Minimal Sunlight Species for Every Zone

The Spruce

Finding a tree to grow infull shadecan be a bit tricky.

There are, however, some that have adapted well enough to tolerate less light.

You also need to carefully consider anyplants you place underneath these trees.

illustration of tree varieties that grow in full shade

The Spruce

This understory tree shows silky, oval pale green leaves that darken in summer and turn yellow-brown in autumn.

The American beech thrives in full shade in dense, complex forests.

Even out of the sunlight, it can live up to 400 years.

Beech tree in the forest

LAByrne / Getty Images

This tree features a fluted, gray trunk with green catkins appearing in spring.

Clusters of winged nuts are produced in autumn as the leaves turn orange and red.

Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)

The big-leaf maple is appropriately named.

American Hornbeam

bkkm / Getty Images

This maple thrives in dark and dense areas as well as sunny areas.

They can be big drinkers, so areas with lots of rain are ideal.

Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

Few evergreen trees can tolerate shade.

Big leaf maple in Olympic NP, Washington

Alvis Upitis / Getty Images

Eastern hemlock is a great species able to handle lower light during the day.

This tree may show several trunks with gray shoots of two-ranked dark green leaves that show silver lines beneath.

Branches are similar to those of the spruce genus.

Eastern hemlock branches

AndrisL/Getty Images

This deciduous conical-shaped tree features dark brown bark with deep green leaves turning yellow in autumn.

Yellowish catkins in spring are followed by greenish-white fruit clusters.

Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)

Japanese maples are popular and common specimen trees for the landscape.

Ironwood fruit 2

Bob Corson / Getty Images

These ornamental, bushy-headed plants can range in size from large shrubs to small trees.

Leaves are palmate turning a wide variety of colors in autumn.

Clusters of reddish-purple flowers appear in spring.

Water ash blossom

ArtyAlison/GettyImages

There are thousands of different cultivars available in a variety of colors and leaf shapes.

Japanese Yew (Taxus cuspidata)

The Japanese yew is another shade-tolerant evergreen tree.

In fact, it is one of the best evergreens in this situation.

a Japanese maple tree

Ketkarn sakultap / Getty Images

A spreading habit results in the common name of spreading yew.

Native to China, Japan, Korea, and Russia, this conifer tolerates very dry and shady conditions.

Clusters of tiny, star-shaped, creamy white flowers appear in spring followed by small, round blue-black fruits.

Yew berries in a tree

Dragan Todorovic / Getty Images

Flowering improves with more sun, but the pagoda dogwood is one possibility for your full shade spot.

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

The fruits of the pawpaw taste somewhat like bananas.

Large, oval green leaves appear at the same time as the six-petaled purplish-brown flowers.

Powder Puff White Flowers Amid Green Leaves

bkkm / Getty Images

This is also the best tree for extracting sap for making maple syrup.

This is an attractive tree for the landscape in summer with deeply palmate bright green leaves.

Common names include rock maple and hard maple,

Fagus grandifolia.USDA.

Pawpaw tree with fruit

Renata Oliva / EyeEm / Getty Images

Deekshitulu, Balaji.Mental Health for Flower Remedies.International Journal of Philosophical Research, 1:3, 2019.doi:10.28933/IJOPR

Sugar maple trees in autumn color Guelph Ontario Canada

Mike Grandmaison / Getty Images