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small/medium gold/variegated/red shrubs bright shade

18 years ago

I'm looking for some small to medium shrubs for the North side of my house. It is the north side but is bright shade with small glimpses of direct sun either very early or late in the day as the summer progresses. I currently have a mix of hydrangea paniculata and arborescens but want to step up the color with some small more colorful shrubs. Although I can frequently grow zone 5 plants in my yard, this area can get pretty windy so think they need to be zone 4. I've read posts on cotinus (not hardy enough, doesn't hold color?) and ninebark (might not hold color). Any ideas? Thanks!!

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Comments (5)

hoe_hoe_hoe
18 years ago
Just the first few ideas that come to mind-
probably many out there to put them all to shame:
A dwarf Canadian Hemlock with variegation: 'Everitt Gold' or 'Cappy's Choice' come to mind.

I'm pretty sure that the Full Moon Maple is hardier than the Japanese and there are colorful varieties of which 'Aureum' is the most commonly seen.

Actinidia kolomikta 'Arctic Beauty' or Akebia trifoliata if you can support a vine.

And lastly- since I've been on a bamboo buying spree-
you might do some research on Fargesia 'Scabrida'. Its only leaf hardy to -10, but usually the canes and especially the rhizomes underground on a bamboo can survive colder temperatures as a dieback shrub. I would definitely encourage you to do your research- the bamboo forum is an excellent resource- but I thought I would mention it because of its great orange and purple components.

Good Luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Fargesia 'Scabrida'
laceyvail 6A, WV
18 years ago
Physocarpus 'Diablo', 'Summer Wine" (both red, the latter slightly smaller) and 'Dart's Gold') should be hardy for you, BUT I'd be concerned that the red color would fade to green in part shade as happens with other red/purple leafed plants, like red barberries, which would also be hardy for you. You might try a golden barberry, which, however, might fade to a chartreuse.

Eleutherococcus sieboldianus 'Variegatus' is not red or gold, but it does have stunning leaves variegated with white and green and it is hardy to your zone.
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In late June/early July I planted a grouping of five on the other side of a Japanese maple - not directly underneath it - and under the shade canopy of a large, established sugar maple (about 10' from the trunk), which is the area I mentioned above. The soil is not great and on the drier side, but I do have sprinklers which hit the bed, so they did get supplemental water from the sprinklers, and I did hand-water occasionally just to be sure. I was going to go with three shrubs, but a grouping of five looked better. Most of them seem to have done fairly well this season except one. I think the problem with that one is I may not have planted it deeply enough because of the way the sprinkler lines run (and I want it in JUST the right spot goshdarnit!), and it seemed to be slowly petering out over the season, losing leaves little by little. Really, though, it's too early to tell how they will perform in that location, it's only the first season.
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as i'm thinking about your question I'm imagining the space, and realizing that 3' x 8' is about the size of a sofa.I'm thinking you need bold visuals- rather than small fussy foliage-to play off the all-green back wall and to be seen across a distance from the walkway. I am thinking a small variegated weigela, which blooms a long time,along with a small deep purple presence- a patch of purple perilla or a mini dk. ppl.weigela or your ppl.heuchera idea.A 3-season patch of Yellow (that would also play nicely w/ the rozanne) could be provided by carex Bowles Golden or Hakonechloa or golden Tradescantia____ which would provide you some spiky form in the midst of mounded shapes.Also helpful for shape and color and height variety- would be the tall yellow flower spires of kirengeshoma and the ppl. foliage w/ white floral spires of cimicifiga black negligee. you might like 1 or 2 peonies next to your iris. best, mindy
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felisar (z5)
18 years ago
Might want to try spirea japonica 'Ogon'. It has chaurtruese foliage, beautiful gold & yellow fall color, and very nice white flowers in late April/early May. It stays in 2'x2'range.
philipw2
18 years ago
Let me second the ogon. The shape and color of the foliage on those shrubs is quite attractive thoughout the growing season.
Willow-like foliage, although in proportion to a 2 foot plant.
silvergold
Original Author
18 years ago
Wow - thanks for the great response everyone. Hoe, I'm not familiar with most of the plants you mentioned so will have to do some reading about them. Thanks for the suggestions. lacyvail - the variegated Eleutherococcus sounds like a great suggestion. I'll have to check out the ogon as well - I'm not familiar with that particular spirea. Thanks again, everyone!

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