If pink is your favorite color, then there’s no doubt that you’ll want to include as many pink blooms in your garden as possible. The good news is that pink flowers are widely available, and they appear on many different types of plants. In this article, we’ll focus on the many types of pink flowering shrubs that you can add to your garden. While each of these shrub species shares the trait of pink blooms, you’ll find that each one also offers unique features that allow it to stand out from the rest. Only by becoming familiar with these many distinct options will you be able to find the shrub with pink flowers that are right for you.
Key Takeaways
Pink flowering shrubs come in many forms and from many different plant groups. As such, learning about each plant individually will provide you with plenty of knowledge. However, you should also keep an eye out for these key takeaways that apply to pink flowering shrubs as a whole and will recur throughout this article:
- Pink flowers on shrubs come in many different shades and shapes.
- Pink flowering shrubs can be excellent for pollinator species.
- Some shrub species offer pink flowers only via specific cultivars.
- Pink flowering shrubs can come in many different sizes and growth habits.
- Pink flowering shrubs come from many different parts of the world.
17 of the Top Pink Flowering Shrubs that You Should Plant Today
Whenever a group of people are passionate about a topic, they are bound to have plenty of questions about it. In fact, the topic of pink flowering shrubs is no exception. Since this plant group is as interesting as any other, we have decided to provide some brief answers to the questions people most commonly ask about it. Read on to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pink Flowering Shrubs
What is the Bush with Pink Flowers?
There are many bushes that come with pink flowers. In fact, there are so many that we cannot claim an individual species as the best representative of this group of flowering plants. Instead, it is fair to say that there is such a wide range of pink flowering bushes that every gardener is sure to find something they enjoy. Some of the most common pink flowering shrubs include rhododendrons, azaleas, and roses.
What Evergreen Shrub Has Large Pink Flowers?
One of the biggest downsides to many flowering plant species is that they can be deciduous in many cases, which means that they can look quite bare in the winter months. The good news is that there are plenty of evergreen pink flowering shrubs that will provide interest all year long. Some popular examples of these pink-flowering evergreen shrubs are azaleas, daphne shrubs, and pink oleanders.
What is the Shrub Called Pink?
There are many shrubs that include the word pink in their common name, which typically refers to the flower color. However, there is also a plant that goes by the simple common name pink or garden pink. This plant has the botanical name Dianthus plumarius, but it is not a shrub species. Instead, it is an evergreen perennial plant with showy pink flowers.
What Shrub Has Pink and White Flowers in Spring?
There are many different types of shrubs that bloom in spring and can have either pink or white flowers. One great example of this is the azalea shrub, which comes in many different varieties, including some that have entirely white flowers and some that have entirely pink flowers. This species also blooms in the spring season. Additionally, there are some plants that have both white and pink on a single flower, such as certain types of mountain laurels.
What is a Pink Princess Plant?
The pin princess plant is a hybrid cultivar of the Philodendron, which is a popular houseplant with beautiful foliage. The reason this plant has that name is that its leaves show both dark green and light patches of pink, which make for an amazing foliage display. However, since this plant needs warm conditions, it is not one that most gardeners in the United States can grow outdoors year-round.
1. Azalea (Rhododendron)
If you are fond of pink flowering shrubs, then you’ll want to be careful to select a specific type of azalea before you make a purchase. Currently, there are more azalea varieties in existence than you can likely count. As such, among the many cultivated options, there are plants with varying flower color options. But rest assured, many of those varieties have the pink flowers you love, and they will not be difficult to find. After finding the azalea option that is best for you and your garden, plant it in full sun or partial shade and look for it to cover itself with pink blooms during every spring season.
2. Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea)
The bougainvillea is typically a plant that grows with a climbing vine habit. However, it is also possible to grow this plant like a shrub as well. The key is to plant your bougainvillea in a location where it does not have the chance to climb and become a vine and to use your pruning to trim your bougainvillea into the shrub-like form you desire. Regarding flowers, bougainvillea is similar to other plants in that only certain varieties will bloom pink. However, regardless of the color of the flowers your bougainvillea has, you can expect them to make a bold visual statement that you cannot miss.
3. Chinese Fringe Flower (Loropetalum chinense ‘Rubrum’)
The Chinese fringe flower is certainly capable of providing your garden with pink blooms. However, the flowers are not the only feature of this plant that adds a pinkish hue to the landscape. The leaves of a Chinese fringe flower shrub have a dark purplish pink color that pairs nicely with the lighter pink flowers. Giving your Chinese fringe flower full sun is the best way to ensure it shows its best flower and foliage colors. Additionally, you can trim this shrub into a neat rounded form that can make it all the more attractive.
4. Daphne (Daphne odora)
Daphne shrubs not only come with beautiful light pink flower clusters, but they are also incredibly convenient and consistent as well. The way that a daphne delivers on those traits is via its overall growth habit and its foliage. This shrub is compact and perfect for small growing spaces as it will reach only 4 feet tall at most. Daphne shrubs also come with broad evergreen foliage that is large, oval-shaped and gives the plant a lush look all year. With that said, it is often important to plant this shrub where there is some protection from the wind, as late winter storms can cause damage to the leaves.
5. Deutzia (Deutzia)
A deutzia is a moderately sized shrub that grows with an upright habit. During the spring and summer, this plant blooms with clusters of small, star-shaped flowers. In many instances, these flowers will be white. However, there are also deutzia shrubs that will bloom with pink flowers or flowers that show both pink and white. But beautiful flowers are not the only trait that makes the deutzia shrub attractive. This species can also have peeling bark that provides seasonal interest during the winter months, while few other plants offer any ornamental value.
6. Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)
Hydrangeas are a go-to shrub option whether you are exclusively searching for pink flowering shrubs or not. This species of hydrangea has a large rounded form and flowers that also form large rounded clusters, despite being relatively small themselves. Note that Hydrangea macrophylla is the parent species of many hydrangea cultivars, some of which have pink flowers and some of which do not. Within the group of cultivars that feature pink flowers, you’ll vine a reasonable amount of variety, including flowers that are such a light pink that they are nearly white, deep pink flowers that are nearly purple, and plenty of options in between.
7. Japanese Spiraea (Spiraea japonica)
Many gardeners are in search of low-maintenance shrubs but have difficulty finding them. Fortunately, there are several shrub options that maintain a manageable size and can adapt to growing conditions that are less than ideal. Some of those shrubs even have astounding pink blooms. Perhaps the best example of this is the Japanese spiraea, which grows about three feet tall at most and slightly wider at maturity. This plant also has captivating pink flower clusters and an ability to adapt to many different soil settings, including alkaline soils.
8. Korean Rhododendron (Rhododendron mucronulatum)
If you know about rhododendron shrubs, you might expect that you have a good idea of what it will be like to grow a Korean rhododendron. However, there are a few key differences between this species and other plants within the Rhododendron genus. First, unlike many common rhododendrons, the Korean rhododendron is a deciduous plant. It is also generally much smaller than other rhododendrons as it grows to around 5 feet tall at a moderate to slow rate. But the Korean rhododendron is similar to other rhododendrons in that it has beautiful flowers, which are light pink, and appear while the branches are still bare in early spring.
9. Pink Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles x superba ‘Pink Lady’)
Here we have another example of a plant that comes in many different forms, some of which have pink flowers but most of which do not. As such, if you are interested in planting a pink flowering quince in your garden, then you should look for a type that has the scientific name Chaenomeles x superba ‘Pink Lady.’ Fortunately, finding the right version is the only difficult part of growing this plant. Selecting a growing location will be easy since the pink flowering quince plant adapts to both full sun and partial shade, as well as soils that range from clay to sandy. After your pink flowering quince has established itself, it will likely become drought resistant as well.
10. Pink Forsythia (Abeliophyllum distichum ‘Roseum’)
You have probably heard about the popular yellow-flowering forsythia species that blooms in early spring with bright bursts of colors. However, did you know that there is a pink forsythia as well? Interestingly, while these two plants share some visual similarities and a similar common name, they are not actually the same species or even part of the same genus. Still, this plant is still worth planting, especially if you love pink flowers. Each year, the pink forsythia will bloom with light flowers that appear before the leaves do, which can add a much-needed color accent to the early spring garden.
11. Pink Oleander (Nerium oleander)
With light pink flowers that bloom into the shape of a cute little pinwheel, and delightful evergreen leaves that are long and shiny, you might expect that the pink oleander is an entirely harmless plant that adds nothing but beauty to the garden. However, be warned that all parts of the pink oleander are toxic. As such, you should monitor any children or pets that go near this plant. With that said, if you are aware of that toxicity and you are prepared to remain safe when handling this plant, it can make for a lovely pink flowering shrub.
12. Pink Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum f. plicatum ‘Pink Sensation’)
The Viburnum genus is home to many beautiful flowering shrubs, but not all of them will give you the pink flowers you are looking for. For that brilliant pink display, you are best off choosing the pink viburnum that goes by the scientific name Viburnum plicatum f. plicatum, ‘Pink Sensation.’ This cultivar grows to be between 6 and 10 feet tall at maturity, and it offers multiple pink shades depending on the season. Of course, the petals of this plant’s flowers are pink-tinted, but the leaves can also have a slight pink tint when they first emerge in the spring. As that foliage develops, it will eventually turn green.
13. Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)
The rose of Sharon shrub is an upright shrub that provides color during the middle and end portions of the summer growing season. Each flower is relatively large, with a large central spike that sits within the frilly petals. Those petals can vary in color and may even show multiple colors at once. Rose of Sharon shrubs are also quite convenient plants to grow since they are very adaptable to adverse growing conditions, and they are easy to care for even if you don’t have much gardening experience.
14. Rose Shrubs (Rosa)
As is true of other plants on this list, rose shrubs come in many different forms. Fortunately, there are countless rose shrub varieties that will provide you with pink blooms. However, regardless of the flower color you prefer, rose shrubs are a classic plant to add to any garden. In most cases, full sun exposure and enough watering to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged are the conditions that will make for optimal shrub rose growth and blooming.
15. Shrubby Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticose ‘Pink Beauty’)
While some pink flowering shrubs may offer only a few flowers each year, such is not the case for the shrubby cinquefoil. This plant blooms with copious amounts of small flowers, which will be light pink if you choose the cultivar that goes by the name ‘Pink Beauty.’ This shrub grows slowly with a dense habit that reaches only a few feet tall. With full sunlight, this plant will be a welcome and easy-to-care-for addition for any gardener that loves pink shades. The shrubby cinquefoil will also become drought-tolerant once it has established itself.
16. Tree Peony (Paeonia suffruticosa)
The type of peony that most people are familiar with is a perennial plant that has fantastic rose-like flowers that open in the late spring and early summer. What many casual gardeners don’t know is that there is also a tree version of this plant that has similar blooming traits. Interestingly, while this plant is called a tree peony, its size is much more similar to that of a small to medium-sized shrub. In most cases, this plant will look best with regular seasonal pruning and shaping. But even if you are not meticulous with your pruning schedule, your tree peony will remain a lovely pink-blooming plant that adds color each June.
17. Weigela (Weigela florida)
We’ll end our list with one of the most reliable flowering shrubs around. Weigelas have become incredibly popular over the years due in large part to the amazing flowers they provide. In most cases, those flowers will be pink or light red color. In some instances, you may come across weigela varieties that have colorful foliage as well. Such varieties complement their pink blooms with dark purple leaves that make for an interesting contrast in the middle of the growing season. You’ll also enjoy the fact that this plant is not at all picky about the growing location in which it lives since it is highly adaptable.
17 Elegant Pink Flowering Shrubs that Give Gardens a Pop of Color
Few colors can be as charming as the pink shades that plants produce. Thankfully, there are plenty of plants that offer those colors, including many spectacular pink flowering shrubs, such as the ones that we have listed in this article. If you are a lover of pink, that list is sure to give you plenty of planting inspiration. To bring that inspiration from the dream phase into reality, all you need to do is select the pink flowering shrub that is right for your growing area, research its growing needs, and start a new pink flower planting project in your yard.
