Standout shrub for full shade?
juliat
18 years ago
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Comments (16)
Iris GW
18 years agorunktrun
18 years agoRelated Discussions
Full shade fruit shrubs/vines?
Comments (14)I'm growing some others that may be ok with your shade, probably the best is Aronia aka chokeberry. According to Wiki, "red chokeberry is more palatable and can be eaten raw" with red and black making excellent jam and wine. I have Mahonia aquifolium aka Oregon grape doing very well in full shade next to Leycesteria formosa plants that you might possibly want to try. The berries at best tasting pleasant like caramel depending on the individual plant. You may strike lucky and get a very good tasting berry or something you wouldn't want to eat twice. I have several Prunus laurocerasus. Mine didn't like being under dense trees but can deal with a few hours sun a day or maybe a north wall. I've seen these sold as vase shaped 6 footers that didn't look very suitable for my confined garden, my own plants have grown more reasonably. You may be able to grow a Berberis vulgaris and I'd say do it if you can, on a corner with a few hours sunlight if possible. It will become a large attractive shrub in a few years, loaded with Barberrys. These are pretty good when fully ripe and containing the antioxidant berberine. There was an old elusive seedless variety that has been thought missing but a specimen might turn up someday somewhere in Europe. It's thought that this seedless cultivar is the same as the Zereshk of the zereshkestan orchards of Iran, berberis grown together with saffron.It seems probable but good luck getting hold of a seedless one. When I first started growing I cut down a huge 10 year old shrub to make room for fruit plants. It was a Berberis vulgaris I was soon to learn and I was kicking myself. Luckily I hadn't completely destroyed it and it now produces about 200 Barberries. This would've been 10,000 if I'd have left it, several thousand if I had known what it was and pruned it carefully. :( You can't win 'em all. I might take a photo tomorrow to show how it sprung back (an invasive plant in places apparently)....See MoreShrubs for Full shade and really dry area
Comments (16)I would also suggest the eleutherococcus. I have two, one closer to the silver maple (and under the canopy all day). Of the two, the one that is farther away is a bit taller, but both are holding their own and the bright leaves look nice in the deep shade. During last summer's really dry spell, I watered the one closest to the tree several times. This year, we've had so much rain that, even now, in mid-June, the soil in the maple's root zone remains damp. The shrubs I have now were planted as sticks in the summer of 2006 and are about 3' high. With more sun and more reliable water, they would grow a good bit faster. The one in my z5 garden was 5' tall by the end of its third growing season and was filling out well....See MoreEvergreen Shrub for Mostly full shade Zone 5
Comments (16)I know you say that, Gardengal, but I grew up in a zone 5 midwestern town and saw many years worth of established Hick's yews blasting out upward growth every Spring. Later, throughout the summer would come more, and all this easily added up to a decent foot of growth. Where you are, 4" to 6" may be all you get, but it's not what is typical of Hick's in the upper Midwest. Here's a picture I snatched off of Google and you can see that there is easily more than 6" of new growth. It is not fully expanded and will become even taller. It is merely one flush of growth whereas there would be 2 more lesser ones coming before the summer growing season is finished. It adds up. It really doesn't matter what "reputable conifer sources" say when one can see endless examples to the contrary right in front of their eyes....See MoreISO partial to full shade shrub and perennials
Comments (0)I'm a newbie that just moved into a property with lots of trees and shade->partial shade areas. I think certain hydrangea cuttings could work, and looking for any perennials for same areas....See Moreknottyceltic
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