Exciting Broadleaf Evergreens

07.12.2023 - 20:05 / finegardening.com

There are few groups of plants more valuable in the garden than broadleaf evergreens. They give the garden structure and interest when not much else is going on. This varied group generally includes any woody plant that does not lose its leaves during the fall or winter and is not a conifer with needles or scales (think pines, junipers, firs, or arbor­vitae). Broadleaf evergreens represent some of our most popular and useful shrubs: rhododendrons, camellias, hollies, and boxwood. These plants offer a wide range of textures through their varied foliage and can often be complemented with beautiful flowers and a lovely growing habit.

Unfortunately, having so much leafy surface area exposed to the vagaries of winter weather means that broadleaf evergreens can be damaged by cold more easily than other plants, so they are used more frequently in milder areas (Zones 7–11) than in colder areas. ­Although in colder zones the choices are more limited, there are still some very useful plants that will tolerate Zones 5 and 6, and with protection a few will even survive in Zone 4, where the average winter temperature can drop to a chilling –20° to –30°F. The following are a few of my favorite broadleaf evergreens, ones that do more than just simply add green to the garden in the off-season.

Name: ‘Donation’ camellia (Camellia × williamsii ‘Donation’)

Zones: 7–9

So many broadleaf evergreens have breathtaking displays of bloom that entire libraries can be dedicated to them. One of the classics is camellia. There are many species and hundreds of cultivars of this staple of the Southern garden to choose from. With thoughtful selec­tion in mild climates, blooms can flourish from early autumn to midspring. In areas prone to occasional cold