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leapgirl_gw

Deep Shade Plants

leapgirl
12 years ago

Any suggestions for deep shade plants. I have a narrow space about 8 feet long beside our porch. Tried jasmine on a trellis but all the growth and blooms were at the top where it gets sun. I need something low-growing.

Comments (4)

  • catbird
    12 years ago

    Yews will take a good bit of shade if you want a shrub. It may not take your deep shade, but there are a lot of different shapes and sizes if you can use it. What about a hydrangea? There are a lot of perennials that thrive in shade. Tell us more about what you need and what sort of soil and moisture level you have in that area.

  • User
    12 years ago

    I bet the jasmine you tried which made only top growth is the yellow blooming stuff, called Carolina jessamine. And making a head at the top is what that plant does, in sun or in shade.

    If you still have your trellis and want to use it, there is a gorgeous jasmine, trachelospermum jasminoides, also known as star jasmine or Confederate jasmine, which makes an evergreen vine from top to bottom and is covered with white blooms every year around mid April through midJune. I have it planted now along a 7 foot high 100 foot long chainlink fence, where it will in about 2 more years give me total privacy year round. My first plant covers a 4x4 post in the front yard, and the mockingbirds live in it. Here is what ONE STAR JASMINE can look like if left untrimmed:
    {{gwi:39161}}

    And I was surprised to see that in Tuscany they use the star jasmine to grow on fences (where I got the idea)and they keep it trimmed as a hedge. Here is what it looks like in a villa. Note there is no bare spots near the ground.
    And yeah, that is the jasmine covering the pool pergola too.
    {{gwi:39162}}

    If in shade, it might not bloom as prolifically, but it will grow and stay lush from top to bottom, year round.

    Another type of plant I dearly love is aspedistra. It does like shade but you can find varieties which can take a little more sun. The ones I fell in love with are the white striped varieties, awesome, and they stay green year round. Some grow about 3 feet tall. The old fashioned variety can look a little worn out but not if you keep it trimmed of the beaten up leaves. Here is the photo of my very favorite kind of striped aspedistra, which I acquired from Plant Delights Nursery in NC.
    {{gwi:366929}}

    And then someone mentioned hydrangeas. Since we are at the southern most limit of their happy range, shade is a better spot for them. I planted LIMELIGHT on the corner of my Teahouse this spring, and it seldom wilts when it catches the full afternoon sun, but it does love the morning shade. It takes more water to avoid the wilt but it will grow nicely in the shade. And the blooms ARE GREEN. A very striking plant.
    {{gwi:366930}}

    I like to use leriope muscari, the giant kind, to front any flower border. In our zone 8B climate, it appreciates having some shade. Don't we all!! Hope this gives you some ideas. LOTS of choices.

  • gruber
    12 years ago

    OK Leap Girl. From my humble point of view we have a problem with semantics or definitions. In my world Jasmine doesn't flower in deep shade.What I am saying is that there is a wide range of "Shade environs". To me "Deep Shade" , means few if any flowers, variegated foliage is the answer to a desire for color in that scenario. Peace lilies are a possible answer if you want to replant every year or pull 'um up and save them in the house or somewhere..... We really need more diagrammatical or photo info to be of real help.IMO

  • alabamanicole
    12 years ago

    There are some groundcovers that will bloom in full shade, but I'm not sure that's what the OP is looking for.

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