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.

56 products

    56 products
    Mahonia x media 'Charity' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Winter-Flowering Mahonia 'Charity'

    Mahonia x media 'Charity'

    £19.99
    1
    Loropetalum Fire Dance Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Chinese Fringe Flower, Fire Dance

    Loropetalum Fire Dance

    £6.99
    1
    Albizia julibrissin 'Summer Chocolate' 19cm / 3L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Chocolate Persian Silk Tree

    Albizia julibrissin 'Summer Chocolate'

    £34.99
    1
    Mahonia x media Winter Sun Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Oregon Grape, Winter Sun

    Mahonia x media Winter Sun

    £16.99
    1
    Albizia julibrissin 'Ombrella' 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Silk Tree (Persian Silk Tree)

    Albizia julibrissin 'Ombrella'

    £24.99
    1
    Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' 19cm / 3L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Smoke Bush 'Royal Purple'

    Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'

    £23.99
    1
    Fatsia japonica 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Japanese Aralia, Paper Plant

    Fatsia japonica

    £17.99
    1
    Leptospermum scoparium | Manuka Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Manuka (New Zealand Tea Tree)

    Leptospermum scoparium | Manuka

    £15.99
    1
    Acacia pravissima 19cm / 3L (Collection Only) Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Ovens Wattle (Wedge-leaved Wattle)

    Acacia pravissima

    £21.99
    1
    Sarcococca confusa 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Sweet Box, Christmas Box

    Sarcococca confusa

    £16.99
    1
    Eucalyptus gunnii 'Azura' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Cider Gum 'Azura'

    Eucalyptus gunnii 'Azura'

    £27.99
    1
    Hibiscus syriacus 'Hamabo' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Rose of Sharon 'Hamabo'

    Hibiscus syriacus 'Hamabo'

    £11.99
    1
    Sophora Little Baby 9cm / 0.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Dwarf Kowhai, Little Baby

    Sophora Little Baby

    £9.99
    1
    Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Purple Japanese Maple

    Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum'

    £15.99
    1
    Loropetalum Black Pearl Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Chinese Fringe Flower, Black Pearl

    Loropetalum Black Pearl

    £33.99
    1
    Callistemon salignus (Willow Bottlebrush) Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Willow Bottlebrush

    Callistemon salignus (Willow Bottlebrush)

    £17.49
    1
    Catalpa erubescens 'Purpurea' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Purple Indian Bean Tree

    Catalpa erubescens 'Purpurea'

    £52.99
    1
    Abutilon megapotamicum Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Trailing Abutilon (Brazilian Bell-flower)

    Abutilon megapotamicum

    £8.99
    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 'Orange Dream' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Golden Japanese Maple 'Orange Dream'

    Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream'

    £16.99
    1
    Acer palmatum 'Anne Irene' 19cm / 3L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Yellow Japanese Maple 'Anne Irene'

    Acer palmatum 'Anne Irene'

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

    Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace'

    £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
    Hibiscus syriacus 'Speciosus' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Rose of Sharon 'Speciosus'

    Hibiscus syriacus 'Speciosus'

    £11.99
    1
    Eriostemon myoporoides 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Long-leaf Wax Flower

    Eriostemon myoporoides

    £18.99
    1
    Hibiscus syriacus 'Red Heart' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Rose of Sharon 'Red Heart'

    Hibiscus syriacus 'Red Heart'

    £11.99
    1
    Acer shirasawanum 'Moonrise' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Full Moon Maple (Shirasawa Maple)

    Acer shirasawanum 'Moonrise'

    £49.99
    1
    Hydrangea macrophylla Midnight Pearl Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Big-leaf Hydrangea, Midnight Pearl

    Hydrangea macrophylla Midnight Pearl

    £42.99
    1
    Diosma hirsuta 'Pink Fountain' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Confetti Bush (Breath of Heaven)

    Diosma hirsuta 'Pink Fountain'

    £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
    Nandina domestica 'Obsessed' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Heavenly Bamboo 'Obsessed'

    Nandina domestica 'Obsessed'

    £19.99
    1
    Hibiscus syriacus 'Admiral Dewey' 13cm / 1L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Rose of Sharon 'Admiral Dewey'

    Hibiscus syriacus 'Admiral Dewey'

    £11.99
    1
    Catalpa bignonioides 'Aurea' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Golden Indian Bean Tree

    Catalpa bignonioides 'Aurea'

    £49.99
    1
    Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Fastigiata' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Upright Japanese Plum Yew

    Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Fastigiata'

    £27.99
    1
    Fatsia polycarpa 'Green Fingers' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Taiwanese Fatsia (Green Fingers Fatsia)

    Fatsia polycarpa 'Green Fingers'

    £17.99
    1
    Nandina domestica 'Gulfstream' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Heavenly Bamboo 'Gulfstream'

    Nandina domestica 'Gulfstream'

    £34.99
    1
    Acer palmatum 'Bi Hoo' 19cm / 3L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Yellow Bark Japanese Maple 'Bi Hoo'

    Acer palmatum 'Bi Hoo'

    £39.99
    1
    Ficus carica 'Del Portogallo' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Portuguese Edible Fig

    Ficus carica 'Del Portogallo'

    £39.99
    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.