Regional Picks: Shrubs for Shade – Mid-Atlantic

Shade in the garden might seem like a limitation , but the seasoned gardener know this is just an chance to employ plants that would droop in a cheery spot .

As Andrew Bunting tell in his clause on shrubs for tint , there are plenty of option for bringing interest to your spook garden : “ If you take a subdued view of the shady spots in your garden , it may be because you have n’t found the right plants to make those areas shine . A few well - chosen shrubs can metamorphose a shady area into a show window , and there are more choices available than you might imagine . ”

observe four picks for the Mid - Atlantic below , and feel even more shrubs for nuance in Andrew ’s article,9 Great Shrubs for Shade .

1. ‘Pee Wee’ Oakleaf Hydrangea

Name:Hydrangea quercifolia‘Pee Wee’

Zones:5–9

Size:4 to 5 foot marvelous and wide

stipulation : Full sun to partial shade ; moist , well - drained grime

aboriginal range : Southeastern United States

Coarse - textured oaklike leave give this aboriginal shrub a good sense of presence . ‘ Pee Wee ’ efflorescence in June , an otherwise quiet time for aboriginal shade industrial plant . Its tumble color is rich Bourgogne to red ( pictured ) , and in winter its drop peak heads stay attractive and draw the heart to its skin cinnamon - colored bark . This cultivar is smaller than the metal money , making it easier to use in most garden . Deadhead the spent blossom in late winter so they do n’t detract from the emerging leafage in springiness .

2. Spicebush

Name:Lindera benzoin

Zones:4–9

Size:6 to 12 ft tall and wide

Conditions : Full Sunday to partial shade , tolerates full shade ; median to moist soil , tolerates dry soil

aboriginal range : Eastern United States

Each yr , the soft yellowish haze of spicebush in full blossom fills the timber , announcing that springiness has arrived . This toughened aboriginal shrub is also wonderful in the garden , supply former spring color and showing itself again in spill with striking yellow leaf and brilliant , crimson glazed fruit on female flora . It has many benefits for wildlife , let in leave that are food for spicebush swallowtail caterpillars . Spicebush requires little maintenance and responds well to being cut to the ground and rejuvenate when need .

3. Yellowroot

Name:Xanthorhiza simplicissima

Zones:3–9

Size:2 to 3 foot tall and wide

Conditions : Full sunshine to partial shadiness ; ordinary to wet soil

Yellowroot is an attractive , versatile aboriginal bush that is well-to-do to care for and requires very little pruning . Sprays of small purple flowers appear on branch peak in spring just as the leaf emerges and are best enjoyed up close . The bright immature foliation has a celerylike texture , transitioning to golden yellowed in twilight . Plant this woody shrub where it can fan out to take shape an efficacious ground cover version . With some moisture , it will do well in sunny country ; give shade , it will fly high in dry surface area as well .

4. Drooping Leucothoe

Name:Leucothoe fontanesiana

Zones:5–8

Size:3 to 5 feet grandiloquent and wide

Conditions : Partial to full shade ; moist , well - drain soil

Some native plants have a report for being somewhat dotty and robustious . This is not the character with sag leucothoe , which bring elegance to any shade garden . This small evergreen has lustrous , dark green folio alternately coiffure along arc prow , creating a cascading effect . Small clusters of white , urn - Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe flower hang from flag clusters in spring . It needs niggling pruning beyond the remotion of deadwood after a coarse winter .

Susan Boss is a plantsman at Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessin , Delaware .

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Drooping Leucothoe

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Pee Wee Oakleaf Hydrangea

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Regional Picks: Shrubs for Shade – Northeast

Regional Picks: Shrubs for Shade – Midwest

Regional Picks: Shrubs for Shade – South

Regional Picks: Shrubs for Shade - Northwest

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Yellowroot