Landscape Design & Installation Advice | KD Landscape

How to Increase the Lifespan of Shrubs on a Commercial Property

Written by Kevin Manning | Aug 2, 2023 6:30:00 PM

Whether you manage an office park, retail center, industrial facility, or other type of commercial property, you likely notice how shrubs can make a big difference in adding pops of color, unique texture, and interesting elements to the landscape. 

But there are so many options out there, which makes choosing commercial shrubbery overwhelming. You certainly don’t want to install plants that don’t do well in your space or make your property look bad. What’s more is you want them to last. When you plant a shrub, you want it to do its job and not fade on you too soon, look unkempt, or grow out of control and block entryways. 

Let’s talk about how to increase the lifespan of shrubs and what factors you must watch out for to ensure success.

Increase Shrub Lifespan With These Tips

No one said commercial landscape maintenance was easy, but we can certainly make it simpler for you. 



While there are a lot of great bushes out there that can add a lot of great aesthetics to your commercial site, the biggest priority is matching your needs and space requirements to the plants that fit them best. This is how you can ensure optimal plant health and longer life. 

Here are some priorities to consider to lengthen your shrub benefits.

Consider Sun Exposure, Soil Condition, and Water

To increase shrub lifespan, start by choosing the correct shrub for your site conditions. In fact, doing this can help them last 25 to 30 years. 



For instance, how much sun exposure your plants receive will certainly help or hurt their growth. 

Follow these tips:

  • If your location gets six hours of direct sun, choose landscaping shrubs for full sun.
  • If your planting area gets three to six hours of direct sun, you can choose shrubs for partial sun/partial shade.
  • If your spot gets less than three hours of direct sun daily, choose bushes for shade. 

In addition to sun exposure expectations, you have to look at soil and water conditions. You want to match shrubs that like wet feet with lower lying or more moist conditions and vice-versa. If you have heavy clay soil, knowing which plants thrive in those types of spaces can help direct you as well.

Opt for Native Shrubs

You can increase shrub lifespan by opting for native shrubs because they better adapt to the changing environment.

What’s more, native plants generally can better handle local conditions. They are used to growing in Greater Chicago, so they won’t be surprised by our temperature and weather changes. 


In fact, native shrubs tend to have a longer shelf life than non-natives. Slower growing plants tend to have a longer life span as well.

Properly Care For Your Commercial Landscape Shrubs

Proper care is a big part of increasing the lifespan of shrubs.

You want to mulch the root zone in spring to ensure the soil retains moisture and keeps an even temperature.

You want to water properly and provide supplemental watering in drought conditions.

And you must follow proper pruning techniques.

Hiring the right commercial landscaping services in Greater Chicago can help you do this right.

Get Shrubs That Last 25-Plus Years in Greater Chicago

Bright blooms, wonderful texture, and matching the right plant to the right space can do so much for your commercial landscape. 

We hope these tips help when you’re trying to figure out how to increase the lifespan of shrubs at your site. 

Don’t be intimidated or nervous about picking the perfect shrubbery or caring for it properly. Let KD Landscape help. We can bring our years of experience working with commercial spaces in Greater Chicago so you can have a special space that looks amazing all year long. 

Ready to see how KD Landscape can help your Greater Chicago commercial facility? We’d love to share our expertise with you. Get started today with a free consultation.