Good Plants for a Maple Tree Garden Bed

Tips

• Planting under maple trees takes a more care than planting in normal beds. If your maple has shallow, surface root, plant between the roots rather than directly on top. Avoid making cuts more than 2 inches deep into exposed roots. As undertree plantings experience dry soil, regularly irrigate the plants. Adding a 2- to 4-inch thick layer of organic mulch around planted flowers prevents weed growth, conserves soil moisture and reduces erosion.

Perennials

• Perennials grow back year after year. Species that tolerate dry shade include bee balm (Monarda didyma). This perennial grows from 2 to 5 feet tall and tolerates partial shade. It blooms with bright-red flowers that attract bees, hummingbirds and butterflies. Daylilies (Hemerocalis fulva) grow from 3 to 6 feet tall and produce showy red, orange and yellow flowers that last for only a single day. They tolerate partial shade and a range of soils. Hostas (Hosta spp.) grow in a range of sizes and colors, and thrive in light-to-partial shade. These perennials grow from 18 to 24 inches tall and produce white or pale-purple flowers in summer.

Annuals

• Although annuals only live for one growing season, they produce colorful, long-lasting blooms. Annuals for dry, shaded sites under maple trees include nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus), 12-inch tall plants that bloom from spring through early fall. They produce red, orange, pink, yellow and white flowers and grow well in partial shade. Nicotiana (Nicotiana alata) thrives in partial shade and blooms from the summer through fall with white, yellow, red and green flowers. This drought-tolerant annual grows 2 feet tall and has large, light-green foliage. For lightly shaded sites under shorter maples, the spider flower (Cleome hassleriana) produces spiky, white flowers from summer through fall. This drought-tolerant annual grows from 3 to 6 feet tall and tolerates light to partial shade.

Ground Covers

• Drought- and shade-tolerant ground covers prevent weed growth under maple trees. Barrenwort or epimedium (Epimedium spp.) grows to 10 inches tall but spreads much wider. It blooms with white, pink and red flowers in late the spring and grows well in partial shade. Northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) also tolerate dry shade. This ornamental grass grows from 3 to 5 feet tall and turns yellow and gold in fall. Lamium or dead nettle (Lamium maculatum) grows quickly from 6 to 12 inches tall and spreads into a mat of dark, evergreen foliage. It thrives in partial to full shade and well-draining soil.