Drought-Tolerant Evergreen for Shaded Area

Shrubs

• Relatively few broad-leaf evergreen shrubs thrive in shady locations where water is frequently scarce. Exceptions include the spotted laurel (Aucuba japonica) and the piaranthus (Ruscus aculeatus), both of which are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zones 7 through 9 and grow best in partially to fully shady locations. A mature spotted laurel has a height range of 6 to 10 feet and a slightly smaller spread. The shrub bears glossy, leathery green leaves and showy, purple to red-purple flowers that bloom in spring before giving way to colorful fruit. This plant prefers rich, moist soil but can tolerate nutrient-poor, dry soil if the site has good drainage.

  The piaranthus, also called knee holly and butcher's broom, is a small, prickly shrub that reaches 2 to 3 feet in both height and spread. This Mediterranean native performs best in dry, sandy soil with good drainage. Its thick, dark, leaflike shoots bear inconspicuous, greenish-white flowers in spring. Female blooms give way to showy, red berries that mature in winter.

Ferns

• Numerous evergreen fern species thrive in shady locations, but only a handful also handle drought conditions. Those few include the American wall fern (Polypodium virginianum) and the Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), plants that are hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8 and 3 through 9, respectively. The American wall fern reaches 6 to 12 inches in both height and spread. This plant grows best in partially shady locations with humuslike, moist soil and good drainage, but it can tolerate drought conditions as well as dry soil. A mass planting of American wall ferns adds texture to a landscape's shady area.

  The Christmas fern forms clumps ranging from 12 to 24 inches in height and spread. This fern thrives in partially to fully shady locations and can even handle dense shade. It prefers dry, rich soil with good drainage properties. This slow-spreading fern works well in shade gardens and shady borders.

Herbaceous Perennials

• Various evergreen herbaceous perennials can handle drought conditions along with shady locations. Among those plants are pigsqueak (Bergenia crassifolia) and Swedish ivy (Plectranthus australis). Pigsqueak might prefer moist, rich soil in a partially shady location, but it can handle short periods of drought as well as a full-shade position. This plant is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, where it commonly is used as a ground-cover or edging plant in shady areas. It features rosettes of green, leathery leaves and pink to lavender flowers that bloom from March through early May. A mature pigsqueak forms a clump 12 to 18 inches high with a spread of 9 to 12 inches.

  Swedish ivy is a South African native that is hardy in USDA zones 10 and 11. Reaching 2 to 3 feet in height and spread, this plant works well when planted in a shady border. It features glossy, green leaves and white to light-purple flowers that bloom periodically all year. It grows best in humuslike, well-drained soil in a partially shady location. Although it can handle drought, the plant's optimal growth occurs in evenly moist soil.

Vines

• An evergreen, drought-tolerant vine is another option for a shady spot. Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum), also called devil's ivy, is hardy in USDA zones 10 through 12. Its vines range from 20 to 40 feet long with 3- to 6-foot spreads. It performs best in partial shade and evenly moist soil, although it tolerates dry soil and some drought conditions. This climbing vine bears heart-shaped, marbled leaves and occasionally features tiny flowers. Plant this vine away from areas where pets and small children roam because all parts of golden pothos contain toxic properties.

  English ivy (Hedera helix) is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9. Reaching up to 80 feet in length with a 50-foot spread, this vine is an effective fall-flowering ground-cover for a small, shady area. Although the plant grows best in a partially shady to fully shady location, it also handles dense shade as well as full sun. It tolerates various soil conditions but prefers rich loams with good drainage. It handles drought but has the best color when grown in evenly moist soil. English ivy is one of the few drought-tolerant plants that grow aggressively. In fact, its vigorously spreading stems and tendency to overgrow its designated planting area landed this plant on the invasive list in some areas of the United States.