Mick’s Shade List: Shade presents one of the biggest design challenges in the landscape. This list offers a number of choices in several categories. “Shade” is a relative term, ranging in degree between dense to dappled. Given an option, most plants prefer sunshine over shade; many plants tolerate shade, but blooming is reduced and the internode length between leaves lengthens. Mick Vann Horticulturist Biological Instructional Office, College of Natural Sciences University of Texas at Austin [email protected] Perennials: Acuba/Gold dust plant -‐-‐ Aucuba japonica Ajuga/Bugleweed – Ajuga reptans Aspidistra -‐-‐ Aspidistra elatior Brugmansia – Brugmansia suaveolens, B. aurea, B. hybrids Bee balm – Monarda fistulosa Bicolor sage – Savia sinaloaensis Bleeding heart – Dicentra spectablis Blue mistflower – Conoclinium colestinum (Eupatorium colestinum) ‘Blue Shade’ Ruellia – Ruellia squarrosa Brazos penstemon – Penstemon tenius Cardinal flower/Lobelia – Lobelia cardinalis Cedar sage – Salvia romeriana ‘Chameleon plant’/ ‘Fish mint’ -‐-‐ Houttuynia cordata Chile pequin / petin – Capsicum annum Clerodendrum -‐-‐ Clerodendrum bungei (spreads aggressively) Creeping jenny – Lysimachia nummularia Coralbean – Erythrina herbacea Datura, Sacred Thornapple – Datura wrightii Dead nettle -‐-‐ Lamium maculatum Dichondra – Dichondra micranthra Fall aster -‐-‐ Aster oblongifolius Ferns: Autumn, Cinnamon, Holly are evergreen; River, Maiden Hair, Japanese Silver / Painted, Boston, Korean Rock, *Leatherleaf (20°), Macho (20°), Tassel, Fishtail, Xmas, Royal, Lace Lady, etc. Frogfruit – Phyla nodiflora Garden hydrangea -‐-‐ Hydrangea macrophylla Giant coralbean – Erythrina x bidwilli Golden groundsel – Packera obovata (Senecio obovatus) Gulf penstemon -‐-‐ Penstemon tenuis Heartleaf skullcap – Scutellaria ovata var. bracteata Hinckley’s columbine -‐-‐ Aquilegia chrysantha var. hinckleyana Hoja santa/rootbeer plant (invasive, will take over a bed) – Piper auritum Horseherb -‐-‐ Calyptocarpus vialis Japanese Aralia -‐-‐ Fatsia japonioca Jerusalem sage: standard, little leaf, bigleaf – Phlomis fruticosa Joe pye weed -‐-‐ Eupatorium maculatum (best in moist areas) ‘Katie’s Dwarf’ Mexican petunia – Ruellia brittoniana ‘Katie’ Leadwort, Hardy plumbago – Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Mahonia, creeping – Mahonia repens Mexican firespike – Odontonema stirctum Mexican honeysuckle -‐-‐ Justicia spicigera Mexican petunia (invasive, will take over the bed) – Ruellia brittonia Mexican sage -‐-‐ Salvia mexicana Mints: Apple mint, Pineapple mint – Mentha suaveolens Bergamot or Orange mint – Mentha citrata Chocolate mint – Mentha piperita cv. ‘Chocolate’ Pennyroyal – Mentha pulegium Peppermint – Mentha piperita Spearmint – Mentha spicata Moneywort/Creeping Jenny -‐-‐ Lysimachia nummularia Mountain pea -‐-‐ Orbexilum pedunculatum Mountain sage -‐-‐ Salvia regla Myoporum, Dwarf Native -‐-‐ Myoporum parviflorum Myoporum, Small-‐leaf -‐-‐ Myoporum brevifolium New Jersey tea -‐-‐ Ceanothus americanus Oak leaf hydrangea – Hydrangea quercifolia Obedient plant -‐-‐ Physotegia spp. Pigeonberry – Rivinia humilis Purple heart, Purple wandering Jew – Tradescantia pallida ‘Purperea’ ‘Red Velvet’ little leaf sage (and other Salvia microphyllas) Red columbine – Aquilegia canadensis Rock rose pavonia – Pavonia lasiopetala Rosemallow – Hibiscus moscheutos Shrimp plant (red and yellow): Justicia brandegeeana Spiderwort – Tradescantia humilis and many hybrids Texas Aster -‐-‐ Aster texanus Texas betony – Stachys coccinea Tropical sage – Salvia coccinea Turk’s cap – Malaviscus arboreus var. drummondii Vinca: Bigleaf periwinkle – Vinca major Dwarf periwinkle – Vinca minor Water clover – Marsilea macropoda Wedelia/Creeping Daisy -‐-‐ Sphagneticola trilobata White mistflower – Ageratina havanensis (Eupatorium havanensis) Wood violet – Viola palmata Yarrow -‐-‐ Achillea millefolium Shade sages: Autum -‐-‐ S. greggii (can take part shade, with reduced blooming the result) Bicolor – S. sinaloaensis Cedar -‐-‐ S. roemeriana Forsythia -‐-‐ S. madrensis, will spread by underground runners Engelmann’s – S. engelmannii Lyre leaf -‐-‐ S. lyrata Majestic -‐-‐ S. guaranitica, i.e., ‘Black and Blue’ Mexican -‐-‐ S. Mexicana Little Leaf -‐-‐ S. microphylla; ‘Hot Lips’, ‘San Luis’, ‘Pink Floyd’ Mountain -‐-‐ S. regla Pineapple -‐-‐ S. elegans Purple leaf -‐-‐ S. blepharophylla Silver carpet -‐-‐ S. chionophylla Smooth leaf -‐-‐ S. miniata Tropical -‐-‐ S. coccinea, red, white, pink, white and pink (‘Brenthurst’) Annuals: Amethyst flower – Browallia hyb. Baby blue eyes – Nemophila phacelioides Begonia -‐-‐ Begonia semperflorens Blue curls – Phacelia congesta Bluebells -‐-‐ Eustoma exaltatum ssp. russellianum Caladium – Caladium bicolor Candytuft – Iberis sempervirens Cat’s whiskers, Java Tea -‐-‐ Orthosiphon aristatus Coleus -‐-‐ Solenostemon scutellarioides Copper plant – Acalypha wilkesiana Cuban oregano -‐-‐ Plectranthus amboinicus Cranesbill geranium -‐-‐ Geranium x cantabrigiense Cyclamen – Cyclamen persicum Cymbidium orchids – Cymbidium sp. Gloxina -‐-‐ Sinningia speciosa Ground orchid – Bletilla striata Impatiens – Impatiens wallerana, New Guinea – Impatiens hawkerii Jacobinia, Brazilian Plume – Justicia carnea Jade plant (and other Crassulas) – Crassula ovata Jewel orchid (terrestrial) – Ludisia discolor Johnnny Jump-‐Ups, Viola – Viola tricolor Mexican heather -‐-‐ Cuphea hyssopifolia Pansy -‐-‐ Viola × wittrockiana Penta – Pentas lanceolata Pepper and chile plants – Capsicum annum, C. frutescens, C. chinense Persian shield -‐-‐ Strobilanthes dyeriana Philippine violet – Barleria cristata Philodendron -‐-‐ Philodendron Selloum, P. bipinnatifidum, P. hastatum, P. scandens oxycardium Scaveola, Fan Flower – Scaveola aemula, S. albida, S. taccada Spider plant -‐-‐ Chlorophytum comosum Toad lily -‐-‐ Tricyrtis hirta Torenia, Wishbone Flower – Torenia fournieri Valerian – Valeriana officinalis Bulbs: Alliums: Purple Sensation, Globemaster, Gladiator, Corkscrew (Allium senescens ssp. montanum var. glaucum), Ozawa allium (A. thunbergii 'Ozawa'), Schubert allium (A. schubertii), Drumstick allium (A. sphaerocephalon), Yellow allium (A. flavum) Cardamom – Eletteria repens Clivia / Kaffir lily – Clivia miniata Crocus – Crocus vernus Daffodils -‐-‐ Narcissus spp. Daylily – Hemerocallis sp., var., cv. Elephant ear / taro -‐-‐ Colocasia esculenta (minute hairs on leaf surface)/Alocasia macrorrhiza (smooth leaf) Gingers: Shell ginger – Alpina zerumbet Variegated ginger – Alpina zerumbet ‘Variegata’ Grape hyacinth -‐-‐ Muscari spp. Hosta – Hosta sp. Oxblood lily/schoolhouse lily – Rhodophiala bifida Paper whites -‐-‐ Narcissus papyraceus Spider lily – Hymenocallis liriosme Star lily -‐-‐ Anthericum saundersiae Summer snowflakes -‐-‐ Leucojum aestivum Surprise Lily, Red Spider Lily -‐-‐ Lycoris radiata Star of Bethlehem -‐-‐ Campanula isophylla Veltheimia, Forest Lily, S. African Cape Hyacinth – Veltheimia bracteata Wood sorrel – Oxalis acetosella Ornamental Grasses: Black mondo grass -‐-‐ Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ Blue Magellan Wheatgrass -‐-‐ Elymus magellanicum (Agropyron m.) Blue moor grass -‐-‐ Sesleria caerulea Blue-‐green moor grass -‐-‐ Sesleria heufleriana Bowles Golden Grass -‐-‐ Millium effusum 'Aureum' Feather reed grass -‐-‐ Calmagrostis sp. Golden foxtail grass -‐-‐ Alopecurus prat. ‘Aureovariegatus’ Japanese forest grass, Hakone grass -‐-‐ Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ Moor grass -‐-‐ Molina sp. Oriental fountain grass -‐-‐ Pennisetum orientale Prairie June grass -‐-‐ Koeleria pyramidata cristata Silver spike grass -‐-‐ Achnatherum calamagrostis Tufted hair grass -‐-‐ Deschampsia cespitosa Woodrush -‐-‐ Luzula sp. Grasses and Grass-‐like: Aztec grass – Liriope muscari ‘Aztec Grass’ Blue beargrass – Nolina nelsonii Inland sea oats– Chasmanthium latifolium (will seed-‐out and become dominant if you let it) Lily Turf: standard, giant – Liriope muscari Horsetail Reed -‐-‐ Equisetum hyemale Melic grass – Melica nitens Monkey grass -‐-‐ Ophiopogon japonicus Nimblewill Muhly grass – Muhlenbergia schreberi Sacahuista, Basket Grass -‐-‐ Nolina texana Palm grass – Setaria palmifolia Sedges, asstd: Berkeley sedge -‐-‐ C. divulsa Blue sedge -‐-‐ C. glauca California meadow sedge -‐-‐ C. pansa Cherokee sedge -‐-‐ Carex cherokeensis Malibu sedge -‐-‐ C. praegracilis Meadow sedge -‐-‐ C. perdentata Scott’s sedge -‐-‐ C. sp. Umbrella sedge -‐-‐ Cyperus involucratus Variegated Japanese sedge -‐-‐ C. morrowii aurea-‐variegata Etc. Umbrella grass – Cyperus alternifolius Variegated flax lily – Dianella tasmanica ‘Variegata’ Zoysia grass – Zoysia matrella Succulents: Annual succulents: Aeonium decorum 'Kiwi' Cub’s paw -‐-‐ Cotyledon tomentosa Euphorbia ingens monstrose Baseball plant -‐-‐ Euphorbia obesa Good luck tree -‐-‐ Euphorbia trigonus Ruby good luck tree -‐-‐ Euphorbia trigonus var. ruby Tiger jaws -‐-‐ Faucaria tigrina Gasteria -‐ most species Zebra haworthia -‐-‐ Haworthia attenuata Star window plant -‐-‐ Haworthia cuspidata Chocolate soldier -‐-‐ Kalanchoe tomentosa Panda ears -‐-‐ Kalanchoe tomentosa Living rocks -‐-‐ Lithop spp. Mimicry plant -‐-‐ Pleiospilos bolusii Elephant bush, Money bush -‐-‐ Portulacaria afra Spear head -‐-‐ Senecio kleiniformis Perennial succulents: Almost all of the agave, aloe, hesperaloe species and many yuccas are tolerant of some degree of shade, but usually not full, deep shade. Lion’s Tail Agave -‐-‐ Agave attenuata Squid agave -‐-‐ Agave bracteosa Agave mitis – Agave celsii Agave Desmettiana -‐-‐ Agave desmettiana Agave lophantha 'Quadricolor' False soap aloe – Aloe grandidenata Soap aloe – Aloe maculosa Queen of the Night -‐-‐ Cereus greggi (15°) Manfreda / False Aloe – Manfreda maculosa; ‘Macho Mocha’, Silver Leopard’, etc. Pine Cone Prickly Pear – Opuntia turpinii Lady’s Slipper – Pedianthus macrocarpus Mother in law’s tongue -‐-‐ Sansevieria trifasciata Palmer’s sedum – Sedum palmeri Spanish Bayonet -‐-‐ Yucca gloriosa Twisted leaf yucca – Yucca rupicola Yuccas: Soft tip -‐-‐ Yucca elephantipes Adam’s Needle – Yucca filimentosa Red, Yellow, ‘Brake Lights’ – Hesperaloe parviflora Blue Twistleaf -‐-‐ Yucca rupicola x Pallida Twistleaf – Yucca rupicola Vines: Asian Jasmine -‐-‐ Trachelospermum asiaticum Carolina Jessamine – Gelsemium sempervirens Confederate Jasmine -‐-‐ Trachelospermum jasminoides Creeping fig vine – Ficus pumila Crossvine -‐-‐ Bignonia capreolata English Ivy -‐-‐ Hedera helix Evergreen clematis – Clematis armandii Fatshedera / Aralia ivy -‐-‐ Fatshedera (X) lizei Lady Banks rose – Rosa banksiae Lindheimer’s morning glory – Ipomoea lindheimeri Honeysuckle -‐-‐ Lonicera sempervirens Scarlet clematis – Clematis texensis Scarlet-‐fruit passionflower – Passiflora foetida Snapdragon vine – Maurendella antirrhiniflora Virginia creeper -‐-‐ Parthenocissus quinquefolia Roses: All roses bloom best with the most sun possible, usually a minimum of 6 hours is recommended. If a rose must get shade, the best shade is afternoon shade, where it is shielded from the Texas sun in the hottest part of the day. They also need good air circulation, which is often reduced in shaded areas. Shade puts stress on a rose, so all other growth factors should be optimum: food, water, etc. Some varieties can handle less light: Medium shade: Chuckles Gartendirecktor Otto Linne New Face Lyda Rose White Pet Light shade: Abigail Adams Autumn Delight Ballerina Blush Noisette Bouquet Parfait Caldwell Pink Cecile Brunner Confetti Danae Darlow’s Enigma Echo Ellen Poulsen Excellenz von Schubert Felicia Knockout series (can handle partial shade, really tough and prolific) Marie Pavie Marmalade Skies Mme Alfred Carriere Moonlight Old Blush Pax Penelope Passionate Kisses Playboy Robert’s Wondrous Ruthie Robin Hood Seafoam Zephrine Drouhin Shrubs: Agarita – Mahonia trifoliolata Althea / Rose of Sharon – Hibiscus syriacus Barbados cherry: standard and dwarf – Malphigia glabra, M. emarginata Beautyberry – Calicarpa americana Bush honeysuckle – Diervilla sessilifolia Carolina buckthorn – Frangula caroliniana (Rhamus carolianiana) Cherry laurel -‐-‐ Prunus laurocerasus; P. laurocerasus cv.‘Bright and Tight’ Cleyera -‐-‐ Ternstroemia gymnanthera Coralberry – Symphoricarpus orbiculatus Cycads: Bamboo cycad – Ceratozamia hildae (15°F) Von Kuester’s Horncone -‐-‐ Ceratozamia kuesteriana (18°F) Wide-‐leaf Cycad -‐-‐ Ceratozamia latifolia (18°F) Costilla de León Cycad -‐-‐ Ceratozamia robusta (15°F) Sichuan cycad -‐-‐ Cycas panzhihuaensis (15°F or less) Sago palm – Cycas revoluta (15°F) Emperor cycad – Cycas taittungensis (15°F) Cardboard palm – Dioon edule (15°F) Zululand Cycad -‐-‐ Encephalartos ferox (26°F) Cardboard palm – Zamia furfuraceae (20°F) Dwarf pomegranate – Punica granatum ‘Nana’ Evergreen sumac -‐-‐ Rhus virens Hollies: Dwarf Burford Holly -‐-‐ Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii Nana' Dwarf Chinese Holly -‐-‐ Ilex cornuta 'Rotunda' Dwarf yaupon – Ilex vomitoria ‘Nana’ Carissa Holly -‐-‐ Ilex cornuta 'Carissa' Nellie R. Stevens Holly -‐-‐ Ilex cornuta 'Nellie R. Stevens' Yaupon Holly -‐-‐ Ilex vomitoria Indian hawthorn – Raphiolepis indica Japanese barberry – Berberis thunbergii Japanese Buttonbush – Adina rubella Kidneywood -‐-‐ Eysenhardtia texana Mahonia – Mahonia aquifolium Mockorange – Philadelphus texensis Myrtle, Sweet – Myrtus communis Myrtle, Dwarf sweet – Myrtus communis compacta Nandina (heavenly Bamboo) – Nandina domestica; ‘Compacta’ -‐-‐ N. domestica nana Palmetto – Sabal minor Pineapple guava – Acca sellowiana (Feijoa sellowiana) Pink indigo bush -‐-‐ Indigofera kirilowii Pittosporum -‐-‐ Pittosporum tobirum or tenuifolium Possumhaw – Ilex decidua Pyracantha – Pyracantha coccinea Red buckeye – Aesculus pavia Rusty blackhaw viburnum – Viburnum rudifolium Silver bush germander – Teucrium fruiticans Spirea – Spirea japonica, S. x bumalda, S. x cinerea, S. nipponica, S. x vanhouteii Virginia sweetspire – Itea virginica Yaupon hollies: Bordeaux Dwarf Yaupon Holly -‐-‐ Ilex vomitoria ‘Condeaux’ Stoke's Dwarf Yaupon Holly -‐-‐ Ilex vomitoria ‘Stoke's Dwarf’ Dwarf Yaupon Holly ‘Nana’ -‐-‐ Ilex vomitoria ‘Nana’ Aureo Yaupon Holly -‐-‐ Ilex vomitoria ‘Aureo’ Weeping Yaupon Holly -‐-‐ Ilex vomitoria ‘Pendula’ Upright Yaupon Holly -‐-‐ Ilex vomitoria ‘Will Fleming’ Plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonii 'Prostrata' Shiny Xylosma – Xylosma congestum Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow -‐-‐ Brunfelsia grandiflora Trees: Cedar elm – Ulmus crassifolia Escarpment black cherry – Prunus serotina var. exima Eve’s necklace – Styphnolobium affine Fan palm: European -‐-‐ Chamaerops humilis Mexican – Washingtonia robusta Japanese maple – Acer palmatum Madrone -‐-‐ Arbutus xalapensis Mexican buckeye – Ungnadia speciosa Oaks: Texas red oak – Quercus buckleyi Lacey oak – Quercus laceyi Chinquapin oak – Quercus muhlenbergii Persimmon, Oriental – Diospyros kaki sp. Redbud – Cercis canadensis var. texensis Rough leaf dogwood -‐-‐ Cornus drummondii Star magnolia – Magnolia stellata Texas mountain laurel – Sophora secundiflora Texas persimmon – Diospyros texana
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