Hardy Exotic Shrubs


Hardy exotic shrubs for UK gardens: evergreen structure, dramatic foliage and reliable year-round presence. Eucalyptus, Nandina, Ficus, Catalpa and other tough shrubs chosen for exotic character in a British border, courtyard or container.

86 products

    86 products
    Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' 19cm / 3L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Smoke Bush 'Royal Purple'

    Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'

    £23.99
    1
    Hibiscus syriacus 'Red Heart' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Rose of Sharon 'Red Heart'

    Hibiscus syriacus 'Red Heart'

    £11.99
    1
    Punica granatum (Pomegranate) 15cm / 1.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Pomegranate

    Punica granatum (Pomegranate)

    £16.99
    1
    Acer palmatum 'Black Lace' 19cm / 3L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Black Japanese Maple 'Black Lace'

    Acer palmatum 'Black Lace'

    £42.99
    1
    Loropetalum Fire Dance Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Chinese Fringe Flower, Fire Dance

    Loropetalum Fire Dance

    £6.99
    1
    Pittosporum tobira 'Nanum' 9cm / 0.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Dwarf Japanese pittosporum

    Pittosporum tobira 'Nanum'

    £6.99
    1
    Loropetalum Black Pearl Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Chinese Fringe Flower, Black Pearl

    Loropetalum Black Pearl

    £33.99
    1
    Fatsia polycarpa 'Green Fingers' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Taiwanese Fatsia (Green Fingers Fatsia)

    Fatsia polycarpa 'Green Fingers'

    £17.99
    1
    Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Soft Caress Mahonia

    Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress'

    £19.99
    1
    Variegated Meyer Lemon 9cm / 0.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALSSale

    Variegated Meyer Lemon

    Variegated Meyer Lemon

    £14.99 £16.99
    1
    Mahonia eurybracteata subsp. ganpinensis 'Meteor' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Soft-leaved Mahonia (Oregon Grape)

    Mahonia eurybracteata subsp. ganpinensis 'Meteor'

    £34.99
    1
    Albizia julibrissin 'Ombrella' 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Silk Tree (Persian Silk Tree)

    Albizia julibrissin 'Ombrella'

    £24.99
    1
    Sparmannia africana Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    African Hemp (House Lime)

    Sparmannia africana

    £24.99
    1
    Hibiscus syriacus 'Duc de Brabant' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Rose of Sharon 'Duc de Brabant'

    Hibiscus syriacus 'Duc de Brabant'

    £11.99
    1
    Acer palmatum 'Beni-maiko' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Pink Japanese Maple 'Beni-maiko'

    Acer palmatum 'Beni-maiko'

    £16.99
    1
    Acer palmatum 'Bi Hoo' 19cm / 3L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Yellow Bark Japanese Maple 'Bi Hoo'

    Acer palmatum 'Bi Hoo'

    £39.99
    1
    Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Black Lace Elder 'Eva' PBR

    Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace'

    £16.99
    1
    Griselinia littoralis 9cm / 0.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALSSale

    Kapuka (New Zealand Broadleaf)

    Griselinia littoralis

    £4.19 £4.99
    1
    Hydrangea macrophylla Midnight Pearl Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Big-leaf Hydrangea, Midnight Pearl

    Hydrangea macrophylla Midnight Pearl

    £42.99
    1
    Mahonia x media Winter Sun Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Oregon Grape, Winter Sun

    Mahonia x media Winter Sun

    £16.99
    1
    Sarcococca saligna (Willow-leaf Sweet Box) Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Willow-leaf Sweet Box

    Sarcococca saligna (Willow-leaf Sweet Box)

    £22.99
    1
    Mahonia eurybracteata 'Volcano' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Oregon Grape

    Mahonia eurybracteata 'Volcano'

    £34.99
    1
    Corokia cotoneaster Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Wire-netting bush

    Corokia cotoneaster

    £9.99
    1
    Sophora Little Baby 9cm / 0.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Dwarf Kowhai, Little Baby

    Sophora Little Baby

    £9.99
    1
    Catalpa bignonioides 'Aurea' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALSSale

    Golden Indian Bean Tree

    Catalpa bignonioides 'Aurea'

    £35.99 £39.99
    1
    Leucadendron 'Mrs Stanley' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Conebush 'Mrs Stanley'

    Leucadendron 'Mrs Stanley'

    £14.99
    1
    Tibouchina urvilleana 9cm / 0.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Glory Bush (Princess Flower)

    Tibouchina urvilleana

    £9.99
    1
    Catalpa erubescens 'Purpurea' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Purple Indian Bean Tree

    Catalpa erubescens 'Purpurea'

    £52.99
    1
    Diosma hirsuta 'Pink Fountain' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Confetti Bush (Breath of Heaven)

    Diosma hirsuta 'Pink Fountain'

    £16.99
    1
    Sarcococca confusa 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Sweet Box, Christmas Box

    Sarcococca confusa

    £16.99
    1
    Magnolia laevifolia 'Honey Velvet' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Fairy Magnolia 'Honey Velvet'

    Magnolia laevifolia 'Honey Velvet'

    £24.99
    1
    Vitex agnus-castus 'Blue Diddley' 19cm / 3L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Chaste Tree (Dwarf Chaste Tree)

    Vitex agnus-castus 'Blue Diddley'

    £24.99
    1
    Mahonia x media 'Charity' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Winter-Flowering Mahonia 'Charity'

    Mahonia x media 'Charity'

    £19.99
    1
    Albizia julibrissin 'Tropical Dream' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Silk tree

    Albizia julibrissin 'Tropical Dream'

    £29.99
    1
    Eucalyptus gunnii 'Azura' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Cider Gum 'Azura'

    Eucalyptus gunnii 'Azura'

    £27.99
    1
    Callistemon Inferno ('Yanferno') Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Bottlebrush 'Inferno'

    Callistemon Inferno ('Yanferno')

    £24.99
    1
    Viburnum davidii 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    David Viburnum

    Viburnum davidii

    £16.99
    1
    Prostanthera cuneata 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Alpine Mint Bush

    Prostanthera cuneata

    £19.99
    1
    Callistemon rigidus Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Stiff Bottlebrush

    Callistemon rigidus

    £8.99
    1

    The GrowTropicals Guide to Hardy Exotic Shrubs

    What are hardy exotic shrubs?

    Shrubs are the workhorses of a garden: multi-stemmed, long-lived, and structural in a way perennials rarely are. The hardy exotic ones bring that structure with a tropical or sub-tropical accent. Nandina domestica gives fine-textured evergreen foliage with red seasonal flushes. Eucalyptus gunnii 'Azura' offers silver-blue rounded juvenile leaves and glaucous stems. Deciduous Catalpa 'Purpurea' and Albizia 'Summer Chocolate' contribute dark-purple canopies through summer. Together they build a shrub layer that looks nothing like a standard UK border, and they do it year after year with almost no maintenance. Read our honest guide to what to expect from hardy exotics through the seasons before ordering.

    Care essentials for hardy exotic shrubs

    • Position: Species-specific. Nandina and Eucalyptus want full sun. Catalpa colours best in full sun but tolerates partial shade. Check the individual product page.
    • Soil: Most hardy exotic shrubs want moist but well-drained soil enriched with compost at planting. Avoid waterlogged heavy clay in winter.
    • Hardiness: Individual RHS bands per product. Most stocked here are H4 to H5 (fully hardy across most of the UK). Eucalyptus is faster to establish than to overwinter as a young plant.
    • Pruning: Deciduous shrubs like Catalpa and Albizia respond well to a hard spring cut-back for larger leaves. Evergreens are best only lightly shaped; heavy pruning stresses them.
    • Watering: Water in deeply through the first two summers. Established shrubs in the ground rarely need watering. Container shrubs need regular water year-round.

    Explore the hardy exotic shrub range

    Combine hardy exotic shrubs with architectural foliage for structural focal points, exotic border plants for a jungle scheme, screening plants for privacy, and plants for pots for balcony and patio use. See the full Hardy Exotics range for companions.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Exotic shrubs are woody plants grown for their bold, often evergreen foliage and lush, tropical look, while still being tough enough for the UK climate. They give a garden structure and a faraway feel all year round.

    Compact evergreen shrubs in pots are ideal for patios, balconies and courtyards, keeping their leaves and shape through winter so a small space never looks bare. Choose a variety whose final size suits the spot.

    The shrubs in this collection are chosen to grow outdoors in the UK, and each is labelled with its hardiness rating. The more tender types simply appreciate a sheltered position or some winter protection in colder gardens.

    Yes, many evergreen and exotic shrubs grow well in large containers for years, making excellent patio and balcony plants. Use a loam-based compost, water through summer, and feed and topdress in spring.

    Most need only light pruning to keep their shape, usually after flowering or in spring. Evergreen shrubs generally want the minimum, just removing any dead, damaged or wayward growth to keep them looking neat.

    Exotic and evergreen shrubs for year-round structure

    Shrubs are the framework of a garden, and exotic shrubs give that framework a lush, faraway feel. With bold or glossy evergreen foliage and a solid, dependable presence, they hold a garden together through every season and make a green backdrop for showier plants. This collection brings together hardy exotic and evergreen shrubs chosen to thrive outdoors in the UK.

    Shrubs for pots, patios and small gardens

    A good evergreen shrub in a pot is one of the most useful things you can own. It gives year-round greenery by a door, frames a patio, or screens a corner of a balcony, all with very little fuss. Because shrubs keep their shape and leaves through winter, they stop a small space from looking bare in the colder months.

    Structure and screening in a border

    In a border, exotic shrubs provide the bones. Use them to anchor a planting scheme, create evergreen screening for privacy, or give height and substance behind perennials and grasses. A few well-placed shrubs are what make a garden feel full and established rather than flat.

    Planting and care

    Plant in spring or autumn into soil improved with organic matter, water well through the first year, and mulch in spring. Most exotic shrubs need only light pruning to shape them, and evergreen types simply want the odd tidy. Check the hardiness and light needs on each plant to match it to your spot.