When people think of hedges, a few familiar plants usually come to mind—boxwood, arborvitae, maybe privet. But hedging plants can be far more diverse, offering not only privacy but also flowers, fragrance, seasonal color, and habitat for wildlife. By looking beyond the usual suspects, gardeners can create living boundaries that feel dynamic and distinctive rather than predictable.
From compact shrubs that form tidy low borders to medium-sized plants that add texture and bloom, and even larger species that can anchor a landscape with height and structure, there are many underused options that perform beautifully as hedges. The following selections highlight a range of plants organized by size, each bringing its own ornamental qualities and growing preferences while still delivering the structure and screening that hedges are meant to provide.
Are you inspired to add a new hedge to your garden? Here are some fun hedging plants for attractive, well-behaved species that go beyond the sometimes-invasive basics.
Read More: Essential Guide to Growing Hedges
Short-Sized Hedging Plant Ideas
Low hedges can define spaces, edge pathways, and provide gentle screening without overwhelming a garden. While many gardeners default to clipped boxwood or dwarf evergreen shrubs, there are plenty of smaller plants that bring far more seasonal interest. The following selections stay relatively compact while offering flowers, fragrance, berries, or striking foliage—making them excellent choices for informal hedges or low-maintenance borders.
THREADLEAF BLUESTAR
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Amsonia hubrichtii ZONES: 5–8 SIZE: 3 feet tall and wide CONDITIONS: Full sun; average to well-drained soil NATIVE RANGE: Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma |
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DWARF FOTHERGILLA
Fothergilla gardenii
ZONES: 5–8
SIZE: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide
CONDITIONS: Full sun to partial shade; average to moist soil
NATIVE RANGE: Southeastern United States
SILVER CREEPING WILLOW
Salix repens var. argentea (syn. S. arenaria)
ZONES: 4–8
SIZE: 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide
CONDITIONS: Full sun; moist to moderately dry soil
NATIVE RANGE: Europe
SMOOTH HYDRANGEA
Hydrangea arborescens and cvs.
ZONES: 3–9 depending on cultivar
SIZE: 3 to 5 feet tall and wide
CONDITIONS: Partial to full shade; evenly moist soil
NATIVE RANGE: Eastern United States
LAVENDER
Lavandula angustifolia and cvs. including ‘Munstead’ and ‘Hidcote’
ZONES: 5–8
SIZE: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide
CONDITIONS: Full sun; well-drained, alkaline soil
NATIVE RANGE: Mediterranean region
NEW JERSEY TEA
Ceanothus americanus
ZONES: 4–10
SIZE: 2 to 5 feet tall and wide
CONDITIONS: Full sun; well-drained soil
NATIVE RANGE: Central and Eastern United States
BLACK CHOKEBERRY
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Aronia melanocarpa and cvs. including ‘Morton’ and Low Scape Hedger® (‘UCONNAM166’, pictured) ZONES: 3–8 SIZE: 2 to 5 feet tall and wide depending on cultivar CONDITIONS: Full sun to partial shade; moist to average soil NATIVE RANGE: Eastern North America |
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PANICLE HYDRANGEA
Hydrangea paniculata and cvs. including Bobo® (‘ILVOBO’), Little Lime® (‘Jane’), and Fire Light® (‘SMHPFL’, pictured)
ZONES: 3–8
SIZE: 3 to 5 feet tall and wide
CONDITIONS: Full sun to partial shade; average to dry soil
NATIVE RANGE: Eastern Asia
‘MISS KIM’ MANCHURIAN LILAC
Syringa pubescens subsp. patula ‘Miss Kim’
ZONES: 3–8
SIZE: 4 to 6 feet tall and wide
CONDITIONS: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil
NATIVE RANGE: China and Korea
WHITE SPIREA AND STEEPLEBUSH
Spiraea alba (pictured) and S. tomentosa
ZONES: 3–7
SIZE: 2 to 6 feet tall and wide, depending on species and cultivar
CONDITIONS: Full sun; average soil
NATIVE RANGE: North America
Medium-Sized Hedging Plant Ideas
Medium-height hedges strike a balance between privacy and openness. Tall enough to create a visual screen but still manageable in scale, these plants could work well along property lines, around patios, or as backdrops in mixed borders. Many of these options also provide multiple seasons of interest, from colorful stems and berries to unique foliage textures, adding beauty as well as function to the landscape.
‘MIDWINTER FIRE’ BLOOD-TWIG DOGWOOD
Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’
ZONES: 5–7
SIZE: 3½ to 8 feet tall and wide
CONDITIONS: Full sun; average to moist soil
NATIVE RANGE: Europe and northwest Asia
INKBERRY
Ilex glabra cvs. including Gem Box® (‘SMNIGAB17’), Strongbox® (‘ILEXFARROWTRACEY’), and Squeeze Box® (‘SMNIGLA’)
ZONES: 5–9
SIZE: 2 to 6 feet tall and wide
CONDITIONS: Full sun to partial shade; moist to average soil
NATIVE RANGE: Eastern North America
BUTTONBUSH
Cephalanthus occidentalis and cvs.
ZONES: 4–10
SIZE: 5 to 12 feet tall and 4 to 8 feet wide
CONDITIONS: Full sun to partial shade; moist to average soil
NATIVE RANGE: Eastern and southern North America
DAPPLED WILLOW
Salix integra ‘Hakuro-nishiki’
ZONES: 5–7
SIZE: 4 to 6 feet tall and 5 to 7 feet wide
CONDITIONS: Full sun to partial shade; average to moist soil
NATIVE RANGE: China, Japan, and Korea
WINTERBERRY
Ilex verticillata
ZONES: 3–9
SIZE: 6 to 10 feet tall and wide
CONDITIONS: Full sun to partial shade; moist to dry soil
NATIVE RANGE: Eastern North America
Large-Sized Hedging Plant Ideas
For maximum screening and landscape impact, larger plants can form substantial hedges that function almost like living walls. Though some of these species naturally grow quite tall, they respond well to pruning and can be maintained as structured or informal hedges depending on your design. Beyond privacy, these plants offer strong architectural presence, seasonal color, or valuable habitat for wildlife, making them excellent long-term investments in the landscape.
Related Video: Native Skinny Conifers for the Southeast on YouTube
‘BLOODGOOD’ JAPANESE MAPLE
Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’
ZONES: 5–8
SIZE: 15 to 20 feet tall and wide
CONDITIONS: Full sun to partial shade; moderately well-drained, slightly acidic soil
NATIVE RANGE: China, Japan, and Korea
EUROPEAN HORNBEAM
Carpinus betulus
ZONES: 4–8
SIZE: 40 to 60 feet tall and wide, smaller with pruning
CONDITIONS: Full sun to partial shade; average to moist, well-drained soil
NATIVE RANGE: Europe and western Asia
AMERICAN HORNBEAM/MUSCLEWOOD
Carpinus caroliniana
ZONES: 3–9
SIZE: 20 to 30 feet tall and wide
CONDITIONS: Full sun to partial shade; average to moist, well-drained soil
NATIVE RANGE: Eastern North America
BALD CYPRESS
Taxodium distichum
ZONES: 4–9
SIZE: 50 to 70 feet tall and wide
CONDITIONS: Full sun; wet to dry soil
NATIVE RANGE: Southeastern United States
NORWAY SPRUCE
Picea abies
ZONES: 2–7
SIZE: 40 to 60 feet tall and wide
CONDITIONS: Full sun to partial shade; moderately moist to well-drained soil
NATIVE RANGE: Central and Northern Europe
Learn More:
The Essential Guide to Growing Hedges
How to Create a Dead Hedge
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