One of the most difficult growing conditions for perennials is dry shade. Not only are the plants that grow in dry shade already stressed from not having much light, but they also have to compete with other large plants for soil moisture.
-
Aspidistra zongbayi 'Yunnan Sunbeam'
Item #: 3472
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Athyrium filix-femina 'Victoriae'
Item #: 2361
Zones: 3a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Europe, United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per
-
Athyrium 'Ghost'
Item #: 3881
Zones: 3a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Athyrium 'Godzilla'
Item #: 8169
Zones: 5a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Athyrium niponicum 'Burgundy Lace'
Item #: 5105
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China, Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Athyrium niponicum 'Silver Falls'
Item #: 3889
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 20" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Athyrium 'Ocean's Fury' PP 20,126
Item #: 7817
Zones: 3a to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $25.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Athyrium sheareri
Item #: 4853
Zones: 5a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 8" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China, Japan, Korea
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aucuba japonica 'Katoaba'
Item #: 16877
Zones: 7a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 60" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $32.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aucuba japonica 'Lemon Flare'
Item #: 1388
Zones: 7a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $32.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aucuba japonica 'Limbata'
Item #: 33
Zones: 7a to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aucuba japonica 'Natsu-no-Kumo'
Item #: 2736
Zones: 7a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 72" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aucuba japonica 'Ooba Nakafu'
Item #: 3134
Zones: 7a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 60" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $32.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aucuba japonica 'Suruga Benten'
Item #: 9715
Zones: 7a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $32.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Bambusa multiplex 'Fernleaf'
Item #: 1829
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 120" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $42.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Begonia 'Caribbean Star'
Item #: 13026
Zones: 8a to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Begonia 'Cotes de Castillon'
Item #: 12822
Zones: 7b to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 20" tall
Culture: Light Shade
Origin: Malaysia
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Begonia grandis 'Pink Teardrops'
Item #: 11863
Zones: 5a to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Begonia 'Harvest Moon' PP 34,895
Item #: 18450
Zones: 7b to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 20" tall
Culture: Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Begonia 'Smooch'
Item #: 7517
Zones: 6a to 8b, guessing
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 16" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Begonia 'Sterling Moon' PP 33,164
Item #: 18448
Zones: 7b to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Beschorneria septentrionalis 'Fairey Christmas'
Item #: 2704
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 60" tall
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Blechnum nipponicum
Item #: 5629
Zones: 6a to 7b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $25.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Campanula poscharskyana 'Camgood'
Item #: 8037
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 8" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Balkans
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price per
More Information About Dry Shade Plants
One of the most difficult conditions in the garden for plants is dry shade. Not only are dry shade plants already stressed from not having much light, but they also have to compete with other large plants for soil moisture. It takes a special plant to be a dry shade plant. We have assembled a list of plants for dry shade below that tolerate dry shade well in our climate. For those in cooler climates, your list would be quite a bit longer, since the hot daytime temperatures aren't as severe.
Keep in mind that just because a perennial plant is tolerant of dry shade doesn't mean that it will grow forever without adequate moisture. A good rule of thumb is that plants with smaller, thicker foliage can survive the longest in dry shade conditions. Also, the more established the plants are, the better they can tolerate drought. In our trials, plants like cyclamen, danae, ruscus, arum and dracunculus top the list of dry shade plants. Right behind are ophiopogon, liriope, sarcococca, hedera, aspidistra, sabal palms, tetrapanax, clumping bamboos, and aucuba. Hellebores, rohdea, and pachysandra are also drought-tolerant, but less so than the first two lists.
Some of our favorite plants for dry shade include:
- Aspidistra (Cast Iron Plants) - One of our all-time favorites. Deer-resistant and shade-tolerant, there is a reason we have over 200 different varieties.
- Cyclamen (Hardy Cyclamen) - These small fall/winter growing perennials absolutely thrive in the shady, dry conditions found underneath large deciduous trees and conifers.
- Danae (Poet's Laurel) - A slow-growing evergreen shrub with amazing shade tolerance.
- Liriope (Monkey Grass) - This drought-tolerant grass-like perennial is actually a member of the lily family but we love using it as an ornamental grass.
- Ophiopogon (Mondo Grass) - A wonderful ornamental grass with many dwarf and variegated forms to choose from.
- Pyrrosia (Tongue Fern) - Deer-resistant and drought-tolerant, these un-fern-like ferns make great accents at the edge of a dry shade garden where they can get partial sun.
- Ruscus (Butcher's Broom) - Another evergreen choice with great drought tolerance. They also produce bright red berries that add a splash of garden to your shade garden.
- Sarcococca (Sweetbox) - An evergreen dry-shade perennial that produces small, fragrant blooms in the winter when other dry-shade perennials are dormant.
Also, see all of our shade tolerant plants or just the wet shade plants.
Check out our article entitled 'Gardening in the Shade' that describes many cool plants for dry shade.