8 Best Round Shrubs That Always Look Perfectly Shaped
Here’s why your garden needs a cute, no-fuss round shrub.
With their roly-poly forms and undeniable whimsy, round shrubs make a statement in any garden. Even better? You don’t have to prune and trim these shrubs to keep their tidy shapes. Most round shrubs are evergreen, so you’ll also get the benefit of year-round texture, structure, and color. Round shrubs are versatile and look appealing in mixed borders, as accent plants, or in containers flanking your front door or patio.
When choosing a round shrub, make sure it is suited to survive winters in your hardiness zone (find your zone here). Also important—and often forgotten—read the plant tag or description so you know exactly how large the mature plant will be. Let’s face it: It doesn’t make sense to plant that tiny quart-sized shrub close to the house when it’s going to outgrow the space in a few years. You don’t want to have to trim it constantly to maintain its size because that defeats the purpose of planting a round shrub!
One note: Because of their shape, these shrubs sometimes have an issue with heavy snow loads. In general, most round shrubs bounce back once spring arrives, even if they got a little squashed over the winter. But sometimes heavy snow and ice loads weigh down and break branches. If your area regularly gets significant storms, you’ll either need to remove snow from plants or plan to use a rigid shrub protector that allows snow to slide off these shrubs.
Ahead, our favorite round shrubs for your landscape and containers:
‘Juke Box’ Pyracomeles
USDA zones 3 to 7
Never heard of pyracomeles? It’s a handsome finely-textured evergreen worth planting as a boxwood alternative or as a low hedge. This variety is especially appealing with a tidy shape that maxes out at roughly 3 x 3 feet tall and wide.
‘Firechief’ Arborvitae
USDA zones 5 to 8
If you’re looking for something a little different, this shrub has gold foliage in spring, which turns orange-y in summer then red in fall. It’s also a tidy size at roughly 2 to 4 feet tall and wide, so it works beautifully in containers or landscape beds.
‘Stone Henge Dark Druid’ Yew
USDA zones 4 to 7
Beautiful, fern-y foliage in a nice, deep green hue make this medium-sized yew a great addition to beds. It grows about 3 to 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide. It’s another good substitute for boxwood and will even tolerate some shade.
‘Touch of Gold’ Holly
USDA zones 6 to 9
Gorgeous gold foliage and tiny leaves make this dwarf holly appealing in any season. Its growth is compact and rounded and doesn’t require pruning to keep its shape. It reaches 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide.
‘Tater Tot’ Arborvitae
USDA zones 3 to 8
Let’s face it: You should buy this shrub if only for its adorable name! With soft green evergreen foliage, it requires almost no pruning and stands up well to snowy winter climates. It gets 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide so it’s ideal as a foundation planting.
‘Gembox’ Inkberry Holly
USDA zones 5 to 9
This charming little holly bush stays about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. Its shiny leaves makes it look more like a boxwood, making it a great alternative plant. It can make a low hedge, or plant it in a container for a pretty display at your front door or on the patio.
‘Cheer Drops’ Thuja
USDA zones 3 to 7
If you’re looking for a larger specimen, this round-ish shrub has an eye-catching teardrop shape. It makes a great accent plant or can be used in a mixed border. It reaches about 10 to 18 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide at maturity.
‘Pancake’ Thuja
USDA zones 3 to 9
This adorable rounded shrub has a more flattened, pancake-like shape, thus giving it its name. The evergreen foliage is greenish with blue undertones, and it reaches 1 foot to 18 inches tall by 2 to 3 feet wide. Its dense form looks fabulous in foundation plantings.
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