Shade-Tolerant Plants & Shrubs

Flowering Annuals

• Shade-tolerant, flowering annuals brighten up shady gardens with colorful flowers. Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana) develops into 8- to 24-inch mounds. Multiple cultivars produce various colored, single or double flowers. The plant prefers partial shade and full shade in hot climates. Plant in well-drained, rich soils kept moist through regular watering. In addition, foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) produces 3- to 5-feet-tall flower stalks. Tubular pink, white, purple or yellow flowers line the stalk starting in late springtime. It grows best in fertile, well-drained soil that is moist. In addition, grow foxglove in partial shade.

Perennials

• Gardeners using perennials in their shade gardens will get several seasons of color. Choices are varied, and the plants work well as fillers, ground covers or to add color with flowers. Hosta (Hosta spp.) encompasses over 40 varieties, according to Floridata. Primarily a foliage plant, hostas grow anywhere from 6 inches to 3 feet tall, forming dense mounds. Plants tolerate partial to full shade. Grow in rich, moist soils, and water regularly. It is hardy in United States Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. In addition, primrose (Primula vulgaris), with its colorful flower clusters, works well to liven up partially shady gardens. Plants average up to 10 inches tall, and flower colors are varied. Primrose prefers fertile, moist soil. The plant is hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 8.

Flowering Shrubs

• Various shrubs work well in shady gardens. The plants add height to the landscape, and some species flower. Azalea (Rhododendron spp.), depending on the cultivar, is deciduous or evergreen. Plants grow 8 inches to 20 feet tall. Flowers bloom in various colors and shapes. It prefers fertile, acidic soils that are moist, but drain well. Cultivars tolerate full shade to full sun, but the plants are not drought-tolerant. It is hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 9. In addition, French hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) is deciduous and grows up to 6 feet tall. Ball-like clusters of flowers bloom in colors of pink, green, purple or blue. Grow in moist, well-drained, fertile and lightweight soils. It tolerates partial shade to full sun. Plants are hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 6 through 10.

Evergreen Shrubs

• Evergreens do not drop foliage in autumn, adding color to shady locations all year. English laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) has a dense, spreading habit and averages 30 feet tall. It produces small white flowers in springtime. Grow in well-drained soils kept moist. It tolerates shade to full sun. Plants are hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 6 through 9. Alternatively, podocarpus (Podocarpus macrophylla) has an upright habit, growing up to 20 feet in height. Plants have thin, needle-like foliage and produce bluish-purple fleshy berries. It grows in shade to full sun and in fertile, well-drained soils. The shrub is hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 through 10.