Did you know that certain plants can bring beauty to your landscape even during the winter? These "winter interest" plants add unique visual appeal with features like colorful bark, striking branch structures, and feathery seed heads that stand out against the snow. From red-twig dogwoods to ornamental grasses, incorporating winter interest plants into your garden will enhance the seasonal charm and create stunning displays throughout the colder months. If you are looking to add some winter interest plants to your landscaping, here is a list of some spectacular plant options for Colorado.
Add Winter Interest with Evergreens
Evergreen trees and shrubs are excellent winter interest plants because they retain their vibrant color year-round, offering beauty even in the coldest months. While some evergreens may shift to slightly different shades, such as deeper greens or hints of bronze, they generally remain lush and green, which is how they earned their name. Unlike deciduous plants, which lose their leaves in the fall, evergreens maintain their foliage, providing structure, texture, and color in your landscape during winter. They are ideal for creating a garden that remains attractive through every season.
The Colorado Blue Spruce is a striking evergreen tree known for its silvery-blue needles and pyramid-like shape, making it a favorite for landscaping. Native to the Rocky Mountains, this hardy tree can grow up to 75 feet tall in optimal conditions. Its dense, stiff branches provide excellent year-round color and structure, especially in winter. The Colorado Blue Spruce is drought-tolerant once established and thrives in full sun, making it ideal for Colorado's climate. Its unique coloring and resilience also make it a popular choice for ornamental planting or as a windbreak.
Plant Type: Evergreen Tree
Light Requirements: Full-Partial Sun
Height: Grows up to 80 feet tall
Canopy Width: Grows up to 20-30 feet wide
Foliage Color: Green/Silvery Blue
Attributes: Attracts pollinators and birds, deer resistant, easy to care for, native
The Green Velvet Boxwood is a compact, evergreen shrub with a rounded, dense form that makes it perfect for hedging, borders, or foundation plantings. It features small, glossy green leaves that maintain their rich color year-round, even through the winter. This boxwood grows slowly, reaching a height of 3 to 4 feet, and can be easily shaped through pruning. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained soil, making it both versatile and low-maintenance for landscapes. Its hardiness and lush foliage offer year-round interest in gardens and outdoor spaces.
Plant Type: Evergreen Shrub
Light Requirements: Full to partial sun
Height: 3-4 feet
Width: 3-4 feet
Foliage Color: Green
Attributes: Attracts birds, deer resistant, winter interest
The Skyrocket Juniper is a tall, narrow, columnar evergreen that offers striking vertical interest to landscapes. It features blue-green foliage that retains its color throughout the year and can reach heights of 15 to 20 feet while only spreading about 3 to 5 feet wide. This juniper is an excellent choice for tight spaces, borders, privacy screens, or as a dramatic focal point. It thrives in full sun, is drought-tolerant once established, and requires minimal maintenance, making it a hardy and versatile plant ideal for various landscape designs.
Plant Type: Evergreen Tree
Light Requirements: Full Sun
Height: 15-20 feet
Canopy Width: 2-4 feet
Foliage Color: Blue/Green
Attributes: Attracts birds, deer resistant, easy care, native, winter interest
The Taunton Spreading Yew is a low-growing evergreen shrub known for its dense, dark green foliage that maintains its color throughout winter. It typically spreads outwards, reaching heights of about 3 to 4 feet and a width of 4 to 6 feet, making it an excellent choice for foundation plantings, borders, or mass plantings. The Taunton Yew is highly adaptable, thriving in both sun and shade, and it is particularly valued for its hardiness, being resistant to winter windburn and able to withstand cold temperatures. It’s a versatile, low-maintenance shrub ideal for adding year-round interest to landscapes.
Plant Type: Evergreen Shrub
Light Requirements: Part sun to shade
Height: 3-4 feet
Width: 4-6 feet
Foliage Color: Green
Attributes: Deer resistant, easy to care for, great hedge shrub
Plants with Berries Add Winter Interest
Shrubs that produce berries are an excellent choice for winter interest plants as their vibrant berries offer pops of color when much of the landscape is dormant. These berries not only add visual appeal but can also attract wildlife, such as birds, bringing life to your garden during the colder months. Many berry-producing shrubs, like holly and winterberry, maintain their fruits throughout the winter, adding texture and color against the backdrop of snow or frost, making them a dynamic addition to any winter landscape.
The Peking Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster acutifolius) is a deciduous shrub known for its upright growth habit and dense, arching branches. It produces delicate flowers in late spring, followed by small black berries that add visual interest in the fall and winter months. Its dark green leaves turn a striking reddish-purple in autumn, making it an excellent choice for adding seasonal color to landscapes. The Peking Cotoneaster is hardy, low-maintenance, and drought-tolerant once established, making it ideal for hedges or screens in colder climates like Colorado.
Plant Type: Deciduous Shrub
Light Requirements: Sun
Height: 8' - 10'
Width: 10' - 12'
Foliage Color: Green
Attributes: Attracts Birds, Deer Resistant, Easy Care, Winter Interest
Blue Princess Holly is a popular evergreen shrub prized for its striking foliage and vibrant red berries. This female holly variety features glossy, dark green leaves that have sharp spines, adding a touch of elegance to gardens. In late fall and winter, the bright red berries become a beautiful contrast against the foliage, attracting birds and providing winter interest. Blue Princess Holly prefers well-drained soil and can thrive in partial shade to full sun, making it versatile for various landscape designs. As a hardy plant, it can withstand cold winters, making it an excellent choice for a winter garden in colder climates such as Northern Colorado.
Plant Type: Evergreen Shrub
Light Requirements: Partial Sun, Sun
Height: 8' - 10'
Width: 6' - 8'
Foliage Color: Blue-green
Attributes: Attracts Birds, Easy Care, Winter Interest
7. Coralberry
Coralberry (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus) is a deciduous shrub known for its charming clusters of pink to coral-colored berries that persist into winter, providing visual interest in the landscape. This hardy plant features arching branches and oval leaves that turn a soft yellow in the fall. Coralberry is highly adaptable, thriving in various soil types and conditions, making it an excellent choice for naturalized areas and woodland gardens. Additionally, it attracts birds and other wildlife, as the berries are a valuable food source. With its low maintenance needs and ability to spread, Coralberry is often used for erosion control and ground cover in various landscape designs.
Plant Type: Deciduous Shrub
Hardiness Zone: 4 - 7
Light Requirements: Partial Sun, Sun
Height: 3' - 5'
Width: 4' - 6'
Foliage Color: Green
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Summer
Attributes: Attracts Birds, Easy Care, Native, Winter Interest
Creeping Mahonia (Mahonia repens) is a low-growing evergreen shrub that adds texture and interest to the landscape throughout the year. This hardy plant features holly-like leaves that can exhibit a striking blue-green hue and produce bright yellow flowers in early spring, followed by dark blue berries that attract birds. Creeping Mahonia is ideal for ground cover, as it spreads easily in shaded or partially shaded areas, making it a perfect choice for woodland gardens or under trees. Additionally, its tough nature allows it to thrive in a variety of soil types and conditions.
Plant Type: Evergreen Shrub
Hardiness Zone: 5 - 9
Light Requirements: Partial Sun
Height: 18" - 24"
Width: 3' - 4'
Foliage Color: Green
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Spring
Attributes: Attracts Birds, Deer Resistant, Disease Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Easy Care, Insect Resistant, Native, Winter Interest
David Viburnum (Viburnum davidii) is a versatile evergreen shrub known for its glossy, dark green leaves and attractive clusters of white flowers that bloom in late spring to early summer. This hardy plant typically reaches heights of 3 to 4 feet and can spread up to 5 feet wide, making it an excellent choice for borders or as a foundation plant. Following the flowering period, David Viburnum produces blue-black berries that not only add visual interest but also attract birds to the garden. It thrives in a variety of soil types and prefers partial shade to full sun, making it adaptable to different landscape settings.
Plant Type: Shrub
Hardiness Zone: 7 - 9
Light Requirements: Partial Sun, Sun
Height: 24" - 3'
Width: 3' - 4'
Foliage Color: Green
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Spring
Attributes: Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Birds, Deer Resistant, Winter Interest
Consider Plants with Distinct Seed Heads
Plants that produce distinct and resilient seed heads are fantastic for adding winter interest to landscapes. As flowers fade, their seed heads remain, offering unique textures and shapes that stand out against the winter backdrop. These seed heads can glisten with frost, catching the light and creating a striking visual element. Additionally, they provide food for birds and wildlife, supporting the ecosystem even in colder months. Popular choices like coneflowers, ornamental grasses, and sedums are known for their attractive seed heads, making them perfect for creating a dynamic, beautiful winter garden.
Perennial ornamental grasses are excellent for adding winter interest to your landscape due to their diverse seed heads, which come in various shapes, sizes, and colors. As temperatures drop, these grasses often maintain their structure, creating eye-catching features that stand out against the winter landscape. Seed heads can vary from fluffy plumes to slender spikes, adding texture and movement to the garden, especially when dusted with frost or snow. Their natural sway in the winter breeze offers dynamic beauty, and their muted tones can complement evergreen shrubs or brightly colored winter berries. With minimal maintenance, these grasses can enhance your landscape year-round.
11. Echinacea
Echinacea, commonly known as coneflower, is not only a beautiful summer bloomer but also an excellent winter interest plant. As the colder months set in, its tall, sturdy stems and spiky seed heads remain, adding texture and architectural interest to the landscape. The seed heads often persist into winter, offering food for birds and a unique silhouette against a backdrop of snow or frost. Their resilient structure provides both wildlife support and aesthetic appeal, making echinacea a great choice for year-round garden beauty.
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness Zone: 3 - 8
Height: 3'
Width: 18" - 24"
Foliage Color: Green
Bloom Time: Fall, Summer
Attributes: Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Birds, Cut Flower, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Easy Care, Winter Interest, Xeric
12. Rudbeckia
Rudbeckia, commonly known as Black-Eyed Susan, is a fantastic plant for winter interest. After its bright yellow flowers fade, the plant's dark seed heads remain, adding contrast and texture to the landscape. These seed heads stand tall through the winter months and attract birds, who feast on the seeds. With its bold, upright structure, rudbeckia provides a dynamic silhouette against the snow, making it a visually appealing choice for winter gardens. Its ability to maintain its form through the cold season makes rudbeckia a great addition for year-round landscape interest.
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness Zone: 3
Light Requirements: Sun
Height: 24" - 3'
Width: 12" - 24"
Foliage Color: Green
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Fall, Summer
Attributes: Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Birds, Cut Flower, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Native
13. Hydrangea
Hydrangeas are excellent for winter interest due to their large, dried flower heads that persist well into the cold months. After the blooms fade, the papery, skeletal structures create a striking visual contrast against snow or frost. The unique texture and shape of hydrangea flowers, combined with their sturdy stems, allow them to stand tall through winter, adding both height and beauty to the landscape. Their intricate form provides a beautiful winter silhouette, making hydrangeas a great option for enhancing your garden's visual appeal year-round.
Plant Type: Deciduous Shrub
Hardiness Zone: 4 - 9
Light Requirements: Partial Sun, Shade
Height: 4' - 5'
Width: 4' - 5'
Foliage Color: Green
Bloom Time: Fall, Spring, Summer
Attributes: Attracts Pollinators, Easy Care, Fast Growing, Native
14. False Indigo
False Indigo (Baptisia) is an excellent winter interest plant due to its striking seed pods, which remain on the plant long after the flowers fade. These dark, pea-like pods add texture and visual interest to the garden during the colder months. In addition to its beautiful summer blooms, False Indigo's sturdy stems hold up well in winter, providing structure and an architectural element to the landscape. Its bushy form and unique seed pods make it a standout plant even when much of the garden has gone dormant.
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness Zone: 4
Light Requirements: Partial Sun, Sun
Height: 3'
Width: 3'
Foliage Color: Green
Bloom Time: Spring, Summer
Attributes: Attracts Pollinators, Cut Flower, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Easy Care, Winter Interest, Xeric
15. Sedum
Sedums, also commonly known as stonecrops, are versatile and hardy succulents that make excellent winter interest plants. While there are countless different varieties, most of them have fleshy foliage that retains color well into the colder months. Many varieties also produce flower heads that dry beautifully, adding texture and structure to a winter garden. As the season progresses, the seed heads turn bronze or deep red, offering a visually appealing contrast to frost or snow. Their ability to withstand harsh conditions makes them perfect for adding year-round interest to landscapes.
Plants That Display Vibrant Color/Texture
Plants that retain vibrant color throughout the winter season are perfect for adding interest to winter landscapes. Whether it's the deep reds of dogwood stems, the golden hues of grasses, or the bright greens of evergreen trees and shrubs, these plants help maintain a lively and attractive garden during the cold months. Their ability to provide pops of color amidst snow or frost enhances the visual appeal, breaking up the monotony of winter's typical gray tones and bringing life and beauty to the dormant season.
16. Dogwood Shrubs
Dogwood plants are ideal for adding year-round interest to your landscape, especially in winter. Varieties like Red Osier Dogwood showcase vibrant red bark that stands out against the snowy backdrop, while others, such as Bud’s Yellow Dogwood, offer striking yellow stems that brighten any winter garden. These shrubs also feature clusters of small white flowers in spring, followed by attractive berries in late summer, making them a focal point through all seasons. Whether used as a standalone feature or incorporated into a larger design, dogwoods provide multi-season beauty and a burst of color during the colder months.
Plant Type: Deciduous Shrub
Hardiness Zone: 2 - 7
Light Requirements: Partial Sun, Sun
Height: Variety dependent
Width: Variety dependent
Foliage Color: Green
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Spring
Attributes: Deer Resistant, Attracts Birds, Easy Care, Native, Winter Interest, Pet Friendly
Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass is an exceptional plant for adding winter interest to your landscape. Its tall, upright growth habit and feathery plumes transition from green to a golden tan as the colder months set in, retaining their structure and vibrancy even in snow. This grass is particularly striking in winter, standing out against the duller hues of the season with its vertical form and delicate, shimmering seed heads. Hardy and low-maintenance, Karl Foerster is perfect for providing movement, texture, and color to your winter garden while requiring minimal care.
Plant Type: Ornamental Grass
Hardiness Zone: 3 - 8
Light Requirements: Partial Sun, Sun
Height: 3" - 6'
Width: 18" - 3'
Foliage Color: Green
Attributes: Drought Tolerant, Easy Care, Winter Interest
18. Curly Willow
Curly willow plants provide a striking addition to any winter landscape with their distinctive, twisted branches. As the leaves drop in the colder months, the unique, curling growth of their branches becomes more visible, creating a stunning visual display. These contorted branches can capture frost and snow, adding a magical touch to winter gardens. The bold, artistic shapes make curly willows excellent for creating structural interest, even when other plants lie dormant, ensuring that your garden retains its charm and character throughout the winter season.
Plant Type: Deciduous Tree
Hardiness Zone: 4 - 8
Light Requirements: Partial Sun, Sun
Height: 20' - 30'
Width: 15' - 20'
Foliage Color: Green
Attributes: Fast Growing, Drought Tolerant, Winter Interest
19. Hen & Chicks
Hen and Chicks are excellent for adding winter interest to landscapes due to their hardiness and unique rosette shape. These low-growing, evergreen succulents maintain their form and vibrant color year-round, even through cold weather and snow. Their compact structure and ability to thrive in rocky, well-drained soil make them ideal for rock gardens, borders, or container displays. In winter, Hen and Chicks provide texture and visual interest, standing out against the muted landscape with their fleshy, geometric leaves that come in a range of green, red, and purple hues.
Plant Type: Perennial Groundcover
Hardiness Zone: 3 - 8
Light Requirements: Sun
Height: 3" - 4"
Width: 6" - 12"
Foliage Color: Blue, Green, Multicolor, Pink, Red, Yellow
Bloom Color: Pink, Purple
Bloom Time: Summer
Attributes: Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Fast Growing, Rabbit Resistant, Winter Interest, Container, Staff Favorite
20. Diablo Ninebark
Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) is an excellent plant for adding winter interest to landscapes due to its unique exfoliating bark, which peels back to reveal multiple layers of reddish-brown and tan colors. This feature becomes particularly striking during the colder months when the leaves have fallen, providing visual texture and contrast against the winter landscape. In addition to its winter beauty, Ninebark offers year-round appeal with clusters of white or pink flowers in the spring and deep, rich foliage colors in the summer and fall. Its hardiness and versatility make Ninebark a great choice for bringing structure and color to winter gardens.
Plant Type: Shrub
Hardiness Zone: 2 - 7
Light Requirements: Partial Sun, Sun
Height: 8' - 10'
Width: 8' - 10'
Foliage Color: Purple
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Summer
Attributes: Attracts Birds, Drought Tolerant, Easy Care, Native, Winter Interest
Fall is a Great Time to Plant Winter Interest Plants
Fall is an ideal time to plant trees, shrubs, and perennials that will add winter interest to your landscape. By choosing plants that provide vibrant color and interesting textures, or produce berries and seed heads, you can keep your garden looking beautiful year-round. Make the most of this gardening season by incorporating winter interest plants into your yard. If you have any questions or need advice on selecting the best plants for your landscape, don't hesitate to contact Bath Garden Center. We're here to help you create a stunning garden that shines even in the coldest months.