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List of 18 Plants That Like Shade – Perennials, Annuals, Shrubs

Do you have a shady garden and don’t know which plants will grow in it? Try adding one of these plants that like shade.

This list has 18 types of shade garden plants, including annuals, perennials, and shrubs. All of the plants will thrive outdoors with full shade and partial shade.

Each shade garden plant listed has the name of the plant, a picture for identification, and some basic care notes to help you decide if it would be right for your garden.

I’ve also included a free shade plant identification printable to take with you when you go plant shopping.

Keep reading to learn what you can grow in a garden that doesn’t get much light.

An image of three rows of pictures of plants for shade with names below each. Green text box reads Shade loving plants - annuals, perennials & shrubs.

Outdoor shade-loving plants list – names and photos

The care notes below are general guidelines. Each plant’s care may vary depending on the shade garden plant types you buy and the weather conditions where you live.

Some of the links below are affiliate links. I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you if you purchase through an affiliate link.

Perennial plants for shade

Perennial shade plants that flower all summer long and come back year after year are a true gardener’s delight. If you don’t have a lot of direct sun in your garden, try one of these perennial shade plants.

Close up of the glossy, purple leaves of a shade perennial called Forever Midnight Heuchera plant.

Coral bells (Heuchera)

Heuchera plants have many leaf colors, shapes, and textures. The variety pictured above is called Forever Midnight Heuchera.

 Plant type  Perennial
 Sun exposure  Partial shade to full shade
 Soil needs  Rich, well-draining, moist soil
 Soil pH  Slightly acidic to neutral
 Mature size  12-18 inches with a spread of 24 inches
 Bloom time  Late spring to early summer
 Hardiness zones  4-9

Buy Forever Midnight Heuchera here.

A close up of the large green ears of an elephant plant (colocasia esculenta).

Elephant ears (Colocasia esculenta)

One interesting fact about elephant ear plants is that their roots, called corms, are edible.

 Plant type  Tender perennial
 Sun exposure  Part shade to filtered sun
 Soil needs  Rich, moist soils that don’t dry out
 Soil pH  Slightly acidic to neutral
 Mature size  3-6 feet tall, up to 3 feet wide
 Bloom time  Late summer
 Hardiness zones  8 – 11

Get a bulb for elephant ears here.

A shady garden plant Helleborus foetidus (Lenten rose) with white flowers in a garden surrounded by iris leaves and mulch.

Lenten rose (Helleborus foetidus)

This early-blooming plant gets its common name, Lenten rose, from its rose-like flowers that bloom around the Christian season of Lent. The flowers come in a variety of colors including white, pink, green, yellow, dark purple, and burgundy.

 Plant type  Perennial
 Sun exposure  Partial to full shade
 Soil needs  Well-drained, rich soil
 Soil pH  Slightly acid to neutral
 Mature size  12-24 inches tall, 12-18 inch spread
 Bloom time  Late winter to early spring
 Hardiness zones  5-9

Purchase Lenten rose for your shade garden here.

A lungwort plant on black asphalt with emerging flower buds in the center.

Lungwort (Pulmonaria)

This perennial plant has interesting foliage, flowers that change colors, and a history of use in traditional medicine.

 Plant type  Perennial
 Sun exposure  Partial shade to full shade
 Soil needs  Rich, moist, well-draining soil
 Soil pH  Neutral to slightly alkaline
 Mature size  6-12 inches tall with a spread of 12-24 inches
 Bloom time  Late winter and early spring
 Hardiness zones  3-9

Buy a lungwort plant here.

A japanese painted fern surround by much and hosta leaves.

Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum)

Known for its striking foliage, this easy-care fern was named Perennial Plant of the Year in 2004 by the Perennial Plant Association.

 Plant type  Perennial
 Sun exposure  Partial to full shade
 Soil needs  Well-draining, rich in organic matter
 Soil pH  Slightly acidic to neutral
 Mature size  12-18 inches tall, spread of 18-24 inches
 Bloom time  Does not bloom
 Hardiness zones  3-8

You can purchase Japanese painted fern here.

A close up of leaves of the shade garden plant Lucky Clover Oxalis.

Lucky clover (Oxalis tetraphylla)

All oxalis plants are nycintastic. This means that their leaves close up at night in response to darkness.

 Plant type  Perennial
 Sun exposure  Partial shade
 Soil needs  Well-draining, fertile soil
 Soil pH  Slightly acidic to neutral
 Mature size  6-12 inches tall and wide
 Bloom time  Late spring to early summer
 Hardiness zones  7-10

Buy lucky clover Oxalis bulbs here.

Clumps of liriope muscari (monkey grass) - a shade loving plant.

Monkey grass (Liriope spicata)

This drought-tolerant ground cover spreads easily. Monkey grass is considered invasive in some areas.

 Plant type  Perennial
 Sun exposure  Full shade to full sun
 Soil needs  Well-drained and rich in organic matter
 Soil pH  Acidic to neutral soil
 Mature size  12-15 inches tall and 12-24 inches wide
 Bloom time  Late summer
 Hardiness zones  4-10

Buy 23 bare-rooted Liriope plants here.

A collage with pictures of the foliage of a shade garden plant called old-fashioned bleeding heart on the top, and the heart-shaped flowers of the plant on the bottom.

Old-fashioned bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis)

Bleeding heart has heart-shaped flowers that are deer-resistant, so you won’t have to worry about the blooms getting eaten!

 Plant type  Perennial
 Sun exposure  Partial shade, can tolerate full shade
 Soil needs  Moist, rich, well-draining soil
 Soil pH  Slightly acidic
 Mature size  3 feet tall and wide
 Bloom time  Late spring to early summer
 Hardiness zones  3-9

Buy old-fashioned bleeding heart plant here.

A very large shade perennial hosta Frances Williams with puckered leaves and yellow margins.

Plantain lily (Hosta)

Hostas are known as the friendship plant because they are easy to divide and share with friends. The leaves come in many shapes, colors, and sizes. The variety pictured above is called Hosta ‘Frances Williams’.

 Plant type  Perennial
 Sun exposure  Full shade to partial shade
 Soil needs  Rich, well-draining soil
 Soil pH  Acidic to neutral
 Mature size  10-40 inches, depending on type
 Bloom time  Late spring to late summer
 Hardiness zones  3-9

Purchase Hosta ‘Frances Williams’ here.

A cluster of variegated lily turf plants.

Variegated lily turf (Liriope muscari variegata)

Liriope muscari variegata tolerates heat, humidity, and drought well. It is considered invasive in North America.

 Plant type  Perennial
 Sun exposure  Partial to full shade
 Soil needs  Well-drained soils
 Soil pH  Acidic to neutral
 Mature size  12-18 inches tall and 12 inches wide
 Bloom time  Late summer to early fall
 Hardiness zones  5-10

Buy variegated lily turf here.

List of shade annuals

There are a nice variety of annual plants for shade that will give you beautiful blooms and interesting foliage even if your garden doesn’t get full sun.

A colorful display of shade annual caladium plants on a wooden table.

Caladium (Caladium)

Popular as ornamental plants, caladiums are known for their colorful leaves with unique patterns. 

 Plant type  Tender perennial
 Sun exposure  Partial shade to dappled sunlight
 Soil needs  Rich, moist, well-drained soil
 Soil pH  Acidic
 Mature size  12-24 inches tall and wide
 Bloom time  Summer
 Hardiness zones  9-11

Get a mix of caladium bulbs here.

Glossy green leaves of an dragon wing begonia plant covered in pink flowers.

Dragon wing begonia (Begonia ‘Dragon Wing Red’)

As the name suggests, this begonia plant is known for its large, striking, glossy green leaves shaped like dragon wings. The blooms are very long-lasting.

 Plant type  Mainly grown as an annual
 Sun exposure  Part shade to full sun
 Soil needs  Rich, well-draining soil
 Soil pH  Slightly acidic to neutral
 Mature size  12-18 inches tall and wide
 Bloom time  Late spring through fall
 Hardiness zones  9-11

Purchase dragon wing begonias here.

A close up of shade annual New Guinea impatiens plants with bright pink flowers.

New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri)

These pretty impatiens are easy to propagate from stem cuttings. They are sometimes called “Touch Me Knots” because their seed pods burst open easily when you touch them.

 Plant type  Annual
 Sun exposure  Morning sun and afternoon shade
 Soil needs  Moist, well-draining soil
 Soil pH  Slightly acidic
 Mature size  12-18 inches tall with a spread of 6-9 inches
 Bloom time  Spring through late fall
 Hardiness zones  10-12

Purchase a New Guinea impatiens plant here (multiple colors available).

A close up of a Wizard Jade Coleus plant showing its green leaves with yellow veins.

Wizard Jade Coleus (Coleus scutellarioides)

Easily grown from seed, this bi-color coleus plant has green leaves with striking yellow veins.

 Plant type  Tender perennial, annual
 Sun exposure  Partial shade to full shade
 Soil needs  Well-draining soil
 Soil pH  Slightly acidic to neutral
 Mature size  14 inches tall and 12 inches wide
 Bloom time  Late spring through autumn
 Hardiness zones  10-11

Buy seeds to grow Wizard Jade Coleus in your shade garden.

Shade-loving shrubs

These shrubs for shade add height and interest to any part of your garden that gets low light.

A shade loving shrub known as big leaf hydrangea shrub covered in blue flowers in front of a window of a brick house.

Big leaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

One of the most interesting things about hydrangeas is that you can change the color of their flowers by adjusting the soil pH.

 Plant type  Perennial
 Sun exposure  Morning sun and afternoon shade
 Soil needs  Well-draining soil
 Soil pH  Slightly acid to slightly alkaline
 Mature size  3-6 feet tall and wide
 Bloom time  Mid-summer to early fall
 Hardiness zones  5-9

Get a big leaf hydrangea starter plant here.

A boxwood shrub planted in a shady garden bed sitting against a brick wall.

Common boxwood (Buxus sempervirum)

It’s easy to prune this shade garden plant into many shapes. I form mine in the shape of Christmas trees and hang lights on them for the holidays.

 Plant type  Perennial
 Sun exposure  Partial shade to full sun
 Soil needs  Rich, well-draining soil
 Soil pH  Slightly acidic to slightly alkaline
 Mature size  4-20 feet tall and wide
 Bloom time  Late winter to early spring
 Hardiness zones  6-10

Buy your own boxwood plant here.

A close up of the leaves and pink flower of a shade loving shrub known as camellia japonica.

Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica)

Camellias can live a very long time – some up to 200 years! They are also very early bloomers and are relatively deer-resistant.

 Plant type  Perennial
 Sun exposure  Dappled sun to light shade
 Soil needs  Well-drained soil
 Soil pH  Slightly acidic
 Mature size  6-14 feet tall and 5-7 feet wide 
 Bloom time  Late winter through early spring
 Hardiness zones  7-9

Purchase a camellia japonica here.

A rhododendron shrub covered in vibrant large pink blooms.

Rhododendron (Rhododendron)

Rhododendron is part of the azalea family and is known for its large, showy flowers, which bloom in spring. The blooms will be larger if you add high-quality, organic matter to the soil.

 Plant type  Perennial
 Sun exposure  Partial shade to dappled sunlight
 Soil needs  Well-drained soil, rich in organic matter
 Soil pH  Acidic soil
 Mature size  2-8 feet tall with a spread of 6 feet
 Bloom time  Mid to late spring
 Hardiness zones  4-8

Purchase a live rhododendron plant for your shade garden here.

A collage showing a collection of several shade plants. Red text box reads 20+ plants that love the shade.

Share this list of shade plants on Twitter

If you enjoyed learning about which plants will grow in shade, why not share this post with a friend? Here is a tweet to get you started:

Need some shade plants for a garden that doesn't get much sun? Get a list of 18 shade plant names, pictures, and basic care info for each one on The Gardening Cook. 🌿🌱 #ShadePlants #ShadePlantsNames Share on X

Pin this list of plants that like shade

Would you like a reminder of this outdoor shade-loving plants list? Just pin this image to one of your gardening boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.

A large image of plants for shaded areas. Images have the names below and a green heading says Shade Garden Plants.

Yield: 1 list of the best plants for shade

18 Plants for a Shade Garden - Annuals, Perennials and Shrubs

A photo of hostas, coral bells, rhododendron and other shade-loving plants in a garden. A white text overlay reads Plants for a Shade Garden.

Do you have a garden that doesn't get much sunlight? This plants for shaded areas printable will help.

Get a list of shade plant photos and names below to test and expand your knowledge!

Next time you go plant shopping, or out on a nature walk you can bring this list of plants that like shade with you.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Active Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Difficulty easy
Estimated Cost $1

Materials

  • Printer paper

Tools

  • Computer
  • Printer

Instructions

  1. Load your computer paper into your printer.
  2. Using the print function on this card will print a list of shade-loving plant names and photos that fills about 3/4 of an 8.5 x 11-inch sheet of paper.
  3. Choose portrait layout and, if possible, "fit to page" in your settings. Doing this will fill the entire page. 
  4. Alternatively, you can use this link to print the list of outdoor shade plants (with photos and names) as a high-resolution image, using the print feature in your browser window.
  5. After you get this shady garden plants identification guide, you can bring it with you when you go plant shopping or on a nature walk.
  6. Please note: Free printables with plant names and photos take a long time to make. This list of plants for shade is for personal use only. If you are sharing this list of best plants for shade (and thank you for that!), please link directly to this post and not to the actual image. We appreciate your help in supporting the site. This list of plants that love shade with pictures may not be used for any retail purpose or for mass distribution.

Notes

A large image of plants that will grow in shade. Images have the names below and a green heading says Shade Garden Plants.

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Admin note: This list of plants that like shade first appeared on the blog in June 2014. I have updated the post to add more shade plants, a shade plant identification printable, and a video for you to enjoy.

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Laurie

Sunday 6th of September 2020

The one fern that you listed that turns a burnt orange is the Autumn Fern. I have a few that I planted and didn't do so well the first year but are so LUSH and colorful in my shade garden. Thanks for sharing your tips and your beautiful garden!

S. Russell

Thursday 23rd of April 2015

Try planting bugleweed. You will love it in your shade garden. The second year will blow you away.

admin

Thursday 23rd of April 2015

Thanks for the tip. I am always looking for different shade garden plants. I'll see if I can find it to plant. Carol

BethMarohn

Thursday 31st of July 2014

I noticed that the plant that's pictured with the Oxalis is probably Columbine & likes partial shade. It's a unique flower & should flower for you next year, as they're a biennial. Astilbe is a good one for part shade too. Azaleas are part of the Rhododendron family, so they would do nicely in part shade. Mountain Laurel is a unique flowering bush also, but I've been babying mine for a couple of years now. Hydrangea is also a great flowering bush for part shade, definitely not good for afternoon sun. I live in zone 5b & surrounded by woods, so I have longer, colder winters, but also can be a micro-climate. Lol

admin

Thursday 31st of July 2014

Hi Beth...thanks for the comments. I have astilbe, rhododendron and azaleas all growing in part shade. I also have hydrangeas in various parts of my garden. The one that does the best gets a mix of sun and shade. The one in full sun is not so happy! Carol

Brian J Wood

Sunday 13th of July 2014

Beautiful pictures! Our lyre leaf sage and violets do really well under our Dogwood tree. Our water oak tree blocks a big chunk of the yard from getting any sun at all but our Judge Solomon azalea does not seem to mind. My next project is going to be a Japanese Maple in the full shade as an understory tree. I am building the bed now and am experimenting with Seth Holzer's hugelkulure and heaping up huge amounts of compost. If all goes as planned I can skip watering it

admin

Sunday 13th of July 2014

Hi Brian. I'd love to see some more photos of your yard. Feel free to upload them to my facebook page and I'll share them. (I'm using this page now.) Carol

Linda aka Crafty Gardener

Tuesday 1st of July 2014

Great selection of shade plants. I have many of them in my shady north facing garden.

admin

Tuesday 1st of July 2014

Hi Linda. There is something about a shady garden that really appeals to me. Not so much bloom but everything seems lush. Carol

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission from the sale, but the price is the same for you. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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