Here are three outstanding flowering shrubs that will give your
landscape some pizazz. These three Georgia Gold Medal Winners
were selected for their flowers, foliage and adaptability to
Georgia conditions.

Chastetree

Selected for its summer flowers, attractive foliage and
adaptability, chastetree is somewhere between a large shrub and a
small tree.

Its greatest attraction is that it’s covered with summer flowers
when most other plants are done. It flowers best in full sun but
will grow in partial shade.

The blue flower spikes reach upward 10 to 15 inches from the ends
of the branches on the new growth. The foliage is gray-green and
fragrant when crushed. The plants are pest-resistant and
drought-tolerant.

While the flowers are usually blue, there are pink and white
selections. As the flowers fade, they can be removed to produce a
new flush of bloom in fall.

Pink Chinese Loropetalum

This striking shrub has outstanding spring flowers, new foliage
and vigorous growth. At first, the young plants look small and
delicate. But they grow fast, reaching 8 to 12 feet tall and
nearly as wide. So space new plants 6 to 8 feet apart.

The spring flush of hot pink flowers completely covers the shrub.
The color gets more intense with cool nights. The flowers have
narrow, strap-shaped petals that are only about three-fourths of
an inch long. But six or eight cluster together, creating a mass
of color.

The newly developing leaves are ruby red, and they turn a
purplish green with age.

The pink loropetalum is broadly adapted. It grows well in sun or
shade and in sandy or clay soils, but it does prefer well-drained
sites. The plant is heat- and drought-tolerant and
pest-resistant, too.

Mohawk Viburnum

A hybrid shrub introduced by the U. S. Arboretum, Mohawk viburnum
combines the durability of Burkwood viburnum with the fragrant
flowers of Korean-spice viburnum. It has fragrant, early spring
flowers, large summer leaves and bright fall color.

The flowers are in clusters 3 to 4 inches across. They’re bright
red in the buds and open to white. The clove-like fragrance of
Mohawk viburnum fills the early spring air. The flower display
lasts seven to 10 days.

The leaves quickly follow the flowers. Glossy green all summer,
they turn a bright orange to wine red in the fall before
dropping.

Mohawk viburnum grows best in full sun to partial shade. The
medium shrub reaches 7 to 8 feet tall. It likes well-drained
soils and needs extra water during droughts.

These great shrub selections will add to any garden, new or
established.