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Northwestern Gardening

Full sun, but someday shade! Are there plants that can do both?

14 years ago

My husband and I just cleared a large triangular area of grass and planted a Japanese Maple in the center (just plain old Acer Palmatum). It's probably only about 5 feet tall right now and pretty spindly. The area gets full sun now, but obviously won't forever. What are some things I can plant that can take the sun now but can someday take shade? I'd love to hear some ideas!

Thanks, Eileen

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Comments (4)

pepperdude
14 years ago
Well, first things first I guess. You need plants that will take full sun for any number of years until the maple grows. They don't usually cast dense shade even when large so look for plants that will take full sun (now) to part shade (eventually) and you should have your bases covered. Most plant books and labels will give you this basic info.

Just avoid full shade plants and you should be fine.
PRO
George Three LLC
14 years ago
planting a tree is an investment in time. are you gonna be living with that tree in 5-10 years? for most people, the answer is no. the big shady adult japanese maple is probably not yours.

enjoy your gawky tree as is.

just plant full sun stuff that looks good and move it later. (make sure the plants are cool with getting moved around)

or.... SWORD FERN...
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I think you would be fine with hydrangeas there. If salvias are too floppy, try some veronicas or agastaches. You might even be able to grow baptista (false indigo). I have a similar exposure in my zone 5 Iowa yard. Trees along one side, and then it slopes too, so it is a bit of an odd long bed. It used to be grass and mostly invasive Asian honesuckle shrubs. I have only been gardening at this house for 1 1/2 years, so I am still experimenting; plus I am new to this zone and previously lived in zone 9. I first considered this area part shade and planted accordingly. Now I see there are pockets of more and less sun. In this area the plants doing best are: Hostas--This surprised me, but I see them in full sun around town now that I have started looking. Not sure if it is the same for zone 6. Foam flower--this looks GREAT right now with tidy foliage and is still blooming. I had some red tulips behind the foam flower and they looked lovely. Columbines--flowering nicely with airy foliage. Agastache--the one I have has short white flowers, but blues are common I think. Overwintered and re-sowed abundantly. My soil drains well so may be why they like it there. Garden phlox--were small plants last year from Bluestone spring sale. SO far they are growing nicely but will see if they flop. Today the whole area seemed to be in so much sun! Daylillies--will see how they do this year Foxglove--sowed last summer, getting ready to bloom, seems to be good for them in this spot. Monarda, bloomed last summer and no flopping. Soloman's seal--in a shadier pocket, but still gets some afternoon sun. Doing really well right now. helleborus--one little helleborus which has been doing great so far this spring, to my surprise. When I realized how sunny the spot was, I thought I'd move this little plant, but it is doign well. Toad lily--these are growing nicely and had attractive late flowers last year. Lobelia--there are some nice blue lobelias available. low growing veronicas--doing very well and blooming profusely. Happy planting. :)
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There are quite a few plants that will tolerate sun OR shade, such as Heuchera and Columbine, which should work out just fine. I have both of these in full sun, but lots of people grow these in the shade. I would think anything that says it does better if shaded from hot afternoon sun, would do well there, such as Astilbe, Lychnis, Lobelia, and some types of Euphorbia. Because the time of year that they will be receiving full sun is early in the year, when the sun is not as strong, they should be fine. I'm sure there are many other things that would work there, these are just the ones I could think of off the top of my head. Hope this helps, Bonnie
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If you do summer vegetables it really wouldn't matter about the shade in the winter (as they wouldn't be there, then), and 6 plus hours of sun in the summer is adequate for most. Peppers enjoy being on the drier side - I'm not sure I'd call them drought tolerant but they do handle being dry better than most vegetables. If you plant tomatoes deeply enough, you should be able to water infrequently but really soak them when you do water. If you're not worried about drought tolerant, almost any vegetable will do well with the amount of summer sun you have, and I can't think of any that will do well with that much shade in winter.
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hemnancy
14 years ago
Plants that take full sun to part shade are abundant, so you could select by color scheme or height. I have a couple of very small Japanese Maples, one with red foliage and one that goes from red to amber- Purple Ghost and Amber Ghost. I planted Heucheras of various colors- Peach Melba, Crimson Curls, Midnight Rose, and green ones I started from seed, around them to do some color echo. Heucheras like shade more than sun but it is east of my house so they don't get strong afternoon sun. I think the newer ones are better in the sun, too. I really like the colors matching the maple leaf colors at various times.
jennie
14 years ago
Heuchera's are a good suggestion, I found mine don't really like a lot of shade; and they don't tend to get eaten by the slugs. Mine're ruffly though, so smoother ones might be tastier? Don't know. In deeper shade mine made like little palm trees, growing up and up. Not attractive. I put them in sun and they're happy little ground covers, they only get a couple hours shade a day and are happy.

If you don't mind flowers, I'd try some annuals there too or lupins perhaps. For a greener look, salal or the low oregon grape are nice; I find both grow pretty well in sun or shade.

I have some little maples with hardy geraniums under them, I particularly like the geranium I got at a plant swap a while ago and which I've forgotten the name of, it has pretty lacy dark red leaves. The maple has varigated red and cream leaves and they just look nice together I think.
Another one has pulmonaria under it, but while pretty in bloom, it gets a bit ratty later on.

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