If you want a garden that looks alive no matter the season, evergreen plants are the secret. They don’t shed like deciduous trees, so you’ll enjoy greenery all year. Stick around to explore plants that don’t lose their leaves.
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Evergreen Shrubs And Bushes
If you want structure and greenery that doesn’t quit, broadleaf evergreen shrubs and bushes are a solid bet. There’s a lot of variety out there—different shapes, textures, and quirks—so you can find something that fits your vibe and your space.
Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens)
Formal gardens, classic hedges—boxwood pops up everywhere. The small, dense leaves stay glossy and green no matter the season. People love shaping it into spheres, rectangles, or tidy borders.
Sun or shade, boxwood isn’t too picky. Just give it well-drained soil. It grows at a slow pace, so you’re not stuck pruning all the time. Cold weather and city pollution don’t faze it much, which makes it a dependable choice.
Some types shrug off disease and deer better than others. With a bit of care, boxwood can stick around for ages. It looks sharp edging walkways or adding green touches to patios.
Holly (Ilex spp.)
Deep green, shiny leaves and those classic red berries—holly is hard to miss. Birds love the berries, so you’ll get some extra visitors. The leaves are stiff and spiny, so deer usually leave it alone (and it makes a pretty effective barrier).
English, American, Japanese, inkberry—there’s a holly for just about every taste. Some shoot up as tall hedges, others stay low and compact. If you want berries, you’ll need both male and female plants close by.
Most hollies want at least a bit of sun and prefer acidic soil. Trim them back in winter or early spring if you need to tidy up. They fit right into both formal and wilder gardens.
Japanese Pieris (Pieris japonica)
This one gives you evergreen leaves, plus new growth in shades of pink or bronze, and drooping clusters of white or pink flowers each spring. The leaves have a leathery look and stay neat even when it’s cold.
Japanese pieris likes partial shade and rich, well-drained acidic soil. Hot, dry winds or soggy clay? Not a fan. It’s a good pick near foundations or in woodland-style gardens.
Pests don’t bother it much, and deer usually pass it by. You might want to shield the flower buds from late frosts, though. Upright or spreading types are out there, so pick what fits your space.
Evergreen Azalea (Rhododendron spp.)
Azaleas keep their green leaves through winter, only letting go of the oldest ones. Come spring, they put on a wild show with blooms in pink, red, white, or purple.
Filtered shade and loose, acidic soil work best. Skip the hot afternoon sun. Water a bit more during dry stretches. Their roots are shallow, so mulch helps keep things cool and damp.
Plenty of evergreen azaleas resist pests and leaf diseases. Sizes range from petite to over six feet tall. Group them for a big splash of color when they bloom.
Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Glossy green leaves year-round and clusters of pink or white blooms—mountain laurel is a standout in woodland gardens. Native to eastern North America, it fits right in with a more natural look.
Cool, damp, acidic soils are its happy place, and it prefers some shade, especially where summers get hot. Heavy clay or exposed spots? Not ideal.
Pests and diseases aren’t much of a problem. Prune after the flowers fade to tidy up and remove seedpods. Pollinators love the blooms, so you’ll get some extra activity in the garden.
Camellia (Camellia japonica)
Camellias have deep green leaves that look good all year and flowers that show up from late fall into spring. Blossoms come in single or double forms and show off reds, pinks, or whites.
Partial shade and shelter from strong winds are best. Acidic, moist, well-drained soil keeps them happy. They like steady watering and cool roots, so mulch is your friend.
Trim them just after the flowers drop. Camellias grow slowly and can stick around for decades. They look great in borders or as a feature shrub by the house.
Daphne (Daphne odora)
Daphne odora gives you dense evergreen leaves and clusters of small, super-fragrant pink flowers in late winter or early spring. The scent really travels—sometimes you’ll catch it from several feet away.
It prefers light shade and well-drained, rich soil that’s slightly alkaline to neutral. Wet or soggy ground is a no-go. Water carefully and avoid messing with the roots.
Near an entryway, you’ll get the most from its fragrance. Daphne stays compact, which is handy for tight spots. Some are a bit short-lived, but gentle handling helps them last longer.
Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides)
Shiny evergreen leaves and big, waxy white flowers with a strong scent—gardenia is a classic, especially in southern gardens where the heat and humidity suit it.
High humidity, acidic, organic soil, and steady moisture keep gardenias happy. Bright, indirect light or filtered sun is best for blooms. If it gets too cold or dry, the buds may drop.
Feed them regularly for more flowers. Near patios or walkways, you’ll get the full effect of the fragrance. Just watch out for cold winds and frost—they don’t handle those well.
Evergreen Trees
Some trees keep their leaves all year, giving you steady greenery and privacy, even when everything else is bare. They’re great for shelter and color in the dead of winter.
Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
Eastern Red Cedar is a tough native conifer that pops up in rocky, poor soils where other trees give up. Its scale-like needles stick around all year and have a sharp scent if you crush them.
Works well as a privacy screen or windbreak. It’s drought-tolerant and heat-loving, so it’s a good pick for low-maintenance yards. Birds love nesting in its thick branches and snack on the berry-like cones. The needles drop a few at a time, so you never see it totally bare in winter.
Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
Big, glossy leaves and huge white flowers—southern magnolia has a real presence. The leaves are leathery and can get pretty large. Each one hangs on for a few years, so the tree always looks full.
You get shade and visual drama all year. Southern magnolia loves warm, humid climates and can handle a bit of drought once it’s settled in. The leaves take their time breaking down, so you might have to tidy up now and then.
Leyland Cypress (× Cuprocyparis leylandii)
Leyland Cypress is a fast grower—great for dense screens or privacy hedges. The soft, green foliage is packed tight, giving a solid, uniform look.
Easy to shape with pruning, and it’ll handle a range of soils as long as they drain well. Because it grows so fast, you’ll want to keep an eye out for disease, especially if you plant them close together. The foliage stays green through the seasons, so you always have coverage.
Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)
Broad, spreading branches and a rounded crown packed with tough, green leaves—live oak is a southern classic. The leaves stay put through winter and only drop when new ones arrive in spring, so you get steady greenery.
Common in the Southeast, these oaks create shelter for all kinds of wildlife. The dense canopy throws welcome shade, and their strong wood stands up well to storms.
Pine (Pinus spp.)
Lots of pine species keep their needles for a few years. Eastern White Pine, Loblolly, Ponderosa—they’re all evergreen. Needles grow in bundles and drop gradually as they age, so the trees don’t go bare.
Pines offer shade, windbreaks, and help with erosion. While older needles eventually fall, most of the tree stays green, even in winter. Once mature, they’re pretty hands-off in terms of care.
Spruce (Picea spp.)
Spruce trees are easy to spot with their sharp, four-sided needles attached one by one to the branches. The needles last several years, so you get a full green canopy most of the time.
People plant spruce for windbreaks, privacy, or just as a standout tree thanks to their neat, pyramidal shape. Spruce handles cold climates really well and rarely looks bare, even in tough winters. They’re adaptable and keep the landscape lively year-round.
Arborvitae (Thuja spp.)
Flat, fan-shaped sprays of green scales stay bright all year. Arborvitae is a favorite for hedges, borders, or foundation plantings since it clips easily and keeps a narrow profile when pruned.
The evergreen foliage gives you steady color and texture. Arborvitae does fine in sun or partial shade and shrugs off cold winters. With moderate water and rich soil, you’ll get dense, healthy growth.
Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis)
Thick, aromatic leaves stay on bay laurel all year. The glossy, dark-green foliage looks good and doubles as a kitchen herb, fresh or dried. The leaves are leathery and usually fend off pests.
Bay laurel likes mild climates and can handle some wind, but not much cold. Indoors, you might need to trim it to keep it in check, but outside, it can form a compact shrub or small tree. This evergreen adds both fragrance and a little culinary flair to your garden or containers.
Evergreen Groundcovers And Vines
Plenty of groundcovers and vines keep their leaves year-round, offering dense coverage and standing up to winter in most climates.
English Ivy (Hedera helix)
English Ivy is a champ at growing in both shade and sun. You’ll see green foliage all year, even in chillier places. It climbs walls, fences, or covers ground fast. Just be ready to keep it in check—it can get away from you and overtake other plants if you let it.
It’s common in parks and old gardens because it’s tough. The leaves are leathery and come in heart or three-lobed shapes. In milder winters, the color stays vivid with only a bit of browning. Trim regularly to keep it off trees or structures you want to protect.
English Ivy tolerates city life, shade, and a range of soils. You do need to watch it so it doesn’t smother weaker plants. Deer usually leave it alone, which is handy for tricky spots.
Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
Glossy, dark green leaves stick around all year, and in late spring or early summer, star jasmine covers itself in fragrant white flowers. You can grow it as a vine or let it sprawl as a groundcover.
Partial shade is ideal, but it’ll take full sun if it gets enough water. In places without frost, it stays lush through winter. The leaves sometimes bronze a bit in cool weather but rarely fall off.
Dense foliage blocks weeds and helps control erosion. Prune after flowering to shape it or keep it in bounds. Once established, star jasmine is drought-tolerant and works well in low-maintenance spots near patios or walkways.
Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei)
With wintercreeper, you get a tough evergreen that keeps its small, rounded or lance-shaped leaves looking fresh no matter the season. It’s surprisingly versatile—works as groundcover, climbs, or even spills over walls and containers if that’s your thing.
It shrugs off poor soils and urban pollution, and honestly, not many plants are as adaptable when it comes to sun or shade. Growth is moderate, not wild, though in some places you do have to keep an eye out for invasiveness.
Depending on the cultivar, the foliage can be deep green or showy with gold or white variegation. It forms dense mats—pretty handy for covering slopes or those tricky spots under trees. A little pruning now and then keeps it in check and looking neat.
Vinca Minor (Periwinkle)
There’s a reason people keep coming back to vinca minor for evergreen groundcover—it’s just easy. It hugs the ground, making a lush carpet of glossy dark green leaves, and those lavender-blue flowers in spring (and sometimes fall) are a nice bonus.
Few plants handle deep shade as well, especially where grass just gives up. The trailing stems root wherever they touch, so it spreads itself without much fuss.
Once it’s settled in, you can mostly forget about it—pests and diseases rarely bother it. Just don’t plant it near wild areas; it can take over and crowd out native plants if you’re not careful.
Ajuga (Ajuga reptans)
Low-growing rosettes and evergreen leaves make ajuga a favorite for groundcover. Some forms are green, but you’ll also see bronze, purple, or variegated leaves, depending on what you pick. Late spring brings up short spikes of blue or purple flowers (sometimes white, if you’re lucky).
It’s right at home in shade or part sun, especially tucked beneath shrubs or along borders that need a bit of winter color. Creeping stems fill in gaps quickly, which really helps with weed control.
Once established, it barely needs watering. Dividing it every so often perks it up. It’ll even take a bit of foot traffic—great for pathways—though it doesn’t love soggy ground.
Evergreen Houseplants And Tropicals
Plants that keep their leaves inside give you that bit of green all year, and honestly, they’re usually less work than those that drop leaves. If you want something steady for your home or office, these are solid picks.
Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica)
Rubber plants do well with medium to bright, indirect light, and those thick, glossy leaves stick around all year unless something goes really wrong—like freezing temps or you forget to water for weeks.
They’re actually pretty good at filtering indoor air, and if you’re prone to a little neglect, well, they’ll forgive you more than most houseplants. They can get pretty tall in a pot, but it’s a slow climb. Wiping the leaves with a damp cloth keeps them looking sharp.
If your place is dry, a little misting helps. Just don’t leave it sitting in wet soil—root rot is no joke.
Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
Snake plant might be the ultimate low-maintenance evergreen. It handles anything from low to bright light, and those upright, sword-like leaves don’t really drop off with the seasons. You’ll see yellow or silvery edges on some, which adds a bit of flair.
It stores water in its thick leaves, so dry air or missed waterings aren’t a big deal. Leaves usually only drop if you really overdo it with the watering or leave it out in the cold. Plus, it’s well-known for cleaning up indoor air—formaldehyde and other nasties don’t stand a chance.
Growth is moderate, and you can split the clumps if you want more plants. Give the leaves a quick wipe now and then to keep the dust down.
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum spp.)
There’s something lovely about how peace lilies keep their deep green leaves all year. Broad, pointed foliage gives them a bold look, and with a bit of luck, you’ll spot the occasional white bloom. They’re surprisingly tolerant of low light, though honestly, if you can offer them medium, indirect sun, they’ll look a lot happier and might even flower more.
If leaves start turning yellow or brown, chances are you’ve either gone overboard with watering, left them baking in direct sun, or forgotten about them for too long. Generally, though, they stay reliably green in most homes. It’s neat that they help filter out some indoor chemicals, and they really do best when the soil’s just a bit damp—not soggy, not bone-dry.
Wiping down those big leaves and snipping off old flowers now and then makes a real difference for fresh, healthy growth.
