5 Shrub Species for Your Alpharetta Georgia Garden

Sculpted shrubbery for your alpharetta georgia garden

Prevent your garden from looking neglected and ugly. Knowing which shrubs to plant in and around your garden will help protect it from severe weather and keep it looking sharp.

72tree.com gathered the following list of 5 ideal and hardy shrub species for your Alpharetta, Ga garden.

Alpharetta Georgia Gardens

Alpharetta, Georgia, gets approximately 53 inches of rain per year. That’s 15 inches more than the US average at 38 inches per year. This rainfall helps prevent drought and supports plant species growth throughout the year.

On average, Alpharetta sees about 220 sunny days per year. This promotes a healthy environment with ample opportunity for plants, shrubs, and trees to photosynthesize.

Alpharetta is entirely situated in USDA hardiness zone 7b. When selecting plant species for your Alpharetta garden, they should be cold-hardy for zone 7b for maximum growth and health potential.

The following are 5 shrub species selected specifically for Alpharetta, Ga:

1. Ixora Maui red (Ixora coccinea)

Ixora coccinea species for your alpharetta georgia garden

Ixora Maui Red grows as a dwarf, evergreen shrub thriving on heat and humidity. A shrubby, sprawling plant with many clusters of tubular, bright orange flowers displayed on the foliage in shades of bronze to incredible glistening dark shades of green.

While this species is hardy to zones 9 through 11, they can survive zone 7b winter temperatures if sheltered during the cold season.

2. Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

Hydrangea macrophylla species for your alpharetta georgia garden

Hydrangeas include over 75 species in their genus and surpass 600 named cultivars native to multiple climates, regions, and countries. Another common name for hydrangea is hortensia. Hydrangeas can grow as climbing vines and trees but are most commonly found growing as a shrub. The plants can reach heights ranging from 1 foot to nearly 100 feet as a vine!

The showy flowers produced by this plant species are what make it so popular. Most put on a blooming display from early spring all the way into fall. The large flowers can come in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. Hydrangea blooms can be pink, blue, red, white, purple, and green (depending on the mineral content of the soil).

This flowering shrub can grow in partial shade to full sun and will thrive in hardiness zones 3 through 7.

3. Anise (Pimpinella anisum)

Pimpinella anisum species for your alpharetta georgia garden

Star anise is a quickly growing, evergreen shrub Capable of thriving in hardiness zones 7 through 10. Star anise shrubs can be grown as dense hedges or windbreaks, and they can also be pruned as a border plant. If allowed to, star anise will grow to a height of more than 15 feet and a width of over 10 feet. It tolerates both sun and shade but will grow significantly thinner in the shade.

In culinary terms, anise is used as a flavoring agent. It possesses a sweet, aromatic taste that highly resembles the taste of black licorice.

4. Arborvitae (Thuja)

Thuja species for your alpharetta georgia garden

With glistening emerald evergreen foliage and a classic narrow, pyramidal form, the arborvitae is a popular selection for gardeners looking to make a statement in all seasons.

The slow-growing arborvitae is an excellent selection for a specimen or accent tree. It serves well as a hedge tree, has the height to serve as efficient privacy screens, and makes a good foundation plant.

Hardy to zones 3 through 7, this species will add class and a sharpened look to your yard and garden.

5. Boxwood (Buxus)

Buxus species for your alpharetta georgia garden

Boxwood plants are dense, evergreen shrubs frequently planted in elegant and formal landscapes. This species is also popularly utilized in topiary. Boxwoods are grown for their foliage as their flowers lack any significance. Growing a boxwood shrub on your landscape allows you to create a topiary, a formal hedge, a matching border, or a pair of boxwood shrubs to balance out an entryway.

Boxwood is cold hardy to zones 5 through 9 and thrives in the Alpharetta, Ga area with little effort.

Growing Shrubs in Hardiness Zone 7b

In this article, you discovered 5 shrub species that grow well in the city of Alpharetta, Georgia, which is situated in hardiness zone 7b.

Knowing which shrub species to plant in your Alpharetta garden and landscape will help you maintain a sharp-looking and healthy ecosystem thriving year-round.

Haphazardly planting inappropriate species for Alpharetta’s cold hardiness can result in stunted growth, plant failure, disease, and insect infestations exploding over your landscape.

Sources:
extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B625&title=Landscape%20Plants%20for%20Georgia
gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/ixora.html
gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/shrubs/star-anise-shrubs.html
arborday.org/trees/treeguide/treedetail.cfm?itemID=777
plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/buxus/