Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
amanda14_gw

What will grow in shade?

amanda14
19 years ago

Hi.

Looking for a bush or ornamental grass type that can survive in predominant shade.

Have tried: Eunonymous and other bush types that are just not cutting it. Will probably want 5-10 plants to mic and match.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

thanks

Comments (9)

  • liatris52
    19 years ago

    Bottlebrush grass grows well in shade as does see oats. As well, we have a number of sedges growing in deep shade.

    We don't try bushes in deep shade, but some of the Dogwoods like Pagoda Dogwood, might do well.

    Best wishes
    Lia

  • Yard_Mom
    19 years ago

    I have azaleas and rhododendrons in deep shade. They would do fine if the deer would stop eating them, although they bloom less and grow slower in the shade. Hakone grass is a small grass that does well in shade and its beautiful.

  • virginia_w
    19 years ago

    We have azaleas and rhododendrons in shade too. Clethra is a small bush (2-3 feet) that grows and flowers in mostly shade. A larger bush that I have on the north side of my house is a serviceberry (amelanchor, I think). Mine is about 8 feet tall. It flowers in spring and bears fruit-blue berries that are slightly less sweet than regular blueberries.

  • waplummer
    19 years ago

    Leucothea and Pieris floribunda are two great evergreen shrubs for shade!

  • PurdueDavid
    19 years ago

    I have Rhodos, and azaleas growing in deep shade although I have trouble keeping the azaleas alive during the winter. Zone 7 should be no problem. I also have pieris japonica that does very well. This year I planted weigela, which seems to be doing well except for the deer damage. I also just put in sea oats, which is a "sun only" grass, but doing quite well. Darker green in the shade instead of the nice yellow in the sun, but growing fine.

  • ohiogal
    19 years ago

    I'd try the various forms of hydrangeas. Bluestone has H. 'Lemon Wave' which does not flower but has gorgeous variegated leaves. Mahonia aquifolium/Oregon Holly Bush is 3-10', cold hardy, prefers partial to full shade and has blue beries in July-Aug. Mahonia nervosa/Cascading Holly also produces blue berries in Sept and prefers shade. I have read that Hypericum/St. John's Wort is 2-5' tall with yellow flowers all summer can live in shade. Also look into Symphytum x uplandicum 'Variegatum'/Variegated Comfrey because it must be in shade and should never get direct sunlight, and grows to 4'. Hope this gives you some ideas.

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    19 years ago

    Just to keep the record straight, Hydrangea 'Lemon Wave' does indeed bloom, but perhaps not too much in zone5/6.

    Any of the large leaf hydrangeas (H. macrophylla) will be happy in predominately shade, as will Kerria, Aucuba, Skimmia, various vacciniums, Ribes, variegated shrub loniceras, most shrub dogwoods and a fair amount of viburnums, in addition to the plants already mentioned. Also yews and Japanese holly, but these tend not to produce any noticeable flowering and other flowering shrubs may have minimal blooms in very dense shade.

    Eunoymus fortunei is typically recommended here for shade plantings and does well even in dry shade, so I'm not sure if you have other issues than just shade which may affect its growth.

    There are many grasses suited to shade - lots of the Carex species, Hakonechloa as previously mentioned, Millium, Chasmanthium, Luzula, Brizia, Arrhenatherum, Molinia and Phalaris and grass-like perennials like mondo grass and liriope (lilyturf).

  • Kristie Giles
    8 years ago

    i hear korean feather reed grass does well in shade. i've been trying to find some.


  • laceyvail 6A, WV
    8 years ago

    Try the correct botanical name--Calamagrostis brachytricha

Sponsored
Iris Design Associates
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars22 Reviews
Northern Virginia Landscape Architect - 13x Best of Houzz Winner!