For those landscapers living in a Northern climate, it is essential to consider hardy winter resistant plants and shrubs. The reason behind this is not only so they can continue adding to the beauty of your winter landscape, but also so they will persevere through the winter season and add texture and color in the early spring months.

While many Northern climate zones can enjoy a beautiful array of trees like Birch, Maple, Oak, and Dogwood, many homeowners would also like their landscape plants and shrubs to remain beautiful even as the snow falls. With this in mind there are a variety of beautiful winter resistant plants and shrubs that can easily be added to the landscape any time of year.

Longstalk Holly

This winter resistant element can be either a large shrub or tree, depending on the type of product selected at the landscaping company or store. Although it is called a holly the leaves are a beautiful evergreen that look more like mountain laurel than holly. One of the best reasons for selecting the Longstalk Holly is that it not only does well as a winter resistant shrub but it is also extremely heat resistant, making it excellent for climate zones that will warm up in the summer months. The trees will don a beautiful fruit throughout different seasons but especially in the winter, making this an excellent choice to spruce up your winter landscape.

Bayberry

If you are looking for a winter resistant shrub with fruit that will not attract the deer throughout the seasons, the Bayberry shrub is an excellent choice. For those homeowners who enjoy birds munching in the spring, summer and fall months, the wonderful part about the Bayberry shrub is that while the deer stay away, the birds love the fruit on this winter resistant plant. The Bayberry shrub also does well in warm weather and can be planted in shade or full sunshine without being disturbed.

Evergreen Holly

Holly is popular as a Christmas decoration because holly is one of the best available as far as winter resistant plants and shrubs go. Evergreen holly is also one of the most popular winter resistant plants because it also dons beautiful bright berries and elegant, evergreen colored foliage. Although many homeowners believe the Evergreen holly is excellent in all cold climate zones, it really does not do that well in extremely cold climate zones.

Acacia

While both Prostrate Acacia and Acacia Redolens fall under the category of excellent winter resistant plants and shrubs, they also fall under the category of excellent drought and heat resistant plants and shrubs. Although there are no blooms on the majority of acacias, they do provide beautiful green foliage in the winter months and will be a wonderful addition to any winter landscape.

Cranberry Bush

Although the Cranberry bush is considered a shrub, it is a small shrub that can easily be mistaken as a plant and can be placed nearly anywhere in the garden to add color and flair. The Cranberry bush really is excellent for almost any season, but does well as a winter resistant plant. It produces large quantities of red berries in the wintertime, which add beauty to the winter landscape and feed the birds as well. In the early to middle summer months, the Cranberry bush will produce beautiful little white flowers and in the late summer there will also be red berries. The Cranberry bush foliage also turns a deep reddish purple, so is a plant that offers something for every season landscape.