Growing Orange Flowering Shrubs
Below you will find a list of Shrubs from our plant database that are orange flowering. If you click on any of the photos, you will see a Virtual Plant Tag that may contain plant descriptions, usage suggestions and a link to where you can buy that plant for your landscaping. The concept of a shrub can be difficult to clearly define since gardeners might consider the same plant a groundcover, broadleaf evergreen, bush or tree.
This list of recommendations for native shrubs with orange flowers is exciting because it is filled with vigorous growing native plants which are more naturally insect resistant, salt tolerant and have natural disease resistance. The Bush Cinquefoils (Potentilla fruticosa) and many cultivars flower throughout the summer and fall in shades of oranges, reds and yellows. From different parts of the Eastern US are: the Cumberland Azalea (Rhododendron (Azalea) bakeri); Flame Azalea (R. calendulaceum); Florida Azalea (R. austrinum); Oconee Azalea (R. flammeum) and Plumleaf Azalea (R. prunifolium). These predominantly easy to grow and pest free Azaleas add alot to the home garden with their rich, brilliant blooming but also have been used extensively in hybridization. To avoid confusion about the botanical names, it is easiest to remember that all Azaleas are Rhododendrons, but not all Rhododendrons are Azaleas. The two best known native Witchhazels are Vernal (Hamamelis vernalis) and Common Witchhazel (H. virginiana). Found naturally throughout much of the central US, both species and many valuable cultivars are fall and winter blooming, good enough reason to include them in the landscape.
Non-native orange flowering shrubs include: Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles speciosa and C. japonica) to light up the early spring garden with bright buds and blossoms; for summer color, the orange or yellow flowering hybrid Butterfly Bush, Summer Lilac or Orange-Ball Tree (Buddleja (Buddleia) x weyeriana) brings butterflies to your landscape too; Middendorf Weigela add orange and yellow fall blooms.
Orange flowering plants add a zest and warmth to the garden. The vibrant orange color can be enjoyed throughout the season and blends well with the other warm or hot colors; red, golden and yellow. Shrubs with orange flowers are not as common as many other colors, so the key to enjoying the color is planting a variety of different types of blooming plants including flowering annuals, grasses, perennials, and vines that bloom at different times in spring, summer and autumn.
Flowering shrubs are great at attracting butterflies and birds, particularly hummingbirds.