Flowering shrubs make excellent ornaments in a garden or landscape design. They come in all sizes and shapes and offer a wide variety of foliage, flowers, colors, texture and structure. Besides their ornamental value, flowering shrubs are utility plants that can be used to make hedges, privacy screens, wind breakers, and interesting espalier or topiary designs.

Most flowering shrubs require little maintenance and make excellent choice for designing low-maintenance landscapes.

Following is a list of best flowering shrubs you can grow in your garden or landscape.

Best Evergreen Flowering Shrub

Tibouchina urvilleana

Tibouchina is a genus of excellent bloomers from tropical and sub-tropical climates, majorly from Brazil and Mexico. Most species are evergreen and produce attractive flowers of pink and purple colors. Tibouchina urvilleana is a nice evergreen flowering shrub that can grow up to 10 feet in its native climate. It is known for its silvery-green foliage and beautiful purple flowers that attract bees and butterflies.

• Foliage: Evergreen
• Flowers: Purple (summer)
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Size: Up to 12 feet
• Propagation: Cuttings
• Soil pH: Neutral to Slightly acidic
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11
• Special Care: Protect from frost and extreme cold
• Other Names: Princess Flower, Glory Flower

Tibouchina urvilleana makes an excellent evergreen flowering shrub. It does not require much maintenance and blooms profusely in mid-summer. If you are looking for other options, I would recommend the following evergreen flowering shrubs:

Polygala myrtifolia 

• Foliage: Evergreen
• Flowers: Purple (all year)
• Water: Drought tolerant; water when the soil is dry
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Size: Up to 6 feet
• Propagation: Cuttings
• Soil pH: Neutral
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11
• Special Care: Do not over water
• Other Names: September Bush

Loropetalum chinense (Buy online)

• Foliage: Evergreen; Colorful in winter
• Flowers: Pink (early spring)
• Water: Regular
• Light: Full to partial sun; also grows in shaded spots
• Size: Up to 6 feet
• Propagation: Cuttings
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic
• USDA Zone: 7 to 10
• Special Care: Do not over water
• Other Names: Chinese fringe-flower

Streptosolen jamesonii (Buy online)

• Foliage: Evergreen; Colorful in winter
• Flowers: Orange (spring/summer)
• Water: Regular
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Size: Up to 6 feet
• Propagation: Cuttings
• Soil pH: Neutral
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11
• Special Care: Do not over water
• Other Names: Marmalade Bush

Best Flowering Shrub for Colorful Foliage

Breynia disticha (Buy online)

Breynia disticha is a nice flowering shrub better known for its colorful foliage. Originally from the tropical climates, Breynia disticha can be grown in colder climates when protected from frost and freeze. This attractive flowering shrub is characterized by wavy, red stem and variegated foliage of white and pink hues. Breynia disticha makes an excellent plant for containers, garden borders as well as a ground cover in landscape designs.

• Foliage: Evergreen colorful foliage
• Flowers: Inconspicuous
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Size: Up to 6 feet
• Propagation: Cuttings
• Soil pH: Slightly alkaline
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11
• Special Care: Protect from frost and extreme cold
• Other Names: Snow Bush

Other flowering shrubs for colorful foliage include:

Coprosma repens

• Foliage: Evergreen colorful foliage
• Flowers: Inconspicuous
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Size: Up to 5 feet
• Propagation: Cuttings
• USDA Zone: 9a to 10b
• Special Care: Protect from frost and extreme cold
• Other Names: Mirror Bush

Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’

• Foliage: Evergreen colorful foliage
• Flowers: Inconspicuous late winter flowers
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Size: Up to 10 feet
• Propagation: Cuttings
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic
• USDA Zone: 6a to 10b
• Special Care: Protect from frost and extreme cold
• Other Names: Gold Dust

Iresine herbstii

• Foliage: Evergreen colorful foliage
• Flowers: Inconspicuous
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Size: Up to 6 feet
• Propagation: Cuttings
• Soil pH: Slightly alkaline
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11
• Special Care: Protect from frost and extreme cold
• Other Names: Snow Bush

Euonymus japonica

• Foliage: Evergreen colorful foliage
• Flowers: Inconspicuous
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Size: Up to 6 feet
• Propagation: Cuttings
• Soil pH: Slightly alkaline
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11
• Special Care: Protect from frost and extreme cold
• Other Names: Snow Bush

Dodonaea Viscosa ‘Purpurea’

• Foliage: Evergreen colorful foliage
• Flowers: Inconspicuous
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Size: Up to 6 feet
• Propagation: Cuttings
• Soil pH: Slightly alkaline
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11
• Special Care: Protect from frost and extreme cold
• Other Names: Snow Bush

Best Low-maintenance Flowering Shrub

Bougainvillea

Bougainville is a widely grown flowering shrub in many parts of the world. It is known for its attractive and colorful bracts. It is a hardy shrub that survives a range of climatic conditions and growing environment. A large number of varieties of Bougainville are commercially offered and are liked because of their colorful bracts and variegated foliage. Most varieties originate from four major species. Bougainville spectabilis (purple or rose-purple bracts), Bougainville glabra (magenta bracts and oblong, bright green leaves), Bougainville peruviana (smaller, mauve-pink bracts, yellowish flowers and large, smooth leaves), and Bougainville formosa (large clusters of pale magenta-pink flowers, usually bears variegated leaves).

• Foliage: Evergreen colorful foliage
• Flowers: Bracts of Red, Orange, Purple, Pink, Magenta, Apricot (Spring/ Summer)
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Size: Up to 6 feet
• Propagation: Hardwood cuttings
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11

Other low-maintenance flowering shrubs you should consider include:

Weigela florida

• Foliage: Deciduous
• Flowers:  Pink, Mauve (Spring / Summer)
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Size: Up to 12 feet
• Propagation: Hardwood cuttings
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic
• USDA Zone: 5a to 8b

Pimelea ferruginea

• Foliage: Evergreen
• Flowers: White (Spring / Early Summer)
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Partial Sun
• Size: Up to 15 cm
• Propagation: Hardwood cuttings
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11

Tecoma capensis

• Foliage: Evergreen
• Flowers: Red, Orange (Late Summer / Early Fall)
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full to partial Sun
• Size: Up to 8 feet
• Propagation: Cuttings, Layering
• Soil pH: Neutral
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11

Lagerstroemia indica

• Foliage: Deciduous
• Flowers: Pink, Magenta, Purple (Spring/ Summer)
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full to partial Sun
• Size: Up to 12 feet
• Propagation: Cuttings
• Soil pH: Neutral
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11

Best Shrubs for Attractive Flowers

Chaenomeles speciosa

• Foliage: Deciduous
• Flowers: Pink, Red, White (Winter/ Early Spring)
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full to partial Sun
• Size: Up to 10 feet
• Propagation: Cuttings, layering
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic
• USDA Zone: 5a to 8b

Nyctanthes arbor-tristis

• Foliage: Evergreen
• Flowers: White (Summer / Fragrant flowers)
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full to partial Sun
• Size: Up to 12 feet
• Propagation: Cuttings
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11

Melaleuca

• Foliage: Evergreen
• Flowers: Cream (Fragrant flowers)
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full Sun
• Size: Up to 40 feet
• Propagation: Seeds
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11

Holmskioldia sanguinea

• Foliage: Evergreen
• Flowers: Red, orange, yellow (Spring/ Summer)
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full Sun to partial Sun
• Size: Up to 10 feet
• Propagation: Cutting, layering
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11

Best Flowering Shrub for Unusual Flowers

Clianthus puniceus

• Foliage: Evergreen
• Flowers: Red, pink (Spring/ Summer)
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full Sun to partial Sun
• Size: Up to 10 feet
• Propagation: Cutting, seeds
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11

Leonotis leonurus

• Foliage: Evergreen
• Flowers: Red, pink (Spring/ Summer)
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full Sun to partial Sun
• Size: Up to 10 feet
• Propagation: Cutting, seeds
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic
• USDA Zone: 9a to 11

Crotalaria agatiflora

• Foliage: Evergreen
• Flowers: Yellow (Spring/ Summer)
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full Sun
• Size: Up to 4 feet
• Propagation: Seeds
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic
• USDA Zone: 8a to 11

Justicia brandegeana

• Foliage: Evergreen
• Flowers: Pink(Spring/ Summer)
• Water: Regular; do not over water
• Light: Full Sun
• Size: Up to 5 feet
• Propagation: Cutting
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic
• USDA Zone: 8a to 11