| This is a question I get asked often and the list of suitable plants - especially for a fairly mild climate, like zone 7 - is really quite extensive. A factor to keep in mind is whether this area is considered dry shade - a heavily shaded area that doesn't receive direct rainfall (under eaves or overhangs or within the dripline of large conifers) does complicate the issue and your selection declines unless you can provide consistent irrigation. Broadleaf evergreen shrubs:
Fatsia japonica - Japanese aralia
Aucuba japonica - Japanese aucuba or laurel
Leucothoe species
Euonymus species
Elaegnus species
Nandina domestica - Heavenly bamboo
Sarcococca species - Sweet Box
Ilex crenata - Japanese holly
Daphne laureola - Spurge laurel
Mahonia aquifolium, repens - Oregon grape holly
Skimmia japonica - Japanese skimmia
Gaultheria shalon - Salal
Gaultheria procumbens - Wintergreen
NOTE: various other broadleaf evergreen flowering plants will often grow well in deep shade but flowering is sporadic or very light. Most flowering plants need some light sun or other brighter (reflected) light to produce flowers - that would include rhododendrons and azaleas, camellias, hydrangeas, etc. And there are lots of perennials that are suited to deep shade - ferns, hostas, dicentra (bleeding heart), Iris foetidissima (Gladwyn iris), trilliums, Solomon's seal, tricyrtis (toadlilies), vinca, lamium, sweet woodruff, hardy ginger (among the groundcovers), Euphorbia robbiae, Geranium macrorrhizum, most native and exotic woodland plants, etc. |
