The best garrigue shrubs and bushes

Holm oak or Quercus ilex

Undoubtedly, Holm oak is more of a tree, but its slow growth and growth habit allow it to be regarded as part of the shrub layer in garrigue habitats. It is an essential feature of the southern Mediterranean landscapes.

Quercus ilex, with its imposing presence, can reach up to 15 metres in height with a robust trunk of 2 to 3 metres in girth, but it will not grow taller than 3 m in 20 years. This species is notable for its longevity; with some specimens living for more than a thousand years, bearing witness to its strength and its ability to endure the ages.

Its beauty lies in the diversity of its forms. The bark of the Holm oak, initially smooth and grey, fissures with time, adopting a dark hue or sometimes yellowed by lichens. The foliage is evergreen, deep green on the upper surface and silvery beneath. Leaves, sometimes entire, sometimes dentate, and twisted branches contribute to its unique silhouette, while its acorns enrich its biological interest.

Adaptable and hardy, Holm oak requires only a sunny exposure to thrive, disregarding soil conditions and extreme climatic variations. Its planting is an invitation to recreate a corner of garrigue at home, surrounding it with typical Midi plants, such as the Strawberry Tree, rockroses, the sages, the Phlomis.

Arbutus unedo or strawberry tree

Arbutus unedo, commonly known as the strawberry tree, is prized in gardens of southern France as well as along the Atlantic coast, and constitutes a representative subject of the Mediterranean garrigue. This shrub, which flowers in late summer, produces bell-shaped white flowers, sometimes tinged with pink, soon followed by its edible fruits which recall strawberries in colour and shape.

The strawberry tree grows into a dense, compact shrub. Its evergreen leaves, a dark, glossy green, have slightly dentate margins. The strawberry tree’s bark, a deep red, peels away in thin ribbons. The melliferous flowers, reminiscent of lily of the valley in shape, attract pollinators in late August, while the fruits, which ripen a year after flowering, progress from yellow to red.

Hardy to -15°C, Arbutus unedo thrives in well-drained, acidic soil, in full sun or partial shade, while being protected from cold winds. To ensure its survival through the early winters, mulch and a winter protection fleece may be necessary.

The use of Arbutus unedo varies according to individual preference: as a free-form hedge to structure space, as a specimen plant to showcase its unique beauty, or in a border to create a visual and edible focal point in the garden.

Pistacia lentiscus or lentisk

Pistacia lentiscus, or mastic tree, embodies the quintessence of Mediterranean vegetation. This evergreen shrub, both robust and adaptable, stands out for its dense habit that punctuates sunlit landscapes along the shores of the Mediterranean with dark accents. Proximity to the sea is beneficial, providing young plants with the gentle conditions needed to develop into specimens hardy enough to survive in dry, demanding soils.

Once well established, the mastic tree shows remarkable resilience to arid soils, strong winds, intense solar brightness, and even the dense shade of other trees such as holm oaks or pines.

Pistacia lentiscus can reach 2 metres in height with a 3 metre spread and adopts an overall rounded and spreading habit, highly ramified. Its leaves, divided into oval leaflets, change colour with the seasons, ranging from light green in spring to purple or bronze in winter. The discreet spring flowering is followed by the formation of red fruits, then black at maturity, on female specimens.

The mastic tree tolerates frost down to −12 to −15°C once established. In a free-standing hedge, it pairs well with plants offering colour contrasts, such as shrubs with grey, blue-green, yellow, or pink-variegated foliage.

Rhamnus alaternus or Italian buckthorn

Myrtus communis or common myrtle

Teucrium fruticans or shrubby germander 'Azureum'

The Teucrium fruticans ‘Azureum’, a remarkable shrub germander variety, and a must for Mediterranean gardens, offers a blue winter flowering on silvery-grey foliage. This shrub is appreciated for its ramified, somewhat wild habit, for its ability to flower from winter in mild climates, and to maintain its splendour for several months.

Teucrium fruticans adapts perfectly to poor soils and dry conditions, withstanding short frosts down to -12°C. The cultivar ‘Azureum’ is distinguished by flowers that are a deeper blue than the type species, and by slightly lower hardiness, with frost tolerance limited to -6/-8°C for young shoots.

With its characteristic woody stems and evergreen oval leaves, slightly aromatic to the touch, ‘Azureum’ reaches a height and spread of about 1.20 m, and can extend to 1.40 m in ideal conditions. Its foliage, grey-green and silvery, becomes even more luminous under heat and drought.

The flowering, extending from February–March to June in the south, and from April to August further north, is characterised by bilabiate blue-violet flowers on a vivid blue background.

Teucrium fruticans ‘Azureum’ is extremely versatile in its use: pruned into a ball for a structured effect, as an informal hedge, in a shrub border, as a specimen plant, or even in a container to adorn terraces and balconies. For an authentic Mediterranean ambience, pair it with rockroses, rosemary or Escallonias.

Phillyrea angustifolia or narrow-leaved Phillyrea.

The Phillyrea angustifolia, commonly known as narrow-leaved Phillyrea, is a hidden treasure of the Mediterranean hills, offering a hardy and unassuming alternative to the olive. This evergreen shrub stands out for its exceptional hardiness and its ability to thrive in the harshest, driest conditions, making it ideal for revitalising neglected corners of the garden. In spring, it is noted for the delicate fragrance of its white-tinged flowers, followed by bluish berries that add visual interest and attract wildlife.

The Phillyrea thrives in woodland undergrowth and rocky ground of the Mediterranean basin. Its presence is a hallmark of resilience, able to adapt to both rocks and clay soils. With slow, but steady growth, the Phillyrea angustifolia can form a small tree with a spreading crown, about 3 m tall by 2 m wide, its new growth bronzing into narrow, leathery leaves with a deep grey-green.

Adapted to life in poor, dry soils, the Phillyrea ages gracefully, gradually adopting a majestic habit reminiscent of the olive, or taking on a windswept form along the seafront.

The Phillyrea integrates perfectly into the evergreen structure of the garden, harmoniously pairing with plants such as Pistacia lentiscus, laurustinus, or Rhamnus alaternus. Its dark foliage creates striking contrasts with shrubs bearing varied foliage. It lends itself well to topiary, allowing you to sculpt distinctive shapes from its dense foliage.

Further reading

This selection is not exhaustive; also explore the range of rockroses, take a look at Ruscus aculeatus or Butcher’s broom, and more broadly discover our range of Mediterranean bushes.