive in Florida, whereas most of the hybrid teas will struggle without a great deal of effort and chemical intervention. Been there, done that. On a more modern note though, Belinda's Dream is a good rose, as is Don Juan. I grow them both no spray. Sandy
...See More
Small shrub recommendations for Western Exposure
Q
Comments (6)
I have several Viburnum that have been on the western side of my house for at least 30 years and they do quite well, even though they tend to get neglected and get blasted by wind as well as sun. These are the normal, large sized Viburnum. The first shrub that came to mind when you mention winter interest was red twig dogwood, which has also survived on the wind and sun blasted side of my house for over 30 years, but it exceeds your height requirement too. Potentilla have always been a tough, drought tolerant, sun loving small shrub that is about 3 feet. They bloom in oranges, yellows and white. They're not much to look at in the winter. Some gallica roses stay under 4 feet, have lots of dark red hips in the winter, bloom in the spring, are quite cane hardy in cold, sun and wind, but they sucker like there's no tomorrow.
...See More
dmaui
Original Author
13 years ago
Also looking for a good low maintenance evergreen shrub to shade my air conditioner. 3 foot max, north side of house, so some sun in the summer, but not much the rest of the year.
CaptTurbo
13 years ago
I use this shrub to shade my battery bank for my solar powered, battery based, grid tied, home power system system.

http://seedlingsrus.com/Arborvitae.html
Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
13 years ago
dmaui,

Short, low-maintenance evergreen shrub: Indian Hawthorn is the plant for you. It comes in white (easy to find) and pink (Eleanor Tabor, a little harder to find).

Decidous, low-light, low-maintenance shrub: hydrangea. Note that deciduous shrubs are not usually a good choice for the front of the house because they look terrible in winter - a pile of sticks. Evergreen are usually preferred.

Carol
imagardener2
13 years ago
Carol is right that in the front of the house a deciduous shrub will look crappy in the winter so you will need to be a little more creative (unless you don't mind that look by the front entrance).

What you could do for summer is: put up a trellis and grow flowery vines then cut them down for winter so you get the sun through the empty trellis. If you choose the right vines they could re-grow from the base every year.
A lot of Southern homes use vines this way to shade their porches in the summer.

Denise

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES 8 Deer-Resistant Elegant Evergreen Shrubs to Plant This Fall

Who knew that such beautiful shrubs could be deer-resistant?

GARDENING GUIDES 8 Native Shrubs for Year-Round Bird Feeding

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

It’s not just about berries. These plants provide insects for birds and seasonal interest for gardeners

SHRUBS 5 Glorious Late-Season Shrubs

Spilling over with berries or bursting with blooms, these stunning underused shrubs keep the garden party going through fall

TREES How to Buy Healthy Trees and Shrubs

By Falon Mihalic

A healthy young plant with a strong form is more likely to do well in your yard. Here’s what to look for at the nursery

KITCHEN STYLES New Southern Style for the Kitchen

By Dressed Nest Interiors

Gracious tradition is alive and well, bless its heart, but Southern kitchens are welcoming in modern updates too

TREES Great Design Plant: Southern Magnolia, Iconic U.S. Native

By Falon Mihalic

Massive, fragrant blooms and deep green leaves set Magnolia grandiflora apart from other large shade trees

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Top Native Plants for Southern California Gardens

By Debbie Ballentine

Enjoy a fuss-free, water-wise garden by growing plants naturally in tune with the climate and wildlife of Southern California

INSPIRING GARDENS Native Plants Bring 10 Southern California Front-Yard Gardens to Life

By Annie Thornton

Rare plants, rain gardens and wildlife habitats are just a few of the features showcased on the 2016 Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden Tour

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Vitex Agnus-Castus Fills Gardens With Fragrant Blooms and Foliage

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Spikes of purple flowers adorn chaste tree’s aromatic foliage throughout the warm season in Southern gardens

GARDENING GUIDES Grow Your Own Privacy: How to Screen With Plants and Trees

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Use living walls to lower your home and garden's exposure while boosting natural beauty in your landscape

Sponsored

More Discussions

Diagnosing problems with firespike in Sarasota

5

Rats in the garden ID?

6

Garden plans for 2024?

6

Greening Satsuma

2

New Blooms Feb./Mar.

26