What are the common evergreen shrubs used in Ohio landscapes?
There are three common needled-evergreen shrubs that are used in Ohio landscapes. Like the evergreen trees, it’s worthwhile learning to distinguish these since they thrive under different conditions and can have different uses. These vary greatly when it comes to cultivars within the species – there can be hundreds of different cultivars with various forms, sizes, and colors. It is important to be aware of this if you are purchasing new plants for a landscape. Taxus or yew (Taxus spp.) have leaves that range from one-half inch to one-and-a-half inches in length, and are flat and needle-like with a short petiole attached at the base. Leaves are dark green on the upper side, and lighter green below. Leaf arrangement is variable; leaves can be arranged radially on the stem or in a flat plane. Leaf tips are blunt or slightly tapered. Taxus stems are green, usually for the first two seasons, then turn tan or brown with age. The twig appears slightly raised where the leaf is attached. Plants
