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.
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Carex lanceolata 'Silk Tassel'
Item #: 1197
Zones: 5a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price perNext crop available: 05/17/2024Sold out -
Carex laxiculmis 'Hobb'
Item #: 8383
Zones: 4b to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Canada, United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Carex oshimensis 'Everillo' PP 21,002
Item #: 9802
Zones: 5a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Carex pensylvanica 'Straw Hat' PP 29,432
Item #: 14345
Zones: 4a to 7b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 8" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Canada, United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Carex picta 'Bama Beauty'
Item #: 12814
Zones: 5a to 7b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 8" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Caryopteris divaricata 'Blue Butterflies'
Item #: 7518
Zones: 6b to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 72" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Coniogramme emeiensis 'Golden Zebra'
Item #: 6949
Zones: 7b to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $25.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Coniogramme intermedia 'Yoroi Musha'
Item #: 9022
Zones: 7b to 10b, possibly colder
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: China, Japan, Korea
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $25.00Regular priceUnit price per -
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Coniogramme japonica
Item #: 4877
Zones: 7b to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China, Japan, Korea
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price perNext crop available: 05/17/2024Sold out -
Convallaria keiskei 'Soft Stripes'
Item #: 14254
Zones: 4a to 7b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Eastern Asia
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $31.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Convallaria majalis 'Fernwood's Golden Slippers'
Item #: 8774
Zones: 3a to 7b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 9" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Europe
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $31.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Convallaria majalis 'Hardwick Hall'
Item #: 6826
Zones: 3a to 7b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 9" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: Asia, Europe
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $31.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Curcuma 'Pink Wonder'
Item #: 5679
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Winter, Spring
Height: 84" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: India
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price per -
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Cyclamen coum 'Maurice Dryden'
Item #: 3319
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Summer, Fall
Height: 2" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Europe
Pot Size: 2.5" pot (7.9 fl. oz/233 ml)
Regular price $24.00Regular priceUnit price perSold out -
Cyclamen hederifolium
Item #: 1281
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Spring
Height: 3" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Southern Europe
Pot Size: 2.5" pot (7.9 fl. oz/233 ml)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
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Cyclamen hederifolium 'Album'
Item #: 3312
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Spring, Summer
Height: 3" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Southern Europe
Pot Size: 2.5" pot (7.9 fl. oz/233 ml)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price perNext crop available: 09/06/2024Sold out -
Cyclamen hederifolium Long Leaf Form
Item #: 8161
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Spring, Summer
Height: 6" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Southern Europe
Pot Size: 2.5" pot (7.9 fl. oz/233 ml)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Cyclamen hederifolium 'Mottled Madness'
Item #: 17666
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Spring
Height: 3" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Southern Europe
Pot Size: 2.5" pot (7.9 fl. oz/233 ml)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price perSold out -
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Cyclamen hederifolium 'Silver Swan'
Item #: 3310
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Spring, Summer
Height: 6" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Southern Europe
Pot Size: 2.5" pot (7.9 fl. oz/233 ml)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price perSold out -
Cyclamen hederifolium 'Silverella'
Item #: 17319
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Spring, Summer
Height: 3" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Southern Europe
Pot Size: 2.5" pot (7.9 fl. oz/233 ml)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Cyclamen hederifolium ssp. crassifolium
Item #: 1991
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Spring, Summer
Height: 4" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Greece
Pot Size: 2.5" pot (7.9 fl. oz/233 ml)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Cyclamen hederifolium ssp. crassifolium white flowers
Item #: 17626
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Spring, Summer
Height: 3" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Greece
Pot Size: 2.5" pot (7.9 fl. oz/233 ml)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Cyclamen x hildebrandii
Item #: 7665
Zones: 7a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Spring, Summer
Height: 6" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 2.5" pot (7.9 fl. oz/233 ml)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Cymbidium goeringii 'Xueshanbiancao'
Item #: 17403
Zones: 7a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 8" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: Japan, Korea
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $150.00Regular 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.