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Deep shade shrubs?
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Posted by Liltingbelle 4b - Minnesota (My Page) on Fri, May 7, 04 at 8:32
| I need suggestions for smallish/medium sized shrubs that will do well in FULL shade. This is too fill up a corner in a north foundation planting, so the only sun this plant will get is indirect ambient light - NO direct sun AT ALL.
(I understand that this will rule out many flowering shrubs - I can live with that. I'd love some suggestions for something with interesting foliage, berries, bark, etc. Because it's a dark corner, something with lighter or variegated foliage would nice.)
I currently have a snowberry/coralberry planted there, but it's too invasive for me - it has actually managed to push its way through the porch wall, and sends out all sorts of suckers. So I'm pulling that out and looking for a replacement. Any ideas? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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| I have 2 aruncus dioicus (Goat's beard) in my back yard next to shed. Full shade. Flowers every year. |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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| Thanks Clairabelle, goat's beard is lovely, and a shrub I wasn't familiar with. However, the links I've found with information about it say that it should be given plenty of room to grow, as it spreads by creeping rhizomes - the same thing that's causing me to rip out the snowberry I've currently got in that spot. Has yours spread much? How big does it get when mature? |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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| Goatsbeard isn't a shrub.....just a perennial. In zone 3 it sure is not invasive. Most of the currants/gooseberry shrubs (Ribes) will do o.k. in shade. Many varieties to choose from. If you have white pine in the vicinity....like within a mile, don't plant it since it is the alternate host for White Pine Blister rust. If no White Pine are around it is good shrub for shady areas. You might want to think about perennials for that shady nook. Goatsbeard was mentioned. Astilbe, Aconitum, Ligularias and Old Fashion Bleeding Hearts will all do fine in shade. Ligularias would be my choice since some have very dramatic leaf color. |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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| Yews and boxwoods can stand full shade, and they are quite tough. They also can come in a variety of growing habits, so you can chose the one that best fits your situation. Hostas can stand full shade also, and their leaves come in many colours, from yellow to bright green and also they can be variegated with white and green and other combinations. -Audric |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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| Thanks for the ideas so far - please keep 'em coming. I'm open to a perennial there, but it would need to be a substantial one - this is a corner that's already surrounded by perennials (penstemon, pulmonaria, astilbe, hosta, physostegia), and I need something fairly tall and wide enough to fill the corner and balance/anchor the perennials in front of it. I'd also like something that has some winter interest, since everything else near it pretty much dies to the ground in winter. That's why I was thinking a shrub would be better than a perennial. |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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| Here are a few that might work in your situation and they offer flowers also Rhododendron
Mapleleaf viburnum
Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)
Summersweet Clethra (Clethra alnifolia)
Mountain-Laurel |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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I've been looking for the same thing for along the north side of my house, and would really like something evergreen.
I'd highly recommend any variety of pieris--they are slow growing, but beautiful flowers in spring, and evergreen. Mine are also quite hardy.
I'm looking for something else as well.
Does anyone know how the following will do in full shade?
mexican orange
heavenly bamboo
Also, what species of rhodo will work in full shade?
And, what is the best boxwood for a mounding (but tall) habit (ie not upright). |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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| My favourite small shrub for shade is the Annabelle Hydrangea. It is a hardy shrub that gets large white flowerheads (last year's blooms were 8" across) in the summer. In zone 4/5, you would likely not even have much die-back. I grow mine in a full shade spot Saskatchewan garden and it comes back faithfully every year. Because it dies mostly to the ground, mine reaches a high of only 2 1/2 to 3ft each year, but the huge blooms are so worth it! (I use a modified peony ring for the first 10 inches because the blooms are quite heavy.) A caveat: I have tried growing it in a raised bed, and the roots can't handle our winter. It needs a spot out of the winter winds. |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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- Posted by euka ottawa (zone 4) (My Page) on
Tue, Jun 1, 04 at 16:12
| really? Boxwood in full shade? Haleluja! |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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| Goat's beard gets fairly large. I had one that was about 6' tall and spread quite wide after a few years, but that was in full sun. Its a beautiful shrub! |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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| Honeysuckle bushes grow well in shade too. I see them in the woods all the time. |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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- Posted by Treaty z5 Niagara Fall (My Page) on
Mon, Jun 7, 04 at 19:30
| I have some toad lilies growing in full shade...they are two years old now and getting to be a nice size. The small but unusual flowers come in quite a variety of colors.....I have cream with a mauve stripe down the center, blue with burgundy polka dots and cream with burgundy poldka dots. I do have the botanical names if needed just not at my fingertips right now. I noticed a verigated leaf one growing and for the life of me I can't remember planting it so it will be a wonderful suprise when it blooms. |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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some of the viburnums
some arborvitae
canadian hemlock
some yews Your state's Extension Service will have additional information: http://www.extension.umn.edu Also... |
Here is a link that might be useful: Database of zone 4-hardy plants with criteria search
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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If you want some seeds of Cherry Laurel, I have some. They grow well in shade, but check if they are ok for your zone. Here in Wa., leaves all yr. round, flower in spring, and seeds in fall. Sell seeds on the ground, so baby plants, or shrubs to give away. Never feritilze either.
Darlene |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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| Thank you thank you thank you all. I have hope. Anymore suggestions for zone 7 deep shade. |
RE: Deep shade shrubs? - NO HONEYSUCKLE!!!!
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| PLEASE DO NOT PLANT HONEYSUCKLE. THERE ARE SEVERAL HONEYSUCKLES THAT ARE VERY INVASIVE AND ARE CAUSING MAJOR PROBLEMS IN NATURAL AREAS BY SHADING OUT NATIVE SPECIES AND THEY ALSO HAVE AN ALLELOPATHIC CAPABILITY TO SUPRESS GROWTH AROUND THEM. Check out the following publication/link: http://www.inpaws.org/plants.html |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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- Posted by Boop 5/6 (My Page) on
Fri, Apr 1, 05 at 21:36
I have Mock Orange growing on the North side of my house with beautiful whie fragrant flowers every year.
Boop |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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Lilting Belle: There is a big, big difference between shade with moisture and shade with little or no moisture. For instance, Astilbe, Ligularias, Old Fashion Bleeding Hearts and the beautiful Goose-neck Lysimachia or Lysimachia clethroides - they do well in shade BUT it has to be shade with moist soil. So determine what kind of shade you have: dry shade or moist shade. THEN make your selection. I have moist shade (luckily) and the shrub that I grow is Clethra Alnifolia - with late summer white wands of flowers that smell exactly like bubble gum.
Dry shade is very, very difficult. |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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| All I can add is Ivory Halo dogwood. VERY VERY Nice!!! |
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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Here is a link that might be useful: Best Full Shade Shrub
RE: Deep shade shrubs?
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| There should never be a problem with lack of a reasonable amount of moisture in any garden according to my perennial guy. He advised to plant a large bolus of soaked peat moss below any new planting. The peat should be soaked for a couple days with as much water as it will absorb. The planting hole should be deep enough to bury the peat, cover with some regular soil and then add the plant. He claimed that if a garden is properly prepared and planted it should never need watering! |
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