Landscape Shrubs M-Q by Scientific Name

Scientific Name	Common Name	Comments
Mahonia aquifolium	Oregon Hollygrape	Size: medium (5' tall by 7' wide) broadleaf evergreen Flowers: sulfur yellow flowers in mid-March Fruit: dramatic blue clusters of fruit ('grapes') Fall color: broadleaf evergreen, however, in cooler climates develops nice burgundy winter color Culture: partial shade; moist soil best Disease/insect: none serious Use: massed, foundation
Mahonia bealei	Leatherleaf Mahonia	Size: medium (6' tall by 7' wide) broadleaf evergreen Flowers: lemon yellow, terminal cluster late winter/early spring Fruit: dramatic clusters of blue/purple fruits April - June Fall/winter color: none/broadleaf evergreen Culture: partial shade/shade in Arkansas, leaves yellow if too much sun; moist soil best Disease/insect: none serious Use: Evergreen leaves give plant a tropical look, Oriental gardens; More common than Oregon Hollygrape (M. aquifolium) in Arkansas
Nandina domestica	Heavenly Bamboo	Size: medium (5' tall by 4' wide) broadleaf evergreen Flowers: showy, white terminal panicles May Fruit: spectacular clusters of red fruit Fall/winter color: broadleaf evergreen, however, can take-on reddish/purple coloration in winter Culture: sun to shade; very drought tolerant once established Disease/insect: none Use: tropical look; short hedge, foundation; Almost a weed in some wooded areas in Arkansas Cultivars: many (most for smaller size: ‘Firepower’, Gulf Stream™ , ‘Moon Bay’, ‘Harbour Dwarf’ 'Bamboo-like' stems
Nandina domestica 'Atropurpurea Nana'	Dwarf Nandina	Size: Small (18" tall by 18" wide) broadleaf evergreen Group of dwarf forms; most have intense reddish foliage in winter; most lack significant flowers/fruits Includes selections such as Gulf Stream™, 'Harbour Dwarf', 'Moon Bay'
Nerium oleander	Oleander	Size: large (12' tall by 12' wide) broadleaf evergreen Flowers: dramatic summer flowering shrub; flower colors pink, white, red Fruit: not significant Fall color: none/broadleaf evergreen Culture: full sun; drought tolerant; reliably hardy in zone 8 Disease/insect: none Use: hedge/screen Common in California/Arizona/Florida landscapes
Philadelphus coronarius	Mockorange	Size: large (10' tall by 8' wide) deciduous shrub Flowers: very fragrant white flowers in May (after leaves) Fruit: not significant (dry capsule) Fall color: none Culture: full sun; very tolerant of soils once established Disease/insect: none serious Use: shrub border
Photinia x fraseri	Fraser Photinia; Redtip Photinia	Size: large (12' tall by 12' wide) broadleaf evergreen Flowers: varies on significance; cream, flat topped clusters April Fruit: ?? Fall color: none/broadleaf evergreen; Brilliant red to new, emerging foliage Culture: full sun; adaptable to soil type Disease/insect: Very seriously affected by Entomosporium leaf spot (fungus) in Arkansas Use: probably most common hedge/screen plant in Arkansas
Picea glauca 'Conica'	Dwarf Alberta Spruce	Size: tight (appears sheared), pyramidal conifer; 7’ tall x 4’ wide Culture: full sun; demands constant moisture in summer; Best in Northwest Arkansas (cooler)
Pinus mugo	Mugo Pine	Size: can be confusing; species is fairly large (12' tall by 15' wide); most in trade are dwarf forms (2' tall by 4' wide) Needles: 2 needle pine Culture: full sun; drought tolerant once established Disease/insect: none serious Use: groundcover Cultivars: many dwarf ‘Mops’, ‘Gnom’
Platycladus orientalis (f. Thuja orientalis)	Oriental Arborvitae	Still sold in trade under Thuja orientalis Many options for size, shape and foliage color Better suited for south (zones 7 thru 9) than Eastern Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) Culture: tolerates full sun to shade (thins-out); adaptable to soil type Disease/insect: none serious Uses: hedge/screen; specimen Cultivars: hundreds of selections
Podocarpus macrophyllus	Chinese Podocarpus	Size: large (18' tall by 9' wide) broadleaf evergreen Flowers: not significant Fruit: not showy, but interesting to look at Fall color: none/broadleaf evergreen; Strap-like leaves Culture: full sun; adaptable to soil type; Reliably cold hardy in zone 8 Disease/insect: none serious Use: Good choice for hedge/screen in south Arkansas
Prunus caroliniana	Carolina Cherrylaurel	Size: large (20' tall by 15' wide) broadleaf evergreen Flowers: showy, white racemes March Fruit: not overly showy, black fruit Fall color: none/broadleaf evergreen; leaves a dark, glossy green Culture: sun or tolerates shade; adaptable to soil type; May have some winter dieback on zone 6 Disease/insect: none serious Use: hedge or screen; Almost a weed in some woodland areas even though a native plant
Prunus glandulosa	Dwarf Flowering Almond	Size: small (3' tall by 5' wide) deciduous shrub Flowers: dramatic early spring (late March/early April) flowers, double, pink ('Sinensis' or 'Rosea Plena') Fruit: not significant Fall color: none Culture: full sun; provide adequate moisture in summer Disease/insect: none serious Use: middle of mixed shrub border; more common in older landscapes
Prunus laurocerasus	Common Cherrylaurel; English Laurel	Size: large (15' tall by 20' wide) broadleaf evergreen Flowers: white, racemes, typically not as showy as other Prunus Fruit: red changing black; not dramatic Fall color: none/broadleaf evergreen Culture: sun to partial shade; adaptable to soil type Disease/insect: ‘shotholes’ in leaves caused by fungus, aesthetic issue Use: hedge or screen (but wide unless you shear/prune) Cultivars: rarely see species in Arkansas. Cultivars more common in the trade are narrow leaf cultivars that are smaller in size: 'Otto Luyken', 'Schipkaensis', ‘Zabeliana'
Prunus x cistena	Purpleleaf Sand Cherry	Size: medium (8' tall by 9' wide) deciduous shrub Flowers: delicate pink flowers in April before or as leaves emerge Fruit: not significant Fall color: none; Dramatic purple leaves all growing season Culture: full sun; provide constant moisture during summer months; Best suited to cooler Northwest corner of Arkansas Disease/insect: none serious Use: specimen
Pyracantha coccinea	Pyracantha; Firethorn	Size: large (12' tall by 12' wide) broadleaf evergreen Flowers: dramatic white flowers in May Fruits: November thru January brilliant orange-red fruits Fall color: none/broadleaf evergreen Culture: full sun; drought tolerant once established Disease/insect: susceptible to fireblight (bacteria) Use: shrub, hedge, arbor Cultivars: many Misc: thorny