Shade Loving Flowers and Partial Sun Perennials

Shade Loving Flowers and Partial Sun Perennials

By Published May 05, 2018 Updated July 05, 2022

When planting partial sun perennials, consider the amount of light the specific area receives each day. Partial sun means (that your planting area receives) at least three to four hours of direct sun per day. If your garden bed is under a tree and receives filtered light most of the day, that can also mean partial sun. Choose a well-drained and moist fertile soil and apply a thick layer of mulch to conserve the soil moisture. When watering your shade loving flowers, please water only the base of the plants and not the leaves, fronds, or petals.

Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower) is a good example of a partial sun perennials. Emerging from a flat winter rosette (at least if you remembered not to cover it in mulch), it grows to about 5' tall. In late summer it is topped with bright tubular flowers which are hummingbird favorites. Companion plants for it include Sabatia (Swamp Pink Gentian) and Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic'.

Clematis pitcheri (Pitcher's Leather Flower) has purple bell-shaped flowers from mid-May through September. Another shade loving flowers that is also a vine is Clematis alpina 'Stolwijk Gold'. The gold leaves and pendent blue flowers of this partial sun perennial makes for a hummingbird haven! Try an asparagus fern, like Asparagus densiflorus, as a companion plant.

Ligularia (Japanese Ligularia) is a shade loving flower that grows to 3' and blooms in fall. Producing clusters of yellow flowers, it is definitely a butterfly magnet. Punica granatum 'Nochi Shibari' is a partial sun perennial that grows to 15'. This pomegranate is a deer resistant shrub with small, glossy green leaves and begins producing double orange flowers tipped in white in June. Convallaria majalis 'Hardwick Hall' (Hardwick Hall Lily-of-the-Valley) would do well as a companion plant to the Punica granatum. Come spring, this deer resistant partial sun perennial has fragrant white flowers.

We can help you find some of the best shade loving flowers at Plant Delights Nursery. You can shop online 24 hours a day and we can ship your plants to you at the appropriate time for planting. If you need additional information or advice, we are but one phone call away!

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