What grows well under a large fir tree and patio cover?

[LA47]

Besides the shade from the tree, the wall of the house juts out 4 feet so there's 10 x 4 feet that is in total dense shade and we are building a 6 foot fence on the west side and a covered patio on the east side. It is going to be some really dense shade.

[applestar]

What kind of moisture levels? Will it be dry shade or moist shade?
More options with moist shade.

If you have houseplants, this maybe a good vacation spot for shade tolerant houseplants.

[LA47]

I would concider it dry shade as the tree seems to be sucking up the water plus there are lots of fine roots. I've been searching the web to see if I can find anything and so far it looks like Goats beard, Aruncus Dioicus for the edge nearest the house wall. So far I haven't found a lower growing plant.

[rainbowgardener]

Dry shade is definitely challenging. Here's a thread where I made some suggestions of plants for dry shade:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... p?p=189626

Also lady's mantle, epidmedium, hellebores, climbing hydrangea vine, dwarf sweet box. One of the most under used shade plants, I think, is Solomon's seal. It is native, but there is a hybrid version of it with white variegation that is really pretty in the shade and is longer lasting in the garden. (The native Solomon's seal is a spring ephemeral, that dies back pretty early, the variegated one lasts longer.)

I think the goat's beard would take a lot of watering. Any of my suggestions (or pretty much anything else you could plant there), will need regular watering the first season to get established, but should be ok on their own after that.

[LA47]

I have lady's mantle there and is doing pretty good. Not growing as fast as the ones that are getting a little shade but I think they will be fine. I have alkaline soil every where elso in the yard but I haven't tested it under the fir tree so I don't know if the fir needles have raised the alkalinity or not. I have heard pro's and cons on whether it raises it. Will the solomons seal do well if it is alkaline? I like the idea of the variegation for a spark of white, plus the oval leaves variegated leaves would contrast with the Aruncus.

[rainbowgardener]

They say the Solomon's seal likes slightly acid to neutral soil, but my soil is also alkaline and the Solomon's seal is one of the few woodland wildflowers that has really thrived and spread on my hillside.

[WildcatNurseryman]

I like all of Rainbow's suggestions, and the one that I always fall back on is the epimedium. It is by far the best that I have found for dry shade. It actually grows and doesn't just survive. I really like the Lenton Rose too, but I don't know if they can compete with the epimedium for their great reliability in such a tough spot.