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Companion plants for hostas under black walnuts

10 years ago

In addendum to the thread about hostas under trees that are bad for them, just thought I would post a partial list of companion plants that can be successfully grown under black walnuts. Includes:

Lilies
Daffodils, most spring bulbs
Irises
Heuchera
Astilbe
Echinacea
Ferns
Sedums
Solomon's seal
Ginger
Ajuga
Hardy Geraniums
Lysmachia (golden moneywort, pennywort)
Stachys
Hemerocallis (daylilies)
Surprise lilies
Clematis
Daisy family
Crinums
Violets
Fallopia
Liriope
Euphorbia
Lily of the Valley
Saxifrage (aka strawberry begonia)

All of which grow very well under the dozen or so black walnuts that grow in the woods and gardens here. The worst drawback of gardening under black walnuts is the darn nuts! When they fall, they tear holes in hosta leaves and stain the deck (we have a huge one that towers over the deck and back yard) and the squirrels leave chewed bits everywhere.

Plants that do NOT grow well under them: anything in the tomato/potato family, most vegetables, Madonna lilies.

Sandy

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Comments (4)

ctopher_mi
10 years ago
So far there aren't any perennials that have died from juglone here, and we grow all of our hostas and shade perennials under and around black walnuts (we have over 60 of them here). I've killed some hydrangeas and a couple Physocarpus though.
weekendweeder
10 years ago
Yes, the black walnut assault has begun in my gardens! So far they are the size of almonds, but over the season they will grow to the size of golf balls and small limes! I have to keep reminding myself that I am thankful for the shade. Nice list!
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Comments (18)
Some nice suggestions here, but I need to go further. My hosta garden is in an area that gets virtually no morning sun, then when the sun gets over the highest trees, it gets blasted with about three hours of incredibly hot sun, and then the shade from the house hits it and that's it. It's also quite dry. My astilbe always crisp up just as they begin to bloom, and the ferns I've planted refuse to get any bigger. The lily of the valley are surviving and spreading (as if there were anything that could stop lilyof the valley) and so far the lady's mantle hasn't died yet, but the only thing that likes it there (besides the hostas) is the dicentra, and that's probably because it dies back before the weather gets really hot. I'd really like something to contrast the various hosta shapes (I've got a variety of sizes and colors of hostas), but I can't find anything that tolerates the combination of dryness, lack of sun, and those few hours of hot, hot sun. Any ideas? I'm sort of looking for taller things. Stuff like primroses and ajuga are awfully short.
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Hi Karen, Haven't been around much so just saw your post. I have 12 blackwalnut trees and plant right up next to them with no problems at all. I attempt to avoid the roots some, but they are easy to plant in and around. Probably the biggest thing is root competiton for water, but even then my plants have done well, even in times when I haven't been so faithful with watering. The roots are not terribly bulky , but somewhat shallow so even planting out away from the tree you will run into a root or two and may have to adjust your planting by moving your plant over slightly. But not usally a big deal.( Nothing like Maple tree roots) I ammend my soil right to the base of the tree I find most of the plants that thrive in the shade or woodland garden do well under the BWT. The one thing that I would like to grow but won't thrive is azaela/Rhododedrons. I have had good success with hostas, huecheras,Tiarellas,bleedinghearts,lilies,daylilies,Astilbes,ferns, lady's mantle and many more. Most annuals and bulbs do well also.The plants love the dappled shade the high canopy of the BTW provides. Japenese maples do great.Never attempted bamboo so I can't comment on that. Here is a link to one resource regarding juglone toxicity and compatable plants. Hope this helps Here is a link that might be useful: Black walnut trees/juglone toxicity
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Sure, there are many websites that list those that can be grown successfully. I don't have personal experience because I planted a native plant garden under mine, not edibles. Here are a couple of those websites, good luck! http://www.americanplant.net/index.php/gardening-tips/plant-care-and-gardening-information/13-resource-library/plant-care-sheets/60-plants-to-grow-under-black-walnuts http://www.groworganic.com/organic-gardening/articles/companion-plants-that-tolerate-black-walnut-tree-toxicity http://www.edgewaterhomeandgarden.com/pdf/black_walnut_trees_.pdf (this one says black raspberry and grapes--I know wild grapes thrive under mine) two25acres--that is just horrible, I really feel for you!
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Ground covers, companion plants and hosta
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Comments (22)
Squire, I also have a Bertram Anderson - in its 6th year and doing very well amongst the hostas. BA has thicker, narrower, long leaves. It was developed to withstand more sun...which it does here from sunrise to around 1:30. I've pulled out some of my common pulmonarias (but I'll never want to be without one) but this one is definitely a keeper! Just the fact that it is impervious to wilting won me over! :-) Did you get a chance to enjoy it for a few years before it withered and died? When I grew L. Herman's Pride (yellow flower spires) it was the best behaved lamium also... more compact and didn't behave like a rambling groundcover. Rambling or not, lamium is wonderful...sort of like sweet woodruff - shallow roots that are easily pulled. I sprinkle slug pellets right into the groundcover where slugs may be hiding. :)
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mosswitch
Original Author
10 years ago
Some shrubs don't do well with black walnuts, hydrangeas and physocarpus as Chris pointed out; any kind of roses, azaleas, weigelia, spireas, lespedsia, are all things I've tried a time or two and didn't succeed. I tried Madonna lilies three times before I gave up, they just got weaker each year and finally stopped coming up.

But hibiscus, cimicifuga, garlic, thyme, artemesia, lavender, dianthus, passionflower, Dutchman's pipe vine, columbines, ruellia, creeping veronica, lamiums, can all be added to the list of things that will grow under them or within range of their roots.. Most native wildfiowers; trilliums, dog-tooth violets, mayapples, false solomon's seal, woodland phlox, Dutchman's breeches, wild strawberries (but not garden strawberries), ginseng, colt's foot, toothwort, other spring ephemerals, are all good.

Sandy

This post was edited by mosswitch on Tue, Jun 25, 13 at 10:55
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
10 years ago
Great lists. I would add...

Sweet Woodruff
Ligularia
Joe Pye Weed
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Epimedium
Tsuga canadensis, mertensiana & diversifolia
Chamaecyparis obtusa

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