Plants for Deep Shade

Easy Plants that Grow in Deep Shade

This list was from Hubert Ling's webinar "Super Native Plants For Deep Shade And Dark Recesses" Plants in deep shade will not grow as fast or large as if grown under ideal conditions.

Ferns

Scientific NameCommon Name More
Adiantum pedatumFern, Northern Maidenhairphotos
Athyrium filix-femina Fern, Lady Common  
Dryopteris goldianaFern, Goldie's Wood 
Dryopteris marginalisFern, Marginal Wood 
Dryopteris sp.Fern, Wood  
Gymnocarpium dryopterisFern, Oak  
Matteuccia struthiopterisFern, Ostrich  
Onoclea sensibilisFern, Sensitive  
Osmunda cinnamomeaFern, Cinnamon  
Osmunda claytonianaFern, Interrupted  
Osmunda regalisFern, Royal  
Phegopteris hexagonopteraFern, Broad Beech 
Polystichum acrostichoidesFern, Christmas  
Thelypteris noveboracensisFern, New York  
Woodwardia areolataFern, Netted Chain 

 

Herbaceous

Scientific Name Common Name Blooming Time More
Allium tricoccumLeeks, Wildsummer 
Aralia nudicaulisSarsaparilla, Wild spring 
Aralia racemosaSpikenard, Americansummer 
Arisaema dracontiumGreen Dragonspring 
Arisaema triphyllum Jack-In-the-Pulpitspring 
Asarum canadenseGinger, Wildspring 
Cardamine concatenataToothwort, Cutleaf spring photos
Claytonia virginicaSpring Beauty, Virginia spring photos
Clethra alnifoliaSweet Pepper Bushsummer 
Dicentra cucullaria Dutchman's Breechesspring photos
Erythronium americanumLily, Troutspring photos
Euonymus americanusStrawberry Bushlate spring - early summer photos
Eurybia divaricataAster, White Wood fall 
Geranium robertianumGeranium, Herb-Robert spring 
Hypoxis hirsuta Star Grass, Yellowspring 
Itea virginica Virginia Sweetspirelate spring - early summer 
Jeffersonia diphyllaTwinleafspring 
Maianthemum canadenseWild Lily-Of-The-Valleyspring photos
Maianthemum racemosum Soloman's-Seal, Falsespring 
Mitchella repensPartridgeberrylate spring - early summer photos/info
Mitella diphyllaMiterwortspring photos
Oxalis violaceaWood Sorrel, Violet summer photos
Podophyllum peltatumMay-Applespring photos
Polemonium reptansGreek Valerianspring photos
Polygonatum canaliculatumSolomon'S Seal, Smooth spring photos
Polygonatum pubescens Solomon's-Seal, Hairy spring 
Rhododendron viscosumAzalea, Swamp spring 
Sanguinaria canadensisBloodrootspring photos
Sanguinaria canadensis f. MultiplexBloodroot, Double spring photos
Symphyotrichum cordifoliumAster, Common Blue Wood fall 
Thalictrum dioicumMeadow-Rue, Early spring photos
Thalictrum pubescensMeadow-Rue, Tall summer article
Thalictrum thalictroidesRue Anemonespring photos
Tiarella cordifoliaFoam Flowerspring photos
Trillium grandiflorumTrillium, White spring photos
Uvularia perfoliataBellwort, Perfoliate spring photos
Uvularia sessilifoliaBellwort, Sessile (Wild Oats)spring photos
Veronicastrum virginicum Culver's Rootsummer photos
Viola pubescensViolet, Downy Yellow spring 
Viola striataViolet, Striped Cream late spring - early summer 


Woody Plants

Scientific Name Common Name Type Blooming Time More
Hydrangea arborescensWild Hydrangea shrubsummer 
Lindera benzoinSpicebushshrubspring photos/info
Acer pensylvanicumMaple, Moosewoodshrub/small treespring 
Acer spicatumMaple, Mountainshrub/small treespring 
Cornus amomumDogwood, Silky shrub/small treesummer photos/info 
Cornus racemosaDogwood, Gray shrub/small treesummer photos/info 
Carpinus carolinianaBeech, Bluetreespring 
Hamamelis virginiana Witch Hazel shrub/small treefallphotos
Liriodendron tupipiferaTulip Treetreespring photos
Quercus velutinaOak, Blacktreespring