It is important to know the sensitivity of shrubs to de-icing salt in order to set guidelines for ecological tolerance of evergreen shrubs along roads. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence of de-icing salt, calcium chloride($CaCl_2$), on the growth and physiological characteristics of three evergreen shrubs, Euonymus japonica, Rhododendron indicum, and Buxus koreana. Plants were exposed to calcium chloride at different concentrations(weight percentage, 0% as control, 1.0%, 3.0%, and 5.0%) through amended soil maintained from the start of the experiment in October of 2014 until termination in March of 2015. The survival rate, plant height, leaf length, leaf width, leaf shape index, number of leaves, fresh weight, dry weight, dry matter, root/top ratio, chlorophyll contents, fluorescence, photosynthesis, stomatal conduct, and transpiration rate were recorded. Elevated calcium chloride concentrations decreased plant height, leaf length, leaf width, leaf shape index, fresh weight, dry weight, dry matter, and R/T ratio of the three shrubs. Root growth responded more sensitively than the top growth to salinity. However Euonymus japonica was more tolerant to salt stress than Rhododendron indicum and Buxus koreana. Their growths were totally inhibited by $CaCl_2$ above 3.0% and 1.0% concentrations, respectively. Chlorophyll content, fluorescence, photosynthesis, stomatal conduct, and transpiration rate of both Rhododendron indicum and Buxus koreana were reduced sharply, while Euonymus japonica exhibited mild reductions compared to plants grown in control when increasing calcium chloride was used. Especially, the transpiration rates of Rhododendron indicum, and the photosynthesis and stomatal conduct of Buxus koreana were suppressed as the concentrations of calcium chloride increased. Therefore, Euonymus japonica should be considered as an ecologically tolerant species with proven tolerance to de-icing salt.