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Shrubs for part shade

14 years ago

Hi everyone,

I am looking for suggestions for shrubs for a bed in the front of our house. We are in zone 5b and our house faces south east. I have to pay closer attention to the light(we recently moved here) but I think it is best described as dappled sun with some sun in the later afternoon. We would get much more if not for a very large maple in the front yard.

We will be planting a series of them in order to provide a uniform look underneath a bay window.

The other requirements are that they need to provide some screening of a basement window so ideally they would be 3 feet high to a max of 4. I had my heart set on Cherry Bomb barberry but now realize that they probably will not be happy there due to the lack of light. Same goes for the purple Weigela which was another favorite.

Thanks in advance

B

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Comments (2)

kelp
14 years ago
Here are a few shrubs for shade: Aesculus species
Bottlebrush (A.parviflora) and Red Buckeye (A. pavia)
Calycanthus floridus
Sweetshrub
Clethra acuminata
Cinnamon Bark Clethra
Clethra alnifolia*
Summersweet*
Cornus rugosa
Roundleaf Dogwood
Cornus racemosa
Gray Dogwood
Cornus sericea*
Red/Yellowtwig Dogwood*
Euonymus americanus*
Strawberry Bush, Hearts- A Bustin'*
Fothergilla Major
Large fothergilla
Fothergilla gardenii*
Dwarf fothergilla*
Hamamelis species
Witchhazel
Hydrangea quercifolia*
Oakleaf Hydrangea*
Dirca Palutris*
Leatherwood*
Leucothoe axillaris*
Coast Leucothoe, swamp dog-laurel, dog-hobble*
Leucothoe fontanesiana
Drooping leucothoe, Fetterbush
Doghobble (very tolerant of shade)
Lindera benzoin
Spicebush
Sambucus pubens, S.racemosa
Red elderberry, American Scarlet Elder
Symphoricarpos albus*
Snowberry*
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus*
Coralberry*
Symphoricarpos X 'Magic Berry', 'Amethyst',...*
Coralberry hybrids*
Viburnum acerifolium*
Maple Leaf Viburnum*
Viburnum Alnifolium
Hobblebush
Viburnum Cassinoides
Witherod
The starred ones are either naturally short, have compact cultivars, or can easily be pruned. There are compact cherry laurels, too.
bdot_2009
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks Kelp - that is the most comprehensive list I have found! Lot to investigate now:)
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I'll answer Prairiemoon's original question, though like George, I have a tough time choosing favorites for my part shade (or any other ) plants. I have evergreen Rhodies Roseum Elegans, PJM, PJM Checkmate (short), and Olga Mezzit (sp?), Nova Zembla, and a white chinoides(?). I have several deciduous rhodies that turn pretty colors in the fall as well as having late spring to summer flowers: R. Golden showers, Luce's Double, and Narcissiflora. I have Annabelle and "Endless Summer" hydrangeas and Fothergilla "Mt. Airy." I have a vernal witchhazel and several viburnums: Blue Muffin I haven't made my mind up on, viburnum nudum (cassinoides) and dentatum grow wild and are large but lovely shrubs. Cornus alternifolia is a small tree or large shrub and is a wonderful 4 season plant with flowers, berries, fall color and great branch structure. Highbush blueberry grows wild along the edge of my woods in half-day sun with nice spring flowers and fall color. I have a spirea that blooms fine in bright more-than-half-day shade, though I don't remember the variety (about 3.5 feet high with pink flowers.) My Ruby Spice clethra has done well in full shade to full sun and from normal to very wet conditions in regular soil to damp sandy soil. Another one that likes it wet and doesn't mind some shade is deciduous Rododendron viscosum, swamp rhododendron.
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Maybe you can get some ideas from the link below? Here is a link that might be useful: xeric shrubs for part shade
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