Easiest Trees and Shrubs to Grow
Whether you are a new gardener or a seasoned horticulturist, bringing in new plants to a garden can be difficult. It can be tough to decide how to set up your yard so it is easy to care for. Picking the right trees and shrubs can make a big difference, especially if you are new to plant care.
Many things can make a plant difficult to grow or maintain. How much watering does it require? What kind of soil does the plant need? Does it experience issues with pests, disease, or deer looking for a snack? We’ve cultivated this list of the easiest trees and shrubs to grow and care for. These plants are easy to maintain over a long time and will add lots of value to your property!
Trees
Crape Myrtle
These trees are a craft project come to life! Crape Myrtles have beautiful flowers that sometimes look like they have been made out of crepe paper. The flowers come in a variety of bright colors like pink, red, and white. They feature smooth, gray colored bark exfoliating bark, which means that the bark peels off from the tree when it matures. Even once the flowers have gone and the leaves have fallen, this unique foliage adds for year-round interest. If you are a new gardener you will love how easy it is to care for! Once a Crape Myrtle has been established it is drought tolerant and loves to be planted in the sun.
Magnolia
Magnolia trees are as famous as they are beautiful, and they are great trees for your garden! One of the biggest benefits of buying a Magnolia are the large, fragrant blossoms which come in a variety of colors. They also rarely experience issues with pests or disease, deer don't favor them for a snack, and they support local pollinators! Magnolias come in a variety of sizes and types, so you can choose the type that works best for your grow zone and soil. Once you get the tree, planted it doesn't require much pruning (not too mention, aggressive pruning can cause it to stop flowering).
Arborvitae
Are you looking for privacy from a neighbor? Arborvitae trees are the perfect replacement for fences or privacy wall. These trees grow easily into a thick, rich green wall of foliage that is a soft, natural-looking way to achieve a privacy screen, sound barrier, or windbreak! Arborvitaes are also very low maintenance, which is perfect for the busy gardener. They are tolerant of many different climates, can withstand harsh temperatures, and are forgiving if you forget to water them for a while. Arborvitaes are the ideal trees for the beginning gardener!
Crabapple
Crabapple trees are great for gardens, especially if you are looking to promote local pollinators and wildlife! The Crabapple is a flowering tree that produces gorgeous pink flowers, small clusters of tart fruit, and vibrant red autumn foliage. It is hard to find a flowering tree that is easier to grow and hardier than a Crabapple Tree; they trees love to be planted in full sun and have a high tolerance to drought and disease.
Shrubs
Ninebark
Ninebark is a little known, native plant to North America and is one of the easiest to grow in any garden for of a multitude of reasons: the Ninebark adapts to most soil conditions, is deer and insect resistant, and can bloom in shade. Once they are established, Ninebark is drought tolerant and will live for a long time. This shrub not only features uniquely stunning foliage, it also has white flowers in the spring and early summer and exfoliating bark in the winter. Ninebark is a perfect plant for new and seasoned planters alike!
Spirea
Spirea is another flowering shrub that is super easy to grow! They come in a multitude of colors in both leaves and flowers, and change colors beautifully in the fall. This shrub does not need special attention and is particularly tolerant of a variety soil condition and winter weather threats. They love to be in sunny conditions, but they also grow well in cold winters. If you are a beginning gardener, then you cannot find easier plants to make you feel like a pro.
Juniper
Juniper shrubs are one of the lowest maintenance plants you can grow and come in a variety of different sizes and shapes. These versatile plants vary from low spreading ground-cover type plants to mid-sized spreading shrubs to even columnar, upright trees. They thrive in full sun with soil that is well-drained and almost dry! Junipers also do very well in containers or patio pots due to their ability to withstand drought and salty soil conditions. These plants are excellent for the busy gardener on the go and will look beautiful in any garden!
Barberry
If you are looking for a shrub available in a wide variety of colors, Barberries are the perfect plant for you! These shrubs are perfect for any garden because of how hardy and low maintenance they are. They are often recommended by insurance companies to plant them under windows due to their small thorns that make them a fantastic barrier. Barberry shrubs like full sun or partial shade and adapt well to a wide range of well drained soil types. Barberries are an impeccable low maintenance plant for your home!