Plants for Dry Shade

Dry shade is probably the most difficult environment gardeners have to deal with. Source: vapenw.co

Dry shade, a condition usually found at the foot of tall trees or in a forested environment, causes gardeners many difficulties. Even planting is quite an effort because of the numerous roots, then, just when you think all your plants are in place and should do well, those same roots siphon all the water and minerals, leaving your plants half dead.

I wrote in detail about how to plant in dry shade here—A Laidback Gardener’s Guide to Planting in Dry Shade—a few months ago. Essentially, it teaches how to get plants off to a  good start in this very hostile environment.

Now here’s a list of plants adapted to dry shade. There are many more, but this should get you started.

More Than 150 Plants That Tolerate Dry Shade

1. Ajuga (Ajuga reptans) zone 3
2. Allegheny serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis) zone 3
3. Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) zone 5
4. American beech (Fagus grandifolia) zone 3
5. American spikenard (Aralia racemosa) zone 2

   

6. Anemone (Anemone spp.) zone 2 to 6, according to species
7. Appalachian sedge (Carex appalachica) zone 4
8. Aspidistra (Aspidistra spp.) zone 8
9. Autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora) zone 5b
10. Banebarry (Actaea spp.) zone 2
11. Barren strawberry (Waldsteinia spp.) zone 3
12. Barrenwort (Epimedium spp.) zone 4 to 6, according to species
13. Bayberry (Morella pensylvanica, syn. Myrica pensylvanica) zone 4b
14. Bear’s breeches (Acanthus spp.) zone 4 to 9, according to species
15. Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), zone 2
16. Bedstraw (Galium odoratum) zone 3
17. Bellwort (Uvularia spp.) zone 3
18. Bergenia (Bergenia spp.) zones 2 to 6, according to species
19. Bigroot geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum) zone 3

    

20. Bleeding heart (Dicentra spp.) perennial, zone 3
21. Blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) zone 3
22. Blue lilyturf (Liriope muscari,syn. L. platyphylla) zone 6
23. Blue sedge (Carex flacca) zone 5
24. Blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium, formerly Aster cordifolium) zone 3
25. Blue-stemmed goldenrod (Solidago caesium) zone 3
26. Bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) zone 4
27. Bowman’s root (Porteranthus trifoliatus, syn. Gillenia trifoliata) zone 4

    

28. Boxwood (Buxus spp.) zones 4 to 8, according to species
29. Broad-leaved helleborine (Epipactis helleborine) zone 3
30. Bugbane (Actaea spp., syn. Cimicifuga spp.) zone 3 to 5, according to species
31. Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) zone 3
32. Bush honeysuckle (Diervillea spp.) zones 3 to 5, according to species
33. Butcher’s broom (Ruscus aculeatus) zone 8
34. Calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum, Aster lateriflorus) zone 3
35. Cambridge geranium (Geranium x cantabrigiense) zone 3
36. Carolina cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana) zone 8
37. Chinese sedum (Sedum tetractinum) zone 6
38. Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) zone 3
39. Christmas rose (Helleborus spp.) zone 3 to 6, according to species
40. Cliff green (Paxistima canbyi) zone 4b
41. Common polypody fern (Polypodium vulgare) zone 3
42. Coralberry (Symphoricarpos spp.) zone 3 to 6, according to species
43. Corydalis (Corydalis spp.) zones 3 to 7, according to species
44. Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) perennial, zone 3
45. Creeping lilyturf (Liriope spicata) zone 6
46. Creeping navelwort (Omphalodes verna) zone 3b
47. Creeping St. John’s wort (Hypericum calycinum) zone 6
48. Crested iris (Iris cristata) zone 3
49. Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) zone 1
50. Curly wood sedge (Carex rosea) zone 4
51. Cyclamen (Cyclamen spp.) zone 5 to 9, according to species
52. Daffodil (Narcissus spp.) zone 3 to 9, according to species
53. Eared lady fern (Athyrium otophorum) zone 6

    

54. Epimedium (Epimedium spp.) zone 4 to 6, according to species
55. Evergreen Solomon’s seal (Disporopsis pernyi) zone 5b
56. False lily-of-the-valley (Maianthemum spp., syn. Smilacina spp.) zone 3
57. False Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum spp., syn. Smilacina spp.) zone 3
58. Fiveleaf aralia (Eleutherococcus sieboldianus) zone 5
59. Foamflower (Tiarella spp.) zone 3
60. Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica) zone 3
61. Fumitory (Corydalis spp.) zones 3 to 7, according to species
62. Giant fleece flower (Persicaria polymorpha) zone 3
63. Ginseng (Panax spp.) zone 4
64. Glory of the snow (Chionodoxa spp.) zones 3
65. Goat’s beard (Aruncus spp.) zone 3
66. Golden ragwort (Packera aurea, syn. Senecio aureus) zone 3
67. Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria) zone 3
68. Gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa) zone 2
69. Greater woodrush (Luzula sylvatica) zone 4
70. Green and gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) zone 4
71. Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) zone 3
72. Hard shield fern (Polystichum aculeatum) zone 3
73. Hardy begonia (Begonia grandis) zone 7
74. Hardy Persian shield (Strobilanthes atropurpureus) zone 4
75. Hart’s tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) zone 6
76. Hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula) zone 3
77. Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica) zone 7

    

78. Hellebore (Helleborus spp.) zone 3 to 6, according to species
79. Hepatica (Hepatica spp.) zone 4
80. Heuchera (Heuchera spp.) zone 3
81. Holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum) zone 7
82. Holly osmanthus (Osmanthus heterophyllus) zone 8
83. Hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata) zone 4
84. Hosta (Hosta spp.) zone 3
85. Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica), zone 4
86. Interrupted fern (Osmunda claytoniana) zone 3
87. Ivy (Hedera spp.) zone 5 to 9, according to species
88. Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) zone 4
89. Japanese pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis) zone 4
90. Japanese roof iris (Iris tectorum ) zone 5
91. Japanese sedge (Carex morrowii) zone 5

    

92. Japanese shield fern (Dryopteris erythrosora) zone 5b
93. Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis) zone 4
94. Jetbead (Rhodotypos scandens) zone 5
95. Jonquil (Narcissus spp.) zone 3 to 9, according to species
96. Kerria (Kerria japonica) shrub, zone 5b
97. Korean rock fern (Polystichum tsus-simense) zone 7
98. Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) zone 3
99. Lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis) zone 1
100. London pride (Saxifraga umbrosa) zone 4b and (Saxifraga x urbium) zone 5b
101. Lungwort (Pulmonaria spp.) zone 3

     

102. Mahonia (Mahonia spp.) zones 5 to 9, according to species
103. Male fern (Dryopteris filix-mas) zone 3
104. Mapleleaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) zone 3
105. Mayapple (Podophyllum spp.) zones 4 to 7, according to species
106. Meadow-rue (Thalictrum spp.) zones 2 to 6, according to species
107. Meehan’s mint (Meehania spp.) zone 5
108. Miterwort (Mitella diphylla) zone 3
109. Moneywort (Lysimachia nummularia) perennial, zone 3
110. Narcissus (Narcissus spp.) zone 3 to 9, according to species
111. Oak sedge (Carex albicans) zone 4
112. Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) zone 5b
113. Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolia) zone 5
114. Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) zone 3
115. Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) zone 5
116. Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica) zone 3

     

117. Perwinkle (Vinca spp.) zone 4 to 7, according to species
118. Pinxterbloom azalea (Rhododendron periclymenoides) zone 5
119. Plum yew (Cephalotaxus spp.) zone 7 to 9
120. Purple mitsuba (Cryptotaenia japonica ‘Atropurpurea’) zone 4
121. Puschkinia (Puschkinia scilloides) zone 3
122. Pygmy bamboo (Pleioblastus pygmaeus) zone 5
123. Red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) zone 3a
124. Sacred lily (Rohdea japonica) zone 6
125. Scaly male fern (Dryopteris affinis) zone 4
126. Shaggy shield fern (Dryopteris atrata) zone 5
127. Shredded umbrella plant (Syneleisis spp.) zone 3b
128. Silver sedge (Carex platyphylla) zone 4
129. Snowberry (Symphoricarpos spp.) zone 3 to 6, according to species
130. Snowdrop (Galanthus spp.) zone 3 to 5, according to species
131. Snowy woodrush (Luzula nivea) zone 3
132. Soft shield fern (Polystichum setiferum) zone 5
133. Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum spp.) zone 2 to 4, according to species
134. Spotted dead-nettle (Lamium maculatum) zone 2
135. Squill (Scilla spp.) zones 2 to 7
136. Sticky sage (Salvia glutinosa) zone 3
137. Sweet box (Sarcococca spp.) zone 7
138. Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) zone 3
139. Thelypteris phegopteris (Thelypteris phegopteris) zone 3 to 8, according to species

     

140. Trillium (Trillium spp.) zone 2 to 7, according to species
141. Tufted hair grass (Deschampsia cespitosa) zone 2
142. Upright wild ginger (Saruma henryi) zone 3
143. Vancouveria (Vancouveria spp.) zone 4 to 6, according to species
144. Vinca (Vinca spp.) zone 4 to 7, according to species
145. Violet (Viola spp.) zone 2 to 9, according to species
146. Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) zone 3
147. Voodoo-lily (Typhonium venosum, syn. Sauromatum venosum) zone 7
148. Wandplant (Galax urceolata) zone 4
149. Wavy hair grass (Deschampsia flexuosa) zone 4
150. White wood aster (Eurybia divaricata, formerly Aster divaricatus) zone 4
151. Wild ginger (Asarum spp.) zone 3 to 7, according to species
152. Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaule) zone 2
153. Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) zone 2
154. Wood spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides) zone 5

     

155. Woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata) zone 3b
156. Woodland sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus) zone 4
157. Yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon, syn. Lamiastrum galeobdolon and Galeobdolon luteum) zone 3
158. Yellow waxbells (Kirengeshoma spp.) zone 4
159. Yellowroot (Xanthorhiza simplicissima) zone 3
160. Yew (Taxus spp.) zone 4 to 6, according to species
161. Zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis) zone 4

A Reminder

You can’t just plop plants into the ground in a dry shade environment. Once you’ve chosen your plants, I suggest you go back and carefully reread A Laidback Gardener’s Guide to Planting in Dry Shade. Proper planting and early care really are almost essential when you garden in dry shade.

Starting off on the right foot is always a good idea … and even more so when you’re placing plants in a naturally hostile environment!