Hello kskitte,

I just finished researching for some winter-appealing shrubs for my next painting so I thought I'd share my list with you.

All of these are ok to grow in your area I believe.

Glossy Abelia : has purplish bronze foliage.

Bottlebrush Buckeye: intriguing stems and large terminal
buds make it interesting.

Red Chokeberry : has bright red fruit and slender arching
branches. (Beautiful combined with Dark
Green evergreens.)

Variegated Tatarian Dogwood : The stems are bright red and
have an arching habit.

Oakleaf hydrangea : The stems and bark exfoliate in beautiful
shades of cinnamon brown.

Winterberry: is most impressive in mass plantings with
an evergreen background to set off it's brilliant
red fruit.

Virginia sweetspire : it's twigs and branches are deep red.
'Henry's Garnet' is wine red.

Japanese Camellia : (evergreen) Flowers thru to spring.
Colors range from white to the darkest
red in different cultivars. It's leaves are
glossy too.

Well that's all I have time for right now and hopefully this will give you some ideas. By the way, did you get to Okinowa this year? It's beautiful over there. Quite an experience!!

I would like to add two into the list:

Chimonanthus Praecox, best the 'concolor',
Viburnum 'pink dawn'
Both hardy for the Z6 region.

Prunus Mume, Japanese Flowering Apricot. You will become addicted.

Here is a link that might be useful: Prunus mume

Hi, Brenda.

Prunus Mume is great, but we do not have many
cultivars availible here. Do you have some sources
for good cultivars?

Hi ermazi,
Camellia Forest has a few. Well, close to a dozen or so...
It's has been hard to narrow down my choices there.

Sheila

Thanks Sheila.

Hi, Sheila,
I just went to the camellia forest and check its mumes
again. They are mostly Jap. or China cultivars, from
the knoledges I accumulated in China, my suggestion
will be as follows, if you want a few.

If you want only one, choose one of them:
1. Kabai, 2. Frang. snow,
3.Brdal veil 4. W.B.Clarke.

4. is not on Camellia forest list but you can find it
in other nursery if you want.

3 and 4 are sweeping.

If you want two and if your first choice is Kobai, then
the second should be either Bridal veil or W.B.clarke

If you want 3, the third should be a special kind of
cultivar that cannot be find in the USA. I found
it in China but the USA custom does not let me bring it in.

8-(.

That's my suggestion.

I'd like to add Daphne Odora (Winter Daphne) to the list. Beautiful glossy evergreen leaves with yellow edging, and mine begin blooming in February (maybe earlier in warmer Arkansas?). The fragrance is amazing - you can smell it all over the yard. :-)

Hi All, I was wondering if you know of any plants or shrubs that would be nice in a winter garden here in zone 5, Michigan? I want to start one, and sure would appreciate any help, new to gardening, and loving it!!!
Hugs, Catfr

kskitte , I have lived in this location for 21 years , and planted many shrubs . There are very few that will bloom in winter , but several that have other good points . The blooming ones are mainly the witch hazels , but the winter honeysuckle ,L. fragrantissima , blooms in late winter. ( I lost mine , but enjoyed it for 2-3 winters .) The Viburnum have a few very early blooming species . I have V. x burkwoodii , and it has given outstanding blooms very early . The Forsythias will frequently bloom in winter here .
Non-blooming shrubs with winter berries are lovely . Pyracantha is doing well for me . The double-file Viburnums have lots of berries that will last a long time if the birds and deer don't get them ! I have other Viburnums that have berries .... the V. dilatatum varieties have lots of red berries if cross pollinated . The Tea Viburnum , V. setigerum "Aurantiacum" has nice orange berries , and does not require a pollinator .
I like the evergreen Azaleas/Rhododendrons for winter interest . Anything evergreen really helps perk up the winter landscape .
Abelia grandiflora may , or may not , retain it's purple fall leaves , but it blooms very late , and does well on the southwest side of our house .
It has been awhile since you posted this question , but I hope you are still 'here' .

Marian

Hello everyone,

I know it's been a while since I posted, been a trying time. Completed my master's degree in November then had three deaths in extended family from Christmas to last week.

I really thank you all. Gives me info to research.

Kat