Shade-loving or Shade-tolerant? - Plant list for your shade garden

Shade-loving or Shade-tolerant? -  10 species for your shade garden (A)

According to W. George Schmid, the author of  "An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials" there are no "shade-loving" plants. Those plants that have the ability to aesthetically improve your garden  require some level of light to photosynthesize and create chlorophyll. Therefore, based on that, we can call the plants that can be grown in shade as "shade-tolerant". 

In this article will be presented species that can grow either in full shade, medium shade, woodland shade or light shade. 

1. Acanthus hungaricus - Bear's breeches

Characteristics - requires morning sun, lightshade - woodland shade, it is hardy to zone 7 and it is heat and drought-tolerant.

2. Achlys triphylla -Vanilla leaf

Characteristics - grows in medium - full shade, prefers moist soil and it is excellent as a solid groundcover.

3. Aconitum napellus - Common monkshood

Characteristics - grows in light shade, it is hardy in zone 5 and 6 and it prefers moist  but well-drained soil.

4. Actaea  pachypoda - White baneberry 

Characteristics - grows in light-medium shade, it is hardy in zone 3 to 9 and it prefers moist but well-drained soil.

5. Adiantum pedatum - Northern maidenhair

Characteristics - grows in light to full shade, it is hardy in zone 3 to 8 and it prefers moist but well-drained soil.

6. Ajuga reptans - Carpet bugle

Characteristics - grows in light to full shade, it is hardy in zone 3 to 10 and it prefers moist but well-drained soil.

 ! - It is a rapid spreader and it can invade adjacent border areas or lawns

7. Anemone tomentosa - Japanese anemone

Characteristics - grows in light to woodland shade, it is hardy in zone 4 to 8 and it prefers moist but well-drained soil.

8. Anemonopsis macrophylla - False anemone

Characteristics - grows in medium to full shade, excellent for shady northern gardens, needs moist conditions if planted further south. 

9. Aquilegia canadensis - Canada columbine

Characteristics - grows in light to medium shade, it is hardy in zone 3 to 8 and it prefers moist but well drained soil.  For best effect and to follow natural patterns, combine several plants to form a colony.

10. Aralia cordata - Japanese spikenard

Characteristics - grows in light to woodland shade, it is hardy in zone 4 to 6 and it prefers moist but well drained soil.  

List based on "An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials" by W. George Schmid.