The plants listed below will grow in clay soils as long as any special site requirements are met. Shrubs marked with an asterisk are particularly well-suited to clay soils.


SHRUBS

Scientific name

* particularly well-suited to clay soil

Common name USDA zone Comments
Amelanchier species Serviceberry 4  
*Aronia melanocarpa Chokeberry 3  
Berberis koreana Korean barberry 4 Avoid wet soils
Berberis thunbergii Green barberry 4 Avoid wet soils
*Caragana arborescens Siberian peashrub 3  
*Cephalanthus occidentalis Buttonbush 4  
*Cornus alba Tatarian dogwood 3  
Cornus alternifolia Pagoda dogwood 4 Needs moist, acidic soils
*Cornus racemosa Grey dogwood 3  
*Cornus sericea Red osier dogwood 3  
Diervilla lonicera Dwarf bush-honeysuckle 3  
*Elaeagnus angustifolia Russian olive 2  
*Elaeagnus commutata Silverberry 2  
Euonymus alatus Burning bush 3 Needs well-drained soils
Euonymus europaeus European euonymus 4 Needs well-drained soils
*Forsythia x 'Meadowlark' 'Meadowlark' forsythia 3  
*Forsythia x 'Northern Sun' 'Northern Sun' forsythia 3  
Hamamelis virginiana Witch hazel 4  
Ilex verticillata Winterberry 4 Needs acidic soils
Juniperus species (most) Juniper 3 Needs well-drained soils
*Lonicera species Honeysuckle 3-4 §  
*Physocarpus opulifolius Common ninebark 2  
*Potentilla Fruticosa Potentilla 2  
*Rhamnus frangula Glossy buckthorn 4  
Rhus species Sumac 2 Prefers well-drained soils
*Ribes alpinum Alpine currant 2  
*Ribes odoratum Clove currant 2  
Rosa rugosa Rugosa rose 2  
*Salix species Willow 2  
Sambucus canadensis American elderberry 3  
Sambucus pubens Scarlet elder 4  
Spiraea species Spirea 3-4 § Needs well-drained soils
*Symphoricarpos albus White snowberry 3  
*Syringa species Lilac 2  
*Thuja occidentalis Arborvitae, white cedar 3  
*Viburnum dentatum Arrowwood viburnum 3 Prefers well-drained soils
*Viburnum lentago Nannyberry viburnum 2  
*Viburnum opulus European cranberrybush 3  
*Viburnum sargentii Sargent viburnum 4  

*Viburnum trilobum

Highbush cranberrybush 2  
§ When more than one zone is listed (eg: 3-4 or 4-5), some species are not hardy in the cooler zone