Here are 24 of the best flowers for shade.
Warning
Some plants listed below are noted as toxic to humans, animals, or both.
come in many shades of flowers and foliage.
The Spruce / Autumn Wood
Grown primarily for their fabulous foliage, the plants produce wispy flower stalks with petite blooms.
The leaves are traditionally green but also can be purple, gold, and more.
Many coral bells sport interesting variegation in their foliage, too.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
These flowers can grow in full sun, but they prefer partial shade.
Too much light can burn the foliage.
Hydrangea
The Spruce / Claire Cohen Bates
Hydrangeas (Hydrangeaspp.)
The Spruce / Claire Cohen Bates
are a favorite among gardeners for their variety of flower colors and appearances.
Some bloom in large, round clusters and others have a smaller, flatter appearance.
Hydrangea species tend to do quite well in partial shade under tall deciduous trees.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
Too little light will reduce their flower output, but too much sun and heat can wilt the plant.
Ideally, they should get morning sun followed by some shade in the afternoon.
double-check to give them some extra water on particularly hot days.
The Spruce / Autumn Wood
Hydrangeas are toxic to animals.
Astilbe
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
The secret to cultivating thriving astilbe (Astilbespp.)
Astilbes are slow-growing and produce plume-like flowers on stalks above the foliage in the spring and summer.
The Spruce / K. Dave
They do best in partial shade but also can tolerate heavier shade.
However, they likely wont achieve their maximum size in full shade.
Impatiens
With their brightly colored blooms in a multitude of hues, impatiens (Impatiensspp.)
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
are popular annual shade-loving flowers.
They flower in the spring and summer.
So if your impatiens are in a sunny spot, check that to give the plants extra water.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
However, too much sun and heat can interfere with flowering.
In addition to shade, select a planting site thats protected from strong winds as the flowers are delicate.
Also, when watering, ensure to keep the soil moist but not soggy.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Bleeding heart is toxic to humans and animals.
Where many other plants would die under the cover of trees, rhododendron species (Rhododendronspp.)thrive.
Thus, planting them in a shady spot is ideal.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Adding some mulch around your shrub also will help to keep the roots cool and retain soil moisture.
All rhododendrons are toxic to humans and animals.
Lungwort
A nice attribute of lungwort (Pulmonariaspp.)
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
is that it spreads steadily but not invasively.
These plants bloom early in the spring when most other plants are waking up from the winter.
The blooms are bell- or funnel-shaped and grow in clusters.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Too much light can burn the foliage while too much shade can minimize flowering.
The attractive foliage often sports pretty spotting for additional garden interest.
Fuchsia
Fuchsia (Fuschiaspp.)
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
plants are prized for their bright, teardrop-shaped blooms on trailing stems.
These stunning flowers need light to bloom their best, but they dislike harsh afternoon sun.
Choose a location with morning sun and afternoon shade.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Plus, a spot that’s sheltered from winds is ideal.
What fuchsias don’t like is the hot summer wind blowing on them like a hairdryer.
Siberian bugloss prefers a shady spot and needs more frequent watering when it’s grown in sunnier conditions.
The Spruce / Kara Riley
Too much light can burn the foliage and cause the plant to go dormant.
These plants tend to spread quickly and are notoriously shade-loving flowers.
They can be aggressive in some areas, so check before planting.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
They can tolerate direct morning sun but should be protected from strong afternoon sun.
Full shade is ideal in warm climates.
Water to keep the soil lightly moist but not soggy.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
This plant is toxic to humans and animals.
Their trumpet-shaped blooms will appear in the early summer and stretch until cold weather arrives in the fall.
These plants dont need much sun to bloom at their best.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
They ideally should get some morning light followed by afternoon shade.
But in hot climates, they will need a fairly shady spot.
Its silvery green leaves are thick and have a fuzzy texture.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
The plant can thrive in poor soil and has good drought tolerance.
Be careful not to overwater it, as its susceptible to root rot.
Partial shade is best for lambs ear, especially in hot and sunny climates.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
In cool climates, it can be grown in full sun.
However, the attractive foliage might scorch under strong light.
The climate will determine how much light these plants need.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
In warm climates, they require a shady spot to protect them from wilt.
In cool climates, they can handle full sun, though they still will perform best in partial shade.
verify not to overwater these plants, as they are susceptible to rot.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
This plant is toxic to humans and animals.
Forget-me-nots can tolerate more sun in cooler climates.
Be sure to deadhead your plants (remove the spent blooms) if you want to control their spread.
Dogtooth Violet
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
The dogtooth violet (Erythroniumspp.
)or trout lily produces delicate-looking flowers with curved petals in the springtime.
The blooms open with morning light and close in the evening.
It needs protection from harsh sunlight and heat.
A layer of mulch around the plant will help to keep the roots cool and retain moisture.
Hellebore
TheHelleborusgenus contains several species of shade-loving flowers.
But ensure they will have shade once the temperature rises.
Hellebore is toxic to animals.
Primrose
Primulais a large genus of shade-loving flowers.
There is considerable variety within the genus.
Many of the plants feature dark green leaves and colorful flowers that rise above the foliage on stalks.
Theyre fairly low-maintenance plants aside from liking consistent watering but not soggy soil.
Some species prefer a spot with partial shade but some morning sun.
However, others do best in a spot with full shade.
Primrose is toxic to animals.
Hosta
The genusHostacontains dozens of species known for their green and sometimes variegated foliage.
Hosta is a quintessential shade plant.
It grows tall flower stalks that bloom in various shades.
Be warned though that hosta are a favorite for deer but toxic to other animals.
It’s anherbaceousperennial that spreads easily but isn’t considered invasive.
It makes for a great flowering groundcover and has the benefit of attracting butterflies.
Begonias are typically easy to grow and offer long periods of vibrant blooms.
This plant is common in pots and prefers shade or indirect sunlight.
Too much bright sunlight will cause the plant to wilt or fade.
Begonia roots are toxic to animals.
It’s not very particular about its light conditions which is great for partialy shaded areas.
You’ll have numerous small blooms throughout the summer.
This pretty plant is also toxic to humans and animals.
Azalea
Azaleas(Rhododendronspp.)
are classic shrubs with delightful clusters of funnel-shaped flowers that bloom in the spring.
The shrub is toxic to humans and animals.
It’s a flower often grown under trees since it thrives in shade.
The only sun it will tolerate is a gentle morning sun.
Though this is a great ground cover, consider this plant for container gardens.
North Carolina State Extension.
Guide to Poisonous Plants.
Guide to Poisonous Plants.Colorado State University.
Foxglove-Toxic to the Heart.Poison Control Center.
North Carolina State University Extension.
Poison Control: National Capital Poison Center.
Yellow Corydalis, Corydalis lutea.University of Wisconsin-Madison.
