15 Stunning Flowering Summer Shrubs

Summer shrubs

Blooming shrubs are the perfect addition to a summer garden for gardeners that wish to receive a taller level of blooms. Shrubs help add a multi-level, tiered height to the garden, giving it added dimension that looks lovely throughout the spring, summer and fall months. They also look lovely when planted up against the side of the house, next to a fence or along a walkway.

Blooming shrubs are also very well-known for their ability to attract butterflies and hummingbirds into the garden.

We’ve compiled a list of some of the best blooming summer shrubs that come in a variety of shades and bloom styles.

1. Butterfly Bush

Butterfly Bush

This highly fragrant flower has rich, purple blooms that appear similar to lilac. Just like the lilac bush, the Butterfly Bush is known for its delicious fragrance, leaving gardeners to enjoy planting it near windows. It blooms from summer into early fall and will grow up to 10 feet in height. Plant this bush in zones 5-9 for the best blooms.

2. Bluebeard Shrub

Bluebeard Shrub

This late-summer bloomer has spires of blue blooms. It is highly resistant to hear and is a very low-maintenance blooming shrub. It is a big attractor of birds and butterflies. Its flowers make lovely cut blooms for indoor arrangements. The Bluebeard shrub prefers full sun and requires very well-drained soil. This shrub does best when grown in zones 5-9 for the best blooms that will grow to around 4 feet in height.

3. Carolina Allspice

Carolina Allspice

This is a highly underrated gem that has deep, desert-like blooms that contain multiple petals. It has a scent that has a type of spice to it that makes it highly unique. It’s very early to care for when grown in full sun or partial shade. The Carolina Allspice grows best in zones 5-9.

4. Potentilla

Potentilla

This is a bush with flocks of rich green foliage that produce cheery yellow blooms with five round petals and a darker yellow center eye. Its blooms appear similar to an oversized buttercup. It will begin to bloom in the late spring and produce blooms throughout the summer and fall. This shrub is a big attractor to butterflies. It grows around 3 feet in height and prefers full sun, growing best in well-drained soil within zones 3-7.

5. Gardenia

Gardenia

This evergreen shrub produces deep green foliage and snow-white flowers that have a very intense, lovely fragrance. It prefers partial shade and grows best in zones 8-10, often grown as a container shrub.

6. Hydrangea Paniculata

Hydrangea Paniculata

This is the lowest-maintenance hydrangea shrub. It produces dazzling white sprays of tiny petals that will eventually gain a pink tone in the fall. This particular hydrangea is often grown in a large pot and can grow up to 10 feet tall. It grows best in zones 4-8 and requires well-drained soil and full sunlight or just a few hours of shade a day.

7. Little Gem Magnolia

Little Gem Magnolia

This is a more compact version of the large-scale magnolia tree. Like all magnolias, it is known for its deep green, glossy leaves and is peppered with small white flowers that will bloom from spring well into fall. It is the longest-blooming of the magnolia shrubs. Gardeners love its rich fragrance. This particular magnolia bush prefers full sunlight and will do best in zones 7-10.

8. Oleander

Oleander

This subtropical plant has bright 5-petal blooms that will show in shades of pink, white, light purple, or a light red. Gardeners love the Oleander because it is foolproof to grow to a full set of cheery blooms. You often see it growing natural on the roadside in warmer climates. It requires full sunlight and well-drained soil to grow up to 10 feet in height. It grows best only in the subtropical zones 10-11. Note: Oleander is extremely poisonous to both humans and animals, so gardeners should be very careful where they plant it.

9. Spirea

Spirea

Spirea produces lovely clusters of deep pink petals that contain very light green foliage. It is commonly planted in urban environments such as restaurants or commercial complexes. It’s exceptionally easy to grow and will bloom with little maintenance, growing best in zones 4-9.

10. Rock Rose

Rock Rose

This particular rose bush produces blooms in pink, purple or white that has petals appearing similar to crepe paper with a dazzling central eye that is typically bright yellow in the very center. This is a great plant for areas that don’t receive a lot of rain because it is exceptionally tolerant of drought-like conditions. It requires full sun and will grow up to 5 feet tall in very well-drained soil. The rock rose bush does best when it is grown in zones 8-10.

11. Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon

Another highly tolerant rose bush, the rose of Sharon is known for having blooms even during the warmest and driest months of the year. The blooms appear tropical-looking and general come in various shades of purple and a light blue. This blooming shrub grows best in 5-9, growing 10 feet in both height and width.

12. Shrub Rose

Shrub Rose

This rose bush is particularly pleasant because it has bright, beautiful blooms in various shades of hot pink, red and yellow that will bloom throughout the summer before reappearing again in the autumn months. The shrub rose does have small thorns, so it is best to plant it in an area that doesn’t have a lot of foot traffic or children playing. It prefers full sunlight and grows best when planted in zones 3-9.

13. Smoke Bush

Smoke Bush

This shrub has a highly unique bloom that appears wispy and will remain pink or purple during the summer before changing to orange or red in the autumn months. It grows best in zones 5-8 and will grow up to 12 feet in height.

14. Summersweet

Summersweet

Summersweet is one of the few blooming shrubs that grow best in spots that get a lot of shade. It has delicate pink or white blooms and foliage that turn golden in the fall. It grows best in partial to full shade in zones 3-9.

15. Abelia

Abelia

Abelia is a top choice for gardeners that wish to attract butterflies and hummingbirds into their garden during the spring and summer months. It grows best in zones 6-9 in an area where it has partial shade.