12 Low-Maintenance Shrubs That Thrive on Neglect

First up is American Beautyberry, one of my favorite low-maintenance shrubs. One of the easiest plants to care for, it's also appealing. 

1 - American Beautyberry

Unlike other azaleas, this one thrives in full sun for 6+ hours a day. Azaleas thrive on neglect after establishing quickly. 

2 – Autumn Moonlight Azalea

An lovely, tiny evergreen shrub, Bird's Nest spruce tolerates neglect and requires little care. The plant can be planted in spring or fall and tolerates various soil and light conditions.

3 – Bird’s Nest Spruce

Hibiscus is widespread and tropical and deciduous. The deciduous species likes rich, moist soil and can take different light situations, but flowers best in full sun. 

4 – Blue Bird Hibiscus

The bottlebrush buckeye is a little buckeye but a huge shrub, growing 8-12 feet tall with a wider spread. Bottlebrush buckeye blooms until summer, unlike most buckeyes.

5 – Bottlebrush Buckeye

Spirea, medium-sized shrubs with beautiful flowers, grow swiftly and need little care. They grow full height in their first year, making them perfect for fast-filling spaces. 

6 – Bridalwreath

Viburnums are prized landscaping shrubs for their flowers. But cinnamon viburnum is known for its beautiful foliage.

7 – Cinnamon Viburnum

Winterberry is an interesting deciduous holly. This shrub thrives in low-lying, waterlogged areas. This plant can handle salt, alkaline, and damp soil.

8 – Common Winterberry

Bloody Fire Loropetalum suits small spaces. It grows swiftly, reaching 3'-4' by year two. Loropetalum, evergreen flowers, grow in warm climates but survive cold.

9 – Crimson Fire Loropetalum

The deciduous or evergreen shrub Euonymus blooms and produces little fruits, sometimes with bright autumn leaves. As an evergreen, ‘Emerald Gaiety’ has green foliage year-round.

10 – Emerald Gaiety Euonymu

In my yard, this is one of the easiest and hardiest plants. Gorgeous evergreen plants, gardenias yield the most exquisitely fragrant blossoms. 

11 – Frostproof Gardenia

If you live in the American South, your garden must to include this big plant. The aromatic Tea Olive is as timeless as a camellia and represents coziness and welcome.

12 – Fragrant Tea Olive

Also See

13 Flowering Shrubs That Make Beautiful Privacy Hedges