6 Easy-to-Grow Summer Flowering Shrubs

Summary

• Flowering shrubs like panicle hydrangea and bluebeard are low-maintenance plants with stunning blooms.
• Summersweet and cape myrtle are hardy plants with beautiful flowers that attract birds, butterflies, and bees.
• Japanese spiraea and oleander offer unique foliage and vibrant blooms, ideal for summer gardens.

Flowering shrubs are one of the best ways to add color and texture to your garden. Aside from their astonishing beauty and curb appeal, shrubs are generally low-maintenance and attract pollinators and birds to your yard. But with so many options on the market, it can be hard to determine where to start and which shrubs are best for your garden.

Learn all about some of the best flowering shrubs and how to provide the proper care to ensure they flourish year after year. These flowering shrubs tend to steal the spotlight without requiring the same careful time and attention that other garden plants might need, making them the ideal choice for low-maintenance beauty.

1 Panicle Hydrangea Blooms Big

A long blooming garden star

Panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) is a very rewarding garden shrub with a very long bloom period. The deciduous hydrangea shrub features woody stems with shiny ovate dark green leaves and showy conical clusters of petite bright white flowers, blooming from summer through fall. The flowers put on a show alongside fall foliage as the petals shift in color from white to pink to brown as the seasons change.

The plants are hardy in zones 3a to 8b and adapt to a wide range of conditions, though they prefer morning sun with afternoon shade and moist, well-draining soil. Prune in winter or spring as the shrub blooms on new growth.

Depending on the cultivar, panicle hydrangea reaches between 8 and 25 feet in height. Some popular cultivars include 'Grandiflora,' 'Kyushu,' and 'Pink Diamond.'

2 Summersweet Attracts Bees

A pollinator-friendly shrub

Boasting year-round beauty, summersweet (Clethra alnifolia), also known as sweet pepperbush, reaches 5 to 10 feet in height with a mounded shape. Flower clusters grow along 3 to 6-inch long racemes, adding height and color to the garden, as well as attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees.

• The plant flowers from July through August for a four to six-week period, featuring a somewhat spicy fragrance.
• Attractive green foliage appears in the spring and turns golden yellow to golden brown in the fall.
• Summersweet thrives in moist, well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter with full sunlight (six hours or more) to partial shade.
• Do not plant this flowering shrub in a hot, dry location as the flowers may not bloom.
• Hardy in zones, 3a to 9b, popular cultivars include ‘Ruby Spice,’ ‘Pink Spires,’ and ‘Hummingbird.’

In fall, brown capsules mature and act as bird seed during the winter.

3 Cape Myrtle Produces Lots of Color

Create a splash of color in the garden

Cape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is a drought-tolerant shrub or small tree with showstopping summer blooms and alluring fall foliage. The shrub blooms 6 to 18-inch long clusters of paper-like flowers in shades of white, pink, and purple along wide-spreading stems from July through September.

The plant is hardy in zones 6a through 9b and thrives in a wide range of soils, including sand, loam, or clay, though it prefers well-draining soil and full sunlight (six hours or more). It is drought-tolerant, though it is best to keep the soil moist for blooming. Reaching 6 to 30 feet in height and spread depending on the cultivar, popular flowering shrub cape myrtle options include 'Acoma,' 'Natchez,' and 'Crape-Myrtlettes.'

4 Japanese Spiraea Changes Colors

Add a flash of color to the garden

Japanese spiraea (Spiraea japonica) is a dwarf shrub ideal for growing in pots that boasts color-changing foliage, which is pink, red, purple, or yellow when it is young and turns green as it matures, and clusters of petite fuzzy pink blooms in early summer. The plant grows in a low, broad mound, creating a full and dense appearance. It is also attractive to butterflies.

The shrub reaches 4 to 6 feet in height and prefers rich loamy soil, though it can survive in a variety of different soil textures. Plant in full sunlight (six or more hours daily) to light shade and avoid overwatering by keeping the soil moist but never wet. Hardy in zones 3a to 8b, popular cultivars include 'Crispa,' 'Flaming Mound,' and 'Neon Flash.'

The Japanese spiraea is invasive in North Carolina, so do your research prior to planting!

5 Bluebeard Blooms in Blue Beauty

Add a burst of texture to the garden

Bluebeard (Caryopteris x clandonensis) is a medium-sized flowering shrub featuring clusters of blue-purple flowers with a fluffy texture for two months from summer through fall. The icy gray-green stems grow in an upward shape, creating a spear of vibrant and showstopping flowers ranging in shades of blue and purple.

Plant in loose, well-draining soil that is kept evenly moist with at least six hours of full sunlight every day. The shrub is drought-tolerant, though it is best to keep the soil moist for flowering. Pruning the plant back in early spring encourages new growth and removes winter damage. Hardy in zones 5a to 9b, the plant reaches about 3 to 4 feet in height and spread, with popular cultivars including 'Blue Mist,' 'Dark Knight,' and 'Longwood Blue.'

6 Oleander Is a Long Bloomer

A dangerous beauty in the garden

Oleander (Nerium oleander) is an evergreen shrub that blooms in late spring to late summer, featuring five-petaled flowers that vary in shades of white, pink, purple, orange, or yellow. The vibrant flowers rest atop a rich green backdrop of whorls of thick, long, and narrow leaves.

The plant is hardy in zones 8a to 10b and prefers full sunlight to partial shade with well-draining, organically rich soil. Prune back any winter damage after all frost has passed to encourage healthy growth. Many cultivars reach between 3 and 20 feet in height and spread, with popular options including 'Calypso,' 'Hardy Pink,' and 'Little Red.'

Oleander is highly toxic and should always be planted away from children, pets, and animals. Do not plant near any vegetables, fruits, or edible flowers where it may be mistaken as edible as a precaution, as it is very dangerous when ingested.

Spring Into Summer With Shrubs!

These flowering shrubs each boast their own unique foliage and colorful blooms, ideal for any summer garden, though they add interest to your yard year-round. When shopping, always make sure that the shrubs are right for your USDA Hardiness Zone, and remember to plant in a location with the right exposure, soil conditions, and watering routine.

Then, enjoy your gorgeous flowering shrubs through summer and beyond!