Shrubs with deep roots are valuable for any gardener. Not only do they add more aesthetic value, but they are also eco-friendly by helping prevent soil erosion and tend to be more stable under harsh weather. Consider checking these 12 shrubs with deep roots and find which size, light conditions, and color would fit your taste.
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Shrubs With Deep Roots That Are Drought Tolerant
Not all plants are tolerant to extreme dry seasons with water shortages, so finding ones would be a blessing. These are shrubs with deep root systems that are tolerant to drought conditions.
Japanese Euonymus (Euonymus japonicus)
Zones: 6 to 9
Light: Full sun, partial shade, full shade
Soil: Loamy, sandy, clay
Height: About 10 to 15 inches (25 to 38 centimeters)
The green, yellow, white, and golden foliage of Japanese euonymus has clusters of tiny white or burgundy flowers that bloom during spring and summer. You’ll need to dig a hole deep enough for these evergreen perennial shrubs with deep roots and make sure the soil is moist enough for them to thrive.
Love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus)
Zones: 2 to 11
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Soil: Loamy
Height: About 24 to 48 inches (60 to 120 centimeters)
The red or burgundy, long, and petalless blossoms of love-lies-bleeding flourish from fall to summer. Not only are they drought-tolerant shrubs with deep roots, but the exotic love-lies-bleeding also produces showy blossoms that are good for cut flowers. The primary taproot of love-lies-bleeding could grow up to about 60 inches (150 centimeters) deep.
New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
Zones: 4 to 8
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Soil: Loamy, sandy
Height: About 24 to 36 inches (60 to 90 centimeters)
Need some deep-rooted shrubs with white and pink blossoms? This perennial, poor-soil-tolerant shrub will grant your wish! The New Jersey tea plant grows a deep taproot system that once established, is great to use for erosion control.
Shrub Houseplants With Deep Roots For Asian-themed Gardens
Asian-themed gardens are notable as places for calmness and tranquility. Elements like stones, ponds, and lanterns, along with native plants such as bamboo and bonsai are often found in this type of garden. Spark your creativity by adding these shrubs with deep root systems to get that more oriental look to your garden.
Fullmoon Maple (Acer japonicum)
Zones: 5 to 7
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Soil: Loamy, sandy, clay
Height: Varies, could be a large shrub or tree, about 36 to 120 inches (91 to 300 centimeters)
Get ready to steal the attention with the maple-like, bright golden, yellow, orange, and burgundy foliage of the Fullmoon Maple. They’re easy to maintain but rather a slow-growing plant that could take years to fully mature.
Amur Maple (Acer ginnala)
Zones: 3 to 8
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Soil: Sandy, loamy, clay
Height: Varies, about 120 inches (300 centimeters), could be higher or shorter
Looking for shrubs with fragrant flowers? This pollinator magnet is known for its sweet fragrance that resembles lilac. Although amur maple is massive when it comes to size, the smaller species could successfully grow in limited garden space. A native to Japan and China, they were first introduced to the United States in the 1860s.
Maule’s Quince (Chaenomeles japonica)
Zones: 5 to 9
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Soil: Clay, loamy, sandy, rocky
Height: Varies, ranging from about 36 to 120 inches (90 to 300 centimeters)
Other tall shrubs with deep roots that are native to Asia, maule’s quince blooms breathtakingly with red, orange, burgundy, pink, and white tones. Maule’s quince produces fruits that can be harvested during fall. The fruits are usually made as marmalade and for baking purposes.
Shrubs With Deep Roots That Pollinators Love
Without pollinators, about three-quarters of flowering plants wouldn’t be able to reproduce, leading to a decline in biodiversity and potentially harm to our ecosystem and food supply. Invite more beauty and interest to your nursery using shrubs with deep root systems that are worshiped by pollinators.
Mountain Pine (Pinus Mugo)
Zones: 2 to 7
Light: Full sun
Soil: Loamy, sandy
Height: Varies on each cultivar, about 36 to 240 inches (90 to 600 centimeters)
Pollinator adores the fresh pine fragrant of mountain pine, and we bet you’ll love them too. Despite being a giant evergreen that thrives well in mountain areas of Central and Southern Europe, some dwarf cultivars of this deep-rooted plant will also enjoy living in much smaller garden spaces like walkways and patios.
Chinese Snowball Viburnum (Viburnum macrocephalum)
Zones: 6 to 9
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Soil: Clay, sandy, loamy
Height: Varies, about 36 to 180 inches (90 to 458 centimeters)
These stunning shrubs with deep roots have pure white or greenish-white blooms that are shaped like a fluffy snowball! A low-maintenance flowering shrub, on average the Chinese snowball viburnum grows about 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 centimeters) per year.
Butterfly Bush (Buddleja)
Zones: 5 to 13
Light: Full sun, full shade
Soil: Loamy, sandy, clay
Height: About 12 to 108 inches (30 to 275 centimeters)
Just like its namesake, the butterfly bush has clusters of fragrant, tiny blossoms in separate spikes that bloom at the start of mid-summer to early fall. Be aware that they have a fibrous, deep root system that could be an aggressive invader if not under adequate control.
Shrubs With Deep Roots As Home for the Butterflies
Butterflies love deep-rooted shrubs as they provide a great habitat and food source, both for adult butterflies and the early-stage pupate. Additionally, the vibrant colors and patterns of butterflies are visually pleasing, a simple yet flawless way to build such graceful gardens.
Flowering Almond (Prunus glandulosa)
Zones: 4 to 8
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Soil: Loamy
Height: About 48 to 60 inches (120 to 150 centimeters)
This small, deciduous shrub with deep roots is native to China and Korea, admired for its showy pink and white blossoms that appear in spring. Even so, flowering almonds are considered mildly toxic to humans and pets, with hydrogen cyanide found mainly in foliage, seeds, and stems.
Broadleaf Lilac (Syringa oblata)
Zones: 4 to 7
Light: Full sun, partial shade
Soil: Loamy, sandy
Height: Varies, about 36 to 180 inches (90 to 450 centimeters)
There’s a reason why the broadleaf lilac is popular, that is their fragrant clusters of white and lavender flowers that bloom during spring. Not only as an ornamental perennial shrub, but broadleaf lilac is also cultivated to be made as an essential oil for their antifungal components.
Canadian Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
Zones: 3 to 8
Light: Full sun, partial shade, full shade
Soil: Clay, sandy, loamy
Height: Varies, about 36 to 240 inches (90 to 600 centimeters)
Not as beautiful as their pure white or bright pale pink blooms, this shrub from the Rose Family got the name ‘serviceberry’ as it’s believed that the ‘service’ refers to a burial service for the dead. Nonetheless, the Canadian serviceberry is safely edible, with tiny fruits that taste like a mix of blueberries, almonds, and strawberries.
Wrapping Up: What Shrubs Have Deep Roots?
Plants thrive in different types and root systems, and shrubs with deep roots are just equally beautiful as any other plant. Shrubs with deep roots like flowering almonds, Chinese snowball viburnum, and full moon maple are not only outstanding but will also help to control erosion. If you haven’t grown any of these deep-rooted shrubs in your nursery, why not give it a try?
New author in the hood. Loves gardening and flowers are my spirit animals (yes I know they are not animals but I insist). I will be covering most of the flowers’ topics here and occasionally random though as well.
