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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Sold outEpimedium sp. 'The Giant'
Item #: 9317
Zones: 5a to 8b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $40.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Epimedium 'Splish Splash'
Item #: 9203
Zones: 5a to 8b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $32.00Regular priceUnit price per
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Epimedium 'Spring Sunrise'
Item #: 14841
Zones: 6a to 8b, possibly colder
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 32" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $35.00Regular priceUnit price per
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Sold outEpimedium 'Stoplights'
Item #: 12779
Zones: 5a to 8b, guessing
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $35.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Epimedium 'Sunny and Share'
Item #: 8858
Zones: 5a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 14" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $30.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold outEpimedium x versicolor 'Cherry Tart'
Item #: 7388
Zones: 5a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $32.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold outEpimedium x versicolor 'Sulphureum'
Item #: 2658
Zones: 5a to 8b
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 $30.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold outEpimedium x versicolor 'Versicolor'
Item #: 5124
Zones: 5a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 14" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $30.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Epimedium wushanense 'Sandy Claws'
Item #: 8861
Zones: 6a to 8b, possibly colder
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $32.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Epimedium x youngianum 'Be My Valentine'
Item #: 6841
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $32.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Erigeron karvinskianus 'Profusion'
Item #: 9985
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Erigeron pulchellus 'Meadow Muffin'
Item #: 1547
Zones: 5a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Euphorbia robbiae
Item #: 1293
Zones: 6a to 8b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: Asia Minor
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Farfugium japonicum 'Crazy Curls'
Item #: 16031
Zones: 7a to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China, Japan, Korea
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Fargesia robusta 'Ping Wu'
Item #: 6634
Zones: 7a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 96" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $39.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Fargesia rufa
Item #: 6563
Zones: 5a to 8a, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 72" tall
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $39.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Fargesia sp. 'Jiuzhaigou I'
Item #: 6564
Zones: 5a to 7b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 120" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $39.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Fatsia japonica 'Hardy Enough'
Item #: 18546
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 60" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: Asia
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $25.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web'
Item #: 5141
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $35.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Fatsia japonica 'Variegata'
Item #: 5618
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 96" tall
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Gloxinia nematanthodes 'Evita'
Item #: 5556
Zones: 7b to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Argentina
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Helleborus x ballardiae 'Maestro' PP 23,859
Item #: 11948
Zones: 5a to 8b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 14" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $28.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Helleborus x ballardiae 'Pink Frost' PP 21,063
Item #: 9267
Zones: 5a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 14" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $28.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Helleborus x ericsmithii 'Joker' PP 22,022
Item #: 9266
Zones: 5a to 8b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $28.00Regular 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.