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Not allperennialsneed an abundance of sunlightthere are also plenty of plants that prefer partial or full shade.
Bloom time:Consider bloom timeswhen deciding on the best shade perennials for your landscape.
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Here are the 25 best shade perennials for differentUSDA Plant Hardiness Zones, as recommended by gardening experts.
Astilbes offer unique flowers that entice pollinators to the garden and create texture and dimension in the garden.
“Astilbes add a lovely vertical element to shady gardens and are alsodeer-resistant,” she says.
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It has strawberry-like, glossy leaves and yellow flowers in late spring to early summer.
In areas with mild winters, it is evergreen.
The fruit is inedible.
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Barren strawberry is unfussy about soil and withstands drought once established.
Mass plant it for the best effect.
Barren strawberry spreads by stolons and runners.
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While the plant tolerates brief periods of drought, lack of moisture over a longer period affects the foliage.
“They prefer cooler temperatures and can tolerate partial to full shade,” explains Root.
In the hotter months, they go dormant.
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Brunnera does well in any shaded location and benefits from mulching to keep the soil moist and cool.
It prefers cooler nights.
Caladium
Ralph Anderson
Its colorful arrowhead-shaped leaves brighten up any shady corner.
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Protection from the sun is key for this plant because bright sun scorches its leaves.
“They can also add a pop of color and texture to containers and window boxes.”
She recommends plantingCarex EverColor Everillofor its gold-toned color.
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“New foliage emerges lime-colored and matures to golden-yellow.
At maturity, it grows 12 to 18 inches tall and wide,” she says.
These plants are easy to care for and tolerate some neglect.
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“They are relatively drought-tolerant and can thrive without frequent watering,” she adds.
When in bloom, they provide an important food source for beneficial insects and birds.
“Heucheras produce delicate, airy flower spikes from late spring through late summer,” says Root.
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“These flowers attract pollinators like bees and hummingbirds, adding ecological benefits to their appeal.”
The flowers are small, but the plant blooms for a long period from May to September.
When the foliage deteriorates in hot summer weather, cut back the foliage.
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Ferns
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Looking for native perennials with plume-like foliage?Grow ferns.
The flowers, which come in white, peach, pink, and purple, attract hummingbirds and bees.
Another boon of this cottage garden staple is its deer resistance.
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This ground cover attracts pollinators with its multiple blooms.
Bumblebees love its flowers.
Hardy Geranium
Adrienne Legault
Unlikepelargoniums, hardy geraniums grow in partial shade.
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They bloom profusely from late spring through early summer, and some varieties bloom into the fall.
These low-growing, mounding plants work well as ground covers, edging plants, or in containers.
Hardy geraniums are not fussy about soil bang out.
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The strong fragrance of the foliage keeps deer and rodents away.
but the delicate flowers attract pollinators.
As a bonus, deer won’t eat them.
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“The leathery foliage must not be enticing,” she adds.
These plants also continually produce new leaves.
Hosta
It is for good reasons that hostas are one of the most popular shade perennials.
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In summer, spikes of blue, purple, lavender, or white bell-shaped blossoms rise about the foliage.
The long-lived plants grow slowly; some cultivars gradually spread over time.
Hostas need about two months of temperatures below 40 F to undergo dormancy.
Hosta lily growing in garden.Credit: Moelyn Photos/Getty Images
If you live in Zone 9, see to it to select a suitable variety for a warm climate.
Japanese Anemone
A beautiful shade perennial is the Japanese anemone ‘Queen Charlotte’.
This hybrid anemone has evergreen-hued leaves and produces blooms later in the summer season.
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“When least expected, it sends up beautiful tall stems topped with pink blooms,” says Ziegler.
Don’t only water newly planted perennials, but keep checking for moisture.
As the flowers age, they change color.
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Lungwort is a slow grower, forming dense clumps over time.
It tolerates dry conditions.
Most sedums, however, need sun to thrive.
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Mountain sedum is an exception.
Native to the Eastern U.S., it tolerates full sun but thrives in shade.
It has light green, rounded, flat leaves and small, showy, star-shaped white flowers in spring.
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It grows 6 inches high and spreads 12 inches wide, creeping on the ground and forming dense mats.
She recommends the hybrid ‘Blush Pink’TM nandinabecause it adds a pop of evergreen color to shady spaces.
“In fall, the leaves transform into stunning shades of red and bronze that continue through winter.”
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When selecting nandina, ensure to select a non-spreading variety such as ‘Blush Pink’.
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Oakleaf hydrangea have multiple blooms that create a pom-pom look.
She recommendsSemmes Beautybecause this variety of oakleaf hydrangea flowers earlier than others.
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Spiderwort
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For a native shade garden, consider Virginia spiderwort.
The plant rebounds in late summer and often reblooms.
Virginia spiderwort needs consistently moist soil and additional watering during dry spells.
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Toad Lily
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The toad lily produces orchid-looking flowers with bright green leaves.
She likes to grow Virginia bluebells at the edge of her shade garden next to her hellebores.
Wild Ginger
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Wild ginger is different from culinary ginger and is not edible.
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It has mottled flowers and is hardy in USDA Zones 6-8.
Canadian wild ginger (A. canadense).
The flowers of all wild gingers grow close to the ground and are concealed by the foliage.
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Plant wild ginger in groups rather than specimens and a spot without competition from taller plants.
Plants that naturally grow as understory plants in shaded woodlands such as ferns grow in deep shade.
Some plants such as astilbe grow in full shade but bloom better if they bet more sunlight.
