What are some small deciduous shrubs that can grow in USDA zone 4?

Question

A particular site in our garden (USDA zone 4) has dry, sandy soil over heavy clay and gets full sun. There is excellent drainage due to the retaining wall on one side that has a drainage pipe situated below two feet below grade.

What are some good, small shrubs with the following characteristics that will grow well under the above conditions?

• preferably native to North America
• tolerates dry full sun conditions
• height of two to six feet, width of three feet
• flowers can occur in spring or summer
• berries or some fruit that hang on, red colour preferred
• excellent fall colour
• should not sucker, tolerate pruning if over 4 feet

What I've looked at so far is

• Aronia melanocarpa "Brilliantissima": However, I understand it suckers and can grow eight to ten feet wide.
• Euonomyus elatus compacta: In our area, good fall colour is not guaranteed with this cultivar.
• Ribes aureum: There is a dwarf white pine very closeby and as the Ribes is susceptible to white pine blister rust, this doesn't seem promising.

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Answer 1

A quick trip through the Fedco trees catalog suggests the following small-ish shrubs. None of them meet all of your criteria, but I suspect you're going to have to prioritize your criteria or pick and choose to find a shrub that meets the best balance of desirable attributes. I've listed larger or suckering shrubs where they have good fruit, flowers, and/or good fall color.

• V. corymbosum (Highbush blueberry). The fall color and summer flowers aren't spectacular, and the fruit doesn't "hang on", but it is delicious.
• Prunus japonica x P. jacquemontii (Joel Bush Cherry). Z3. 4x4'. Pink spring blossoms. Fruit ripens in September. Don't know about foliage.
• P. tomentosa (Nanking Cherry). Z2. 6-10'. Pink buds, fragrant white flowers. Scarlet 1/2" fruit.
• Itea virginica (‘Henry’s Garnet’ Virginia Sweetspire). "Z5 or maybe Z4". 5-6'. "Fragrant white flowers on upright racemes up to 6" long in early summer. Bright green foliage, brilliant reddish-purple fall color"
• Kolkwitzia amabilis (Beautybush). Z4. 6-8'. Pink flowers. Yellow and red fall color.
• Philadelphus lewisii (Blizzard Mockorange). Z4. 3'. White flowers. Native to Asia.
• Salix integra (‘Hakuro Nishiki’ Dappled Willow). 3-5'. Z4. "Leaves turn yellow in fall and drop late [...] Color best in full sun and colder districts."

Answer 2

Below are some additional deciduous shrubs that should meet most of your requirements (though all of them are non North American natives):

• Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii)

• Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster apiculatus)

• Spirea (Spiraea) - doesn't produce fruit.

• Weigela (Weigela florida) - doesn't produce fruit.

I've never heard of (Dwarf) Burning Bush needing a particular location for Autumn (Fall) colour. Granted I have mine (which I'm very happy with) in my front garden (North facing), see here on SE for a couple of photos, but I planted it there for a purpose (to screen something), not because it specifically required that location. Additionally I see Burning Bushes all over the place here where I live (Missouri) and all of them (at least the ones I see) put on that striking Autumn (Fall) colour.

Below are some Ottawa (and North America) native plant resources you may additionally wish to browse through, contact for local expert native plant knowledge, recommendations:

• Ottawa Horticultural Society

  • Ottawa Horticultural Society - Naturalizing Our Native Plants

• City of Ottawa - Native Plants

• Wildflowers - Native Plants and Wildflowers for Every Garden

• Ottawa Botanical Garden Society

• North American Native Plant Society

• Connaught Nursery - Ottawa Valley Native Plants

Answer 3

All of the following are dependably hardy in zone 4, have good fall color, are six feet or under, do not sucker much, and have long lasting fruit. They should also do well in a sandy soil where summers are relatively moist and cool (Ottawa). Spread may occasionally be an issue as most shrubs are at least as wide as they are tall.

Berberis thunbergii (Japanese Barberry). Size varies by cultivar, green varieties give best fall color. Red fruit.

Berberis 'Tara' (Korean-type Barberry). 4-5' high, 4-5' wide. Excellent fall color. Red fruit. Drought tolerant.

Malus sargentii 'Tina'(Dwarf Crabapple). 3-5' high, 4-5' wide, a really small crabapple, good fall color. Red fruit. Drought tolerant.

Rosa (Shrub Rose) There are lots of options here, but putting a rose on a dry sandy soil is asking for powdery mildew. Rugosa rose is an exception though.

Rosa rugosa (Rugosa Rose). 4-6' high, 4-5' wide. For best fruiting, choose single flowered varieties. R. rugosa and R. rugosa alba have excellent fall color. Red fruit. Drought tolerant.

Viburnum 'Emerald Triumph'. 4-6' high, 6 ' wide. Purple fall color. Red to black fruit. Drought tolerant. Half native.

Viburnum dentatum 'Christom' (Blue Muffin Arrowwood). 5-7' high, 4-6' wide. Yellow fall color, blue-black fruit. Drought tolerant. Native.

Viburnum dentatum 'Rastzam' (Raspberry Tart Arrowwood). 4-5' high, 4-5' wide. Red Fall color, blue-black fruit. Drought tolerant. Native.

Viburnum trilobium 'Compact' ('Alfredo', 'Bailey Compact', 'Spring Green Compact') (Compact American Cranberry). 4-6' high, 4-6' wide. Fall color varies by cultivar, but is typically very good. Red Fruit. Drought Tolerant. Native.

Vaccinium (Low-bush, Half-high Blueberry). 2-5' high 3-6' wide. As bstpierre noted the blueberry fruits do not last long (since the birds eat them), but these often have excellent fall color, which varies by cultivar. Drought tolerant. Native.