15 Best Shrubs To Plant In April For Added Curb Appeal

Creating the perfect landscape starts with planting the right flora at the right time. If you want to enhance the look of your property without dabbling in elaborate planning, consider adding in a living hedge or a foundation planting. Beautiful shrubs are often the hero of the yard, filling in awkward empty spaces and adding delightful color and texture. The month of April is a great time when you can easily plan to plant great species of shrubs to boost the curb appeal of your home as the year moves fully into spring and then summer.

There are a variety of beautiful plants for your front yard that will add major curb appeal to your home, from serviceberry trees to purple coneflowers, but if you are looking to plant stunning shrubs in the month of April to enhance the overall look of your property, opt for species like rose of Sharon, chasteberry or any of these great options. 

A native shrub, arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) displays upright, rounded growth over time, ideal for a hedge or screen. Across multiple seasons, this species provides visual interest to a yard, with white clusters of flowers in the spring and pretty blue-black fruit in the fall. 

A low-maintenance plant that is also robust, arrowwood viburnum can be planted in April as part of a border or mass planting. Hardy in Zones 2 through 8, this shrub also works well as an attractive choice to plant close to the home thanks to its fire resistance.

Heather (Calluna vulgaris) is a pretty and effective ground cover shrub native to Europe and Asia Minor. Put it in the ground in April as it enjoys cooler temperatures and will bloom from the summer into the fall. It is only hardy from Zones 4 through 6 in the U.S. and should not be planted further south. 

With several varieties available, you can add pink flowers to your property with 'Forest Fire' or bold mauve flowers with 'Wickwar Flame.' The lovely blossoms of heather add color to your yard, especially with a mass planting to take advantage of its spreading growth.

Choose red-osier dogwood (Swida sericea) as a statement shrub in your yard to take advantage of its vibrant green leaves in spring, white flowers in summer, bold red and purple leaves in fall, and bright red stems in winter. 

A very versatile species, it attracts pollinators and wildlife, but can also fill in bare areas of your yard. Dogwoods are species that are best planted in spring, so plan to get them in the ground as early as April. The red twig dogwood is hardy in Zones 2 through 7.

A summer-blooming shrub, buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) is a beautiful and functional option for your landscaping. As it tolerates sites with poor drainage, buttonbush can be a good way to dress up an area that is otherwise difficult to plant in. 

Select a spot in the yard where you can also enjoy the honey-like scent of its round flowers. This unique shrub is hardy in Zones 5 through 9 and attracts numerous pollinators and birds to your yard, too. Plant it in April so that it has time to settle before blooming around June.

Add early-blooming, showy flowers to your yard with the flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum), or blood currant, a hummingbird favorite. This native to the Pacific Northwest enjoys full sun and less humidity, which makes it a good shrub to plant early in spring. 

Hardy in Zones 6 through 8, avoid planting further south. This medium-sized bush easily fills in empty areas with poor soil and explodes into color with clusters of red, white, or pink flowers. It is a low-maintenance choice to give life to a bare spot in your landscaping.

There are several varieties of magnolias you can grow in your yard or garden, including sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana). This magnolia species, which can be grown as a short, multi-stemmed shrub, is best planted in spring like other magnolias. 

Although it has smaller flowers than the more popular southern magnolia, the pretty white blooms have a pleasant citrusy fragrance. Sweetbay magnolia is hardy in Zones 5 through 10. Give it a chance to update your landscape with a native that requires little maintenance for great results.

Highbush cranberry (Viburnum opulus var. americanum) is not actually a true cranberry, but a species with fruit resembling a cranberry. Despite the misnomer, this native shrub provides beautiful color and cover in a yard with its dense growth and pretty summer-blooming flowers. 

A moderate-growing species, plant highbush cranberries in April to get it established in your yard to begin blooming in summer. Big, white flowers add drama and make this shrub ideal for borders or as a foundation plant. Its flowers make it a great ornamental choice. This species is hardy in Zones 3 through 7.

An iconic shrub for the landscape, smooth hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens) grow well in groups or on their own. It is an attractive species native to the U.S. and hardy in Zones 3 through 9. 

The ball-shaped clusters of flowers bloom in shades of white and pink in the summer, providing a pretty display in the yard or close to your home. The most popular may be the very appealing 'Annabelle' variety, which features large, rounded flower clusters. These shrubs grow wider than they grow tall, ideal for covering beds close to a home.

American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) gets its name from the bold fruits that appear in the summer, dotting this shrub with electric purple color. But while it is the bright purple berries of this plant that truly set it apart, its blue, purple, pink, or white flowers are also an attractive sight. In the fall, the leaves turn a yellow-green for even more appeal. 

Consider adding it to your yard to take advantage of its bright colors, where it will attract birds and deer. This deciduous shrub is hardy in Zones 6 through 10.

Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), a North American native, flowers in the late fall into winter with yellow blooms. Plant it in April to ensure it's well established before then. This deciduous shrub will dress up your yard as part of a dense hedge or on its own near your house or under a tree. 

Not only is it a pleasant species to feature in your yard, it's a shrub you need to plant to keep your backyard smelling good. Try the 'Little Suzie' cultivar for a smaller plant with lighter yellow flowers. Witch hazel is hardy in Zones 3 through 9.

Grow ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) in your front or side yard where its showy pink or white flowers will be an appealing sight. Start it in April after it is warm enough to get outside and plant this cold-hardy shrub. 

Resistant to drought and ideal for erosion control, this species will not require tons of maintenance to make your yard beautiful. Perk up your yard with this shrub's arching branches or create a living screen with it's dark green leaves which turn bronze in autumn. Ninebark is hardy in Zones 2 through 8.

Planting the rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) in April is recommended for this shrub, which is native to China and India. Rose of Sharon is hardy in Zones 5 through 9.

Its paper-thin flowers are short-lived, but create a romantic feel for any outdoor space. Flowers come in shades of red, white, purple, blue, and two-toned mixes, covering the entire plant in color. Opt for the 'Pink Giant' cultivar for large blooms that pair pink and burgundy or the 'Red Heart' variety for white blooms with red centers. 

Rhododendron (Rhododendron sp.) species include a long list of rounded shrubs with beautiful flowers and gorgeous foliage. Rhododendrons are an example of a shrub best planted in spring if you live in a colder part of the country. If you do not live in a mild climate, in April you can begin adding them to your outdoor spaces. 

With shades ranging in nearly every color of the rainbow, this plant can provide a veritable kaleidoscope of color to your yard. These shrubs are hardy in Zones 4 through 8.

A large shrub that displays pale purple flowers in the summer, the chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus) or chaste tree is a member of the mint family, and it can have rapid, vigorous growth in the right conditions. 

Grow it as a lovely border plant or to attract pollinators with its fragrance. Remember one of the most essential tips for growing a thriving chaste tree is to plant it in early spring, usually in April, instead of the fall. Hardy in Zones 7 and 8, plant in Zones 5 or 6 only if you prepare for winter damage.