Shade Tolerant

• Plant shade-tolerant hybrid shrubs in darker sites. Azalea shrubs (Rhododendron spp.) are available in a range of hybrid forms from the 12-foot-tall Southern Indica azalea (R. indicum) to the 2-foot tall Robin Hill hybrid (R. "Robin Hill"). These evergreen shrubs grow best in sites with partial shade and rich, moist, well-drained soil. The Southern Indica produces multicolored flowers in late summer, while the Robin Hill blooms with pink flowers covered in red, white and pink marks. Other azalea hybrids include Belgian Indican, Carla, Encore and Glenn Dale. The red holly hybrid (Ilex "Red Hollies") and the meserve holly hybrids (I. x meserveae) both grow up to 15 feet tall and bloom with small, white flowers followed by red fruit. The red holly is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 6 to 9 and prefers sun to light shade and well-drained soil, while the meserve holly is hardy in zones 5 to 9 and prefers sun to partial shade. Both shrubs are evergreen with spiny, glossy foliage.
  
  

Drought Tolerant

• Choose drought-tolerant species if you have dry sites in your landscape. The weyeriana butterfly bush (Buddleia x weyeriana) quickly grows to 10 feet with an 8-foot spread. This deciduous shrub blooms with yellow, light-orange and purple blossoms that attract butterflies. Weyeriana shrubs tolerate drought and a range of soils and prefer full sun exposures. They are hardy in USDA zones 6 to 10. The dwarf crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica hybrids) grows quickly from 5 to 15 feet tall. The dwarf crape myrtle thrives in full sun and moist, well-drained soil and is hardy in zones 7 to 9. This drought-tolerant shrub produces clusters of white, red, pink and purple flowers in the summer and has orange, yellow and red fall foliage.
  
  

Sun Loving

• Plant sun-loving hybrid shrubs in sites with direct sun exposure. Hybrid lavender (Lavandula x intermedia) grows to 2 feet tall with a 3-foot spread. This slow-growing, evergreen shrub has aromatic, gray-green foliage and produces spikes of purple, white or pink blooms in the summer. Hybrid lavender is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8 and grows well in full sun and well-drained-to-dry soil. The French hybrid ceanothus (Ceanothus x delilianus) has glossy, dark-green foliage and produces pink blossoms in the summer. This evergreen prefers light, well-drained soil and thrives in the sun. A slow-grower, the French hybrid ceanothus is hardy in zones 7 to 10 and reaches heights to 5 feet with a slightly narrower spread.
  
  

Adaptable

• Some hybrids require specific cultural conditions, while others tolerate a range of sun exposures or soil types. The red chief chaenomelea (Chaenomelea hybrid) is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 8. This deciduous shrub grows 6 feet tall with a 5-foot spread and blooms with white, red, pink or orange blossoms in the spring. Red chief chaenomeleas have thorny stems and glossy foliage. They tolerate a range of site conditions. Forsythia hybrids (Forsythia x hybrids) come in a range of colors and sizes, such as Spring Glory and Golden Times. Forsythia hybrids are hardy in zones 6 to 8, prefer sun to partial shade and tolerate a range of soils. This drought-tolerant, deciduous shrub blooms with a range of yellow-hued flowers in early spring.