Top picks for shrubs

American Beautyberry

Best for repelling mosquitoes and ticks

This wide deciduous bush is adaptable in most sun conditions and soil conditions although it grows best in full sun. It is widely enjoyed by many birds and mammals. It also is used to make a delicious jam. It grows to 5-8' tall but grows smaller and shorter in the shade. It also repels ticks and mosquitos,  and deer usually avoid them. 

Winterberry

Best for birds

This medium-sized deciduous bush which tolerates a wide range of soils can get up to 6-15' and is enjoyed by almost 50 species of birds such as Eastern Bluebirds, Robins, and Woodpeckers. This bush is crucial for migrating birds since it produces berries in the winter (hence the name.) You need to have both a male and a female bush to have berries, and deer usually avoid them.  It also is best planted in the sun for the most berries

Spicebush

Most edible bush

Spicebush is a deciduous medium bush (8-15') that can grow in a wide range of sunlight. It will also do well in many soils although it prefers rich moist soils. Its leaves turn yellow in fall and has beautiful yellow flowers. (seen here.) Its berries, leaves, and twigs are all edible and taste amazing,  but at the same time deer resistant. 

Coralberry

Best low growing spreading bush

Coralberry is a low-growing deciduous (2-4') sun-loving bush that spreads a lot through suckers. it will grow in most soils and grows to be (3-6' wide) which makes it good for a hedge. it blooms from early spring to mid-summer and produces fruit in early September that stays until December. Pollinators/bees also love this shrub, while deer seem to stay away.

Inkberry

Best evergreen shrub

Inkberry makes a great hedge due to its height (5-10') and spread (5-8'). It is also deer resistant and can be planted in full sun to full shade.  This plant is normally found in pine forests but tolerates a wide range of drought to wet soils. It has small black berries that last from September to November. 

Red Chokeberry

Best for all conditons

This small deciduous (6-12') multi-stemmed bush enjoys a plethora of soils and sun requirements but will fruit best in full sun. The berries are edible by humans and can be used in a jam. The berries are also enjoyed by many birds and bees in the winter and flowers in the summer.  This plant is not resistant to deer.

Virginia Sweetspire

Best flowers for hedges

Virginia Sweetspire is a small semi-evergreen (4-6') shrub which also grows 4-6' wide. It will grow fine in the shade, but flowers best in the sun. It prefers moist soils but tolerates a wide range. since it suckers and forms dense roots, it can help with erosion. Deer also tend to stay away. it provides good shelter for birds and good pollination for bees, butterflies, and moths. This is a good alternative to the widely planted purple butterfly bush which does not have the needed nutrients to sustain butterflies. 

New Jersey Tea

Best short bush

New Jersey Tea, like its name, can be used to make tea. It is a very low (2-3') growing deciduous bush that does best in the sun but can be grown in shade. It does good in dry soils and is semi-deer resistant. The flowers are good for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.

Buttonbush

Best for wet soils

Buttonbush is a water-loving large (6-15') deciduous shrub which also can get up to 8' wide. This bush needs full sun to flower at peak optimality and can tolerate most soils as long as they are wet.  This bush is deer-resistant and is beneficial to many wetland species, such as ducks, to make nests, waterfowl, and many different types of bees butterflies, and hummingbirds.