Bushes That Like Shade

Types of Shade

• Dappled shade, or light shade, is the kind of shade you find under a fairly open tree's canopy. Sunlight peeks through, and the sun may shine directly in the area during some parts of the day. The protection light shade grants the plant from sun during the hottest part of the day helps the plant retain moisture. Dense shade, on the other hand, is created by a thick forest canopy and inhibits the growth of most kinds of plants, including shrubs. In dense shade, it is not uncommon for the sun to never shine directly through the treetops.

Characteristics of Shade-Loving Plants

• Shade-loving plants tend to have a few common characteristics. They tend to produce extra chlorophyll in their leaves. This extra chlorophyll makes them very sensitive to light and can create problems for shade-loving plants and shrubs that are exposed to too much sunlight. They tend to scorch or bleach in full sun. These plants evolved in forested conditions where this particular adaptation made them more competitive.

Problems in the Shade

• Shade-loving shrubs are no more prone to problems than any other plants. Cultural conditions, however, are favorable to the growth of a variety of fungi and bacterial rot. Highly shaded locations tend to remain wet much longer than locations in the sun due to poor circulation. Shade-loving shrubs should be monitored closely for problems when planted in an area of poor air circulation, such as near a solid wall.

Shade-Loving Shrubs

• Many shrubs will tolerate light shade, but a few do well in dense shade. Successful dense-shade deciduous landscape shrubs include the Japanese kerria (Kerria japonica), leatherwood (Dirca palustris), smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), sweet pepperbrush (Clethra alnifolia) and Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica). Shade-loving evergreen shrubs include fetterbush (Leucothoe fontanesiana) and yew (Taxus x media). Mountain laurel, rhododendron and highbush blueberry also are reported to perform well in shade conditions.