Semi Shady Area needs flowers or flowering bush

[Just Getting Started]

I have an area in my yard that gets only about 2-3 hours of setting sun. Are there any flowers that I can put there that might flourish? The area is between some tall white pine trees. Any ideas?

Just Getting Started

[bullthistle]

Generally trees, deciduous or evergreen, take nutrients from the soil so it is nearly impossible to get groundcovers to grow undernearth except maybe for plants deemed aggressive like vinca/periwinkle. You might want to go to www.perennials.com and search their data base for shade loving plants that spread by rhizomes.

[rainbowgardener]

Hostas and ferns are always good under trees. For a nice native ground cover, think about wild ginger. It has a very inconspicuous flower, but it does give a nice carpet effect. Sweet woodruff would do well there, or foam flower, both native wildflowers and flowering but not real showy and you'd probably have to order them on line.

Other shade perennials that would be winter hardy for you and a bit showier include astilbe, bleeding heart, bergenia, brunnera, coral bells.

Here's a nursery that has pictures of all of these, just so you can see what they look like...

https://www.naturehills.com/catalog/Perennials/Full_Shade_Perennials.aspx?page=0

[Kisal]

If your soil is acidic, you could grow azaleas and/or rhododendrons. They grow under trees in the wild. They do best with some sun, but not a lot. I have small azaleas and dwarf rhodies growing under the catalpa tree in my back yard and under the cherry tree in my front yard.

[The Helpful Gardener]

2-3 hours of late day sun = about none.

Think real woodlanders like ferns and such, hostas, the usual suspects. And know that some shade plants HATE the pine soil; I think it's all the terpene. My Polemonium hated a pine straw mulch, let alone right under the pines.

All rhodies (and azaleas ARE rhodies) want some decent sun for flowering and shade from heat. Morning sun and afternoon shade is best. Late day sun only makes for leggy, poor flowering plants. Think full shade plants instead and you will be happier for the result.

HG

[applestar]

YOU GUYS!!
Can we talk Heucheras BEFORE hostas? Heuchera foliage come in rainbow of colors -- MUCH MORE variety, including reds and purples, than hostas, and can take or leave about the same amount of light. AND Heuchera is NATIVE to N. America. (Hostas are native to Asia)

Some other suggestions I have are Tiarella and "Green and Gold" (Chrysogonum virginianum) as well as Narcissus and Daffodils. Possibly Elderberries and Blackberries.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Easy AS, I have BOTH in my garden; just happen to like the combo of ferns and hosta for shade, but heuchera and tiarella are excellent suggestions...

My favorite shade natives are my [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldenseal]goldenseal[/url] and my little [url=https://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/thalictrumthal.html]rue anemones[/url] that volunteer more and more all the time. Sweet!

HG

[garden01]

Check on the pH and nutriend content ...You may want to ammend or
top dress with compost. Other plants to go along with other
peoples suggestions virginia blue bells ( mertensia ) . Astilbe, Blue phlox
columbine, heuchera coral bells...as previously mentioned by a fellow gardener. corydalis, cranesbill, false solomon's seal , fillipendula , nicotiana, foamflower, ginger ..mentioned by previouse person. globeflower, goats beard (aruncus) golden ray (ligularia) jack-in-the-pulpit, jacob's ladder, liverwort, lobelia,lungwort,primrose, there are a lot of things...you can plant. Daphne, fothergilla, gardenia jasminoides, nandina, ,LEUCOTHE , mahonia, mountain laurel,pierris,spicebush,viburnum......Good Luck, I know you'll do well and get it. Like I mentioned earlier...pH, nutrients, may need to ammend soil
to ensure plant gets a healthy start towards getting established. Some
of your gardening may be trial and error in that particular area. I can see you are getting a lot of good advice on this site.