Shrubs for dry shade under trees - Ask Extension
My house had a backyard bed that is dry under some trees. What can I grow there to make it look attractive? There is a soaker hose laid there which ...
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Shrubs for dry shade under trees #890213
Asked November 23, 2024, 4:11 PM EST
My house had a backyard bed that is dry under some trees. What can I grow there to make it look attractive? There is a soaker hose laid there which I can run with a timer or as needed.
I'd love a few shrub and colorful perennials. Would BoBo Hydrangea work if I watered it?
Thanks.
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
The 'Bobo' cultivar of hydrangea is in the panicle group (Hydrangea paniculata), which is sun-loving, so it would not thrive or flower well (irrigation aside) in the shade of a mature tree. The hydrangea that would fare better is our native Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), which can handle drier soil (to a point) better than the Bigleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) that is commonly grown. Although some cultivars of Smooth Hydrangea, like the popular 'Annabelle', have more showy flower heads because they are full of petals, they are overall less valuable to pollinators because they lack as many true nectar/pollen-producing blooms.
There are too many options to list for perennials or low-growing shrubs that can tolerate "dry shade," though that list will narrow if deer browsing is a regular problem. (Rabbits, too, might cause problems if they snack on plantings regularly.) Shade gardening tends to revolve around using a variety of leaf textures, sizes, and colors, plus a range of growth habits (upright, clumping, spreading, cascading/trailing) to provide seasonal interest in lieu of abundant flowers.
Below are some ideas for plants that tolerate (or prefer) afternoon shade as well as the drier conditions that come with living underneath a tree, though irrigation during dry spells will help to reduce stress for both them and the tree. Some of these candidates are native and a couple are not (but should be non-invasive). Not all of them will flower showily or for a long period (especially if heavily shaded), but they will at least help to hold the soil and out-compete weeds once established.
Instead, plugs may be the ideal plant size. Plugs are plants that are older than seedlings but younger than most nursery perennials, often with a root mass only about 4 inches deep and a couple inches wide. Although rising in popularity due to ease of planting and a lower cost per plant, plugs may be harder to find at local stores, though more native plant plugs will generally be available than non-natives. The best species diversity and depth of inventory tends to be available from native plant specialty nurseries (including mail-order companies).
Miri
There are too many options to list for perennials or low-growing shrubs that can tolerate "dry shade," though that list will narrow if deer browsing is a regular problem. (Rabbits, too, might cause problems if they snack on plantings regularly.) Shade gardening tends to revolve around using a variety of leaf textures, sizes, and colors, plus a range of growth habits (upright, clumping, spreading, cascading/trailing) to provide seasonal interest in lieu of abundant flowers.
Below are some ideas for plants that tolerate (or prefer) afternoon shade as well as the drier conditions that come with living underneath a tree, though irrigation during dry spells will help to reduce stress for both them and the tree. Some of these candidates are native and a couple are not (but should be non-invasive). Not all of them will flower showily or for a long period (especially if heavily shaded), but they will at least help to hold the soil and out-compete weeds once established.
- White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata, formerly named Aster divaricatus) - native
- Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) - native; evergreen; slow to spread and ground-hugging
- Black Huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) - native
- Coral Bells (Heuchera americana) - native; somewhat evergreen
- Green-and-Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) - native; somewhat evergreen
- Pussytoes (Antennaria) - several species are native
- Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) - native
- Wild Bleeding-heart (Dicentra eximia) - native
- Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) - native
- Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) - native; evergreen
- Sedge (Carex) - multiple species, native and non-native; usually evergreen
- Barrenwort (Epimedium)
- Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon) - evergreen
Instead, plugs may be the ideal plant size. Plugs are plants that are older than seedlings but younger than most nursery perennials, often with a root mass only about 4 inches deep and a couple inches wide. Although rising in popularity due to ease of planting and a lower cost per plant, plugs may be harder to find at local stores, though more native plant plugs will generally be available than non-natives. The best species diversity and depth of inventory tends to be available from native plant specialty nurseries (including mail-order companies).
Miri
