Key considerations for shrub selection fall into three categories:

Aesthetic considerations relate to the appearance and “fit” of the plant in the landscape. These include the mature size of the plant, its shape and form (both overall and winter if deciduous), seasonal color, and whether or not it has flowers, fruits, or nuts.

Environmental considerations involve matching a shrub’s specific physical needs to its intended site. Among these are the available space, soil type, soil chemistry, soil moisture, hours of daily sun, proximity of heat-reflecting or heat-holding surfaces, exposure to prevailing winds/and or wind-driven precipitation, and exposure to adverse substances such as salt spray.

Maintenance/sustainability considerations include the effort and resources required to keep the plant healthy and thriving, including supplemental watering, fertilization, pruning, and pesticide applications. Ideally, selections should minimize these needs. A key sustainability issue with larger plantings is monocultures. Too many of the same species concentrated in one location is an invitation for disease and insect pests to raise havoc. Large plantings should be distributed among multiple species.

Assistance in identifying these issues is available from the Plant Information Service, university extension websites, consultation with garden designers and landscape architects, and books such as Michael Dirr’s Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs.