Arborvitae Tree Care, Best Plant Picks, Evergreen Care, Landscape and Garden Design, Winter Care

Top 5 Winter Interest Shrubs

Nature Hills Nursery | February 14, 2026

Winter is the ever-returning friend and foe of gardeners. You may rue the arrival of Jack Frost every year, driving you inside and sapping all the color from your garden. But did you know that there are many plants that keep your garden looking beautiful throughout the cold months of the year too?

Looking to liven up your white-washed winter landscape? Dust the dreariness with one of these winter interest shrubs!

#5 Arctic Fire® Dogwood Bushes
#4 Holly Bushes
#3 Harry Lauder's Walking Stick
#2 Fire Chief™ Arborvitae
#1 Cardinal Candy® Viburnum
Winter Doesn't Have to Win! Fight Back With Winter Interest Shrubs!

#5 Arctic Fire® Dogwood Bushes

During the growing season, the Arctic Fire® Dogwood shrub is a gorgeous flowering deciduous shrub! Round and green and merry, it is a cute little ball of greenery that birds and butterflies adore, especially when the clusters of creamy blooms appear!

But then when winter comes, its leaves fall away, exposing its fiery red-orange branches! They spray upward from the snow like fire, boldly defying the cold. Snip the stems for winter décor and bouquets, or just enjoy them outdoors for brilliant color that stands out against the winter snow!

3 - 4 Feet Tall & Wide
Lush Green Leaves & Rounded Form
White Clusters of Blooms
Fiery Red Fall & Winter Color
Bird & Butterfly-Friendly
Privacy, Specimens, Hedges & Accents

#4 Holly Bushes

Holly Bushes are a timeless winter tradition! Stalwart and green all year long, many are broad-leaf evergreens, while others are deciduous varieties. The iconic spiny leaves of many varieties make it a great pop-up in any garden location. Not only are these ornamental foliage of evergreen varieties gorgeous all winter, but the brilliant red berries of deciduous shrubs stand out incredibly!

Holly are beautiful as a border shrub, hedge, specimen, foundation shrub, framing an entrance, or simply standing in a field of snow. The best part? Its berries are bird-friendly and look great in floral décor. Consider them an early burst of color to herald the coming spring!

Deciduous Holly - American Holly, Winterberry, Yaupon, & Possumhaw
Evergreen Holly - Inkberry, English, Japanese Holly, Hybrid Red, Chinese & Meserve

#3 Harry Lauder's Walking Stick

Gorgeous contorted shrubby trees, the twisting, curving, and spiraling stems of the Contorted Filbert variety Harry Lauder's Walking Stick will really show its stuff in the winter once the deciduous leaves drop! The way these show off in the winter landscape, especially when sculpted with snow, the curly branches twisting every which way in an ornamental manner!

These unique umbrella-shaped specimen trees look great year-round and can even provide edible nuts like their Hazelnut relatives. Go bold with the dark stems and deep burgundy foliage of the Red Dragon Contorted Filbert shrub or tree form!

Unique Catkins in Spring
Harry Lauders' Walking Stick Has Nuts in Fall (Red Dragon does not)
Contorted Twisting Branching
Textured Green Leaves
Gorgeous Winter Interest

#2 Fire Chief™ Arborvitae

Arborvitae often transform into bronzy hues for the winter in cold growing zones, but none are as brilliant as the Fire Chief™ Arborvitae Shrub! This little red-tipped evergreen grows in the sun and becomes a naturally round shrub and easy-care hedge.

During the winter, it is a valuable source of food and shelter for your garden's visitors. Fire Chief™ will make your yard a popular spot for migrating birds as well as deer and other non-hibernating herbivores. If you're a wildlife lover in a temperate climate, this Thuja is your friend.

Bright gold foliage turns brighter in spring
Red-tipped bright green Evergreen
Rounded, fluffy globe-shaped shrub
Resists sun and winter burning
Wildlife friendly

#1 Cardinal Candy® Viburnum

Taking the crown for winter wonders, the Cardinal Candy® Viburnum is the full package! It's cold-hardy, of course, and highly ornamental in every season, and panders to the local pollinators and wildlife. During the growing seasons, it grows tall and wide and features white flower clusters that form gorgeous pollinator-friendly clusters.

As autumn falls, its leaves turn burgundy and its flowers turn to large clusters of brilliant bright-red fruit that birds love! The fruits persist throughout the winter, always shining ruby bright despite snow and chill. Plant with another Viburnum dilatatum for increased pollination and therefore more of those incredible red berries!

Gorgeous clusters of creamy white blooms
Lush green leaves and burgundy fall color
Brilliant red berry clusters with a pollinator nearby
Dense round form that wildlife love

Winter Doesn't Have to Win! Fight Back With Winter Interest Shrubs!

Bring on the bold winter color with these and many more shrubs, trees, and plants that display incredible color when you need it most!

Whether it is incredible persisting berries, fiery winter stems, evergreen foliage, unique contorted form, or dramatic evergreen foliage, Winter Interest plants will amaze you all year round!

Check out these unique late-season plants for your landscape today at Nature Hills Nursery!

Happy Planting!

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Compare Plants

Browse the features and specs side-by-side to find the best fit for your garden.

A table comparing the facets of 3 products
Facet	Harry Lauder's Walking Stick View details	Fire Chief™ Arborvitae View details	Arctic Fire® Red Redosier Dogwood View details
Rating
Rating	(18)	(7)	(1)
Type
Type	Tree	Shrub	Shrub
By
By	Nature Hills Nursery	Plants That Work	Proven Winners
Flower Color
Flower Color	Yellow	Green	White
Growing Zone Range
Growing Zone Range	4-8	5-8	3-7
Mature Height
Mature Height	8-10 ft	3-5 ft	3-5 ft
Width
Width	8-10 ft	3-4 ft	3-5 ft
Price
Price	Sale price $89³⁸ Regular price $119¹⁷	Sale price $54⁶⁵ Regular price $91⁰⁸	Regular price From $26¹⁴

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you plant winter interest shrubs in the ground during winter?

Planting shrubs directly in frozen or waterlogged ground during winter is generally not recommended, as roots need workable soil to establish properly. In milder climates where ground temperatures stay above freezing, such as USDA Zones 7 and above, you may be able to plant hardy shrubs like Holly or Viburnum during the cooler months with success. For gardeners in colder zones, late fall planting before the first hard freeze, or waiting until early spring when soil thaws to at least a few inches deep, gives your winter interest shrubs the best start. If you are eager to get plants like Arctic Fire Dogwood or Cardinal Candy Viburnum in the ground, purchase them now and keep them in a sheltered garage or basement until conditions allow for safe planting.

Which winter interest shrubs hold their color, berries, or structure longest through the cold months?

Evergreen hollies like English, Japanese, and Meserve varieties hold their foliage and brilliant red berries from late fall well into late winter or early spring, making them among the longest-lasting sources of color. Cardinal Candy Viburnum and deciduous hollies like Winterberry also cling to their berries for months, providing reliable color from November through February in most growing zones. Arctic Fire Dogwood delivers vivid red-orange stems from the moment its leaves drop in fall until new growth emerges in spring. For season-long interest, combine an evergreen holly for persistent foliage and berries with Arctic Fire Dogwood for bold stem color, giving your garden structure and vibrancy across the entire winter season.

Which winter interest shrubs work best for small gardens or foundation planting?

For small gardens and foundation planting, the Arctic Fire Dogwood is an excellent compact choice, topping out at just 3 to 4 feet tall and wide while delivering fiery red-orange stems all winter long. Holly shrubs, particularly smaller evergreen varieties like Japanese or Meserve Holly, are classic foundation plants that provide year-round structure along with ornamental berries. Visit naturehills.com to filter by mature size and find the right variety for your specific space and hardiness zone.

How do I choose the right winter interest shrubs for sun, part shade, or full shade?

Matching shrubs to your light conditions is key to winter success. Arctic Fire Dogwood and Cardinal Candy Viburnum perform beautifully in full sun to part shade, while Holly varieties like Inkberry and Winterberry tolerate part shade to full shade and still produce their signature winter berries. Harry Lauder's Walking Stick and Fire Chief Arborvitae prefer at least 4 to 6 hours of direct sun daily for the best branching structure and color. Before purchasing, note how many hours of direct sun your planting site receives throughout the day and use that as your primary filter when browsing the full selection at naturehills.com.

What soil conditions do winter interest shrubs need to thrive?

While the specific soil needs vary by species, most winter interest shrubs like Arctic Fire Dogwood, Holly, and Viburnum perform best in well-draining soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH between 5.5 and 7.0. Hollies and Viburnums are particularly sensitive to waterlogged roots, so amending heavy clay soils with compost or planting on a slight grade can make a significant difference. Before planting, conduct a simple soil test to identify any nutrient deficiencies or pH imbalances, then amend accordingly with sulfur to lower pH or lime to raise it.

How often should I water winter interest shrubs after planting?

Newly planted winter interest shrubs need consistent moisture to establish strong roots, so water deeply once or twice per week during the first growing season, providing roughly 1 inch of water each time. In winter, most shrubs enter dormancy and require far less supplemental watering, though you should still water during dry spells if the ground is not frozen. Mulching around the base with 2 to 3 inches of organic material helps retain soil moisture and regulate root temperature year-round. Check soil moisture by pressing a finger 2 inches into the ground, and water whenever it feels dry to the touch.

Do winter interest shrubs need pruning, and when is the best time to prune them?

Pruning needs vary by shrub, but timing is critical for winter interest plants since cutting at the wrong time can remove the very features that make them shine. For shrubs like Arctic Fire Dogwood, late winter or early spring pruning, just before new growth emerges, encourages the most vibrant stem color for the following season. Holly and Arborvitae require minimal pruning but can be lightly shaped in late winter or early spring before budbreak. Always avoid heavy pruning in fall, as this can stimulate tender new growth that winter temperatures will damage, and check the specific needs of each variety before picking up your pruners.

Which winter interest shrubs are the easiest to grow for beginners?

All five of the top winter interest shrubs highlighted here are beginner-friendly, but Arctic Fire Dogwood and Holly Bushes are especially forgiving choices for new gardeners. Arctic Fire Dogwood thrives in zones 3 through 8, stays a manageable 3 to 4 feet tall and wide, and requires minimal pruning to maintain its shape. Holly Bushes are similarly low-maintenance, tolerating a wide range of soil conditions and lighting situations across most of the country. Start with one of these two, get them in the ground in early fall to allow root establishment before winter, and you will be rewarded with stunning color right through the coldest months.

How can I combine winter interest shrubs to create curb appeal that lasts all year?

Layering shrubs with different seasonal strengths is the key to year-round curb appeal. Pair an evergreen like Holly or Fire Chief Arborvitae as a structural backbone with deciduous showstoppers like Arctic Fire Dogwood for fiery red-orange winter stems or Cardinal Candy Viburnum for persistent berries that carry color from fall through early spring. Harry Lauder's Walking Stick adds sculptural drama in the foreground once its leaves drop, creating visual interest at multiple heights and seasons. Start by mapping your yard for sun exposure and hardiness zone, then select two or three of these shrubs to anchor your design and fill in around them with seasonal perennials for seamless transitions.

Will winter interest shrubs survive a hard freeze, and do they need any cold weather protection?

Most winter interest shrubs are selected specifically for their cold hardiness and ability to thrive in freezing temperatures. Arctic Fire Dogwood, Holly, and Cardinal Candy Viburnum are typically cold hardy to USDA zones 3 or 4, meaning they can handle temperatures well below zero without protection. Newly planted shrubs in their first winter may benefit from a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch around the root zone to insulate against hard freezes and temperature swings. Check the hardiness zone rating for your specific variety and focus any protective measures on young or newly established plants rather than mature, established shrubs.