Shade Plants
I was looking for a colorful full shade plant that is able to grow under a huge oak tree. Also, if possible, requiring little maintenance.
I'm updating a north side entry way always in shade. While looking for ideas, found an 8-page article on color for shade in current issue of Garden Ideas magazine (Spring 08). Shows and describes many brightly colored shade plants, colors available, growing conditions, appropriate zones, etc. Might be worth looking at for ideas.
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JPlovesflowers
- Senior Member
- Posts: 132
- Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 10:36 pm
- Location: Northwest Arkansas
If you're looking for something with flowers, I can't be of much help. But if you want a reliable performer, hosta are wonderful in the shade, although my experience is that they like regular water and you didn't mention if you were in a dry area or not. The foliage on these plants can be mixed to make a lovely combination that actually brings a lot of light into a shaded area. Also Astilbe is a good choice for shade. They have a short bloom time if I remember correctly, but they are very lovely and you can get them in lots of different shades. Bleeding heart is also a shade lover, but I have never had great success with it.
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Transplant
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2008 1:41 am
- Location: Hendersonville, NC
I like the heucheras, tiarellas and heucherellas, too, but they would need a nicely enriched moist planting pocket beneath an oak. That kind of dry shade is tough, though I've had some success using sunken plastic pots, which form a barrier between the roots of trees and perennials.
Two potentially invasive plants that can take dry shade might be worth looking at: dead nettle (White Nancy is nice) or white gooseneck loosestrife. I have both and like 'em, though I'm careful to watch location.
Barbara
Two potentially invasive plants that can take dry shade might be worth looking at: dead nettle (White Nancy is nice) or white gooseneck loosestrife. I have both and like 'em, though I'm careful to watch location.
Barbara
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imagardener2
- Senior Member
- Posts: 220
- Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:55 am
- Location: Three Rivers, TX
If you can lay your eyes on some "native" California landscape, you'll see that there is NOTHING underneath a California live oak except perhaps some native grass.
Oaks, at least the California live oak, are very jealous of their canopy and don't like competition near their roots.
I know that some people have success placing a compost bin/pile beneath or near an oak, but I don't know about success growing something so close to an oak.
(N.B. This is separate from not growing anything beneath a walnut--different although similar situation.)
Cynthia H.
El Cerrito, CA
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
Oaks, at least the California live oak, are very jealous of their canopy and don't like competition near their roots.
I know that some people have success placing a compost bin/pile beneath or near an oak, but I don't know about success growing something so close to an oak.
(N.B. This is separate from not growing anything beneath a walnut--different although similar situation.)
Cynthia H.
El Cerrito, CA
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
