Which cold-climate perennials grow in shade?

Answer

Perennials can grow in sun, part shade, and shady conditions. Here is a list of some very hardy perennials for a shady garden (although some morning sun is helpful to the growth of many shade-loving plants). These plants are plants hardy in Zones 3-4 to 8-9.

 

Botanical Name Common Name                    Zones          
Aquilegia x hybrida columbine 3-9
Asarum canadense wild ginger 3-9
Asarum europaeum European wild ginger 3-9
Athyrium nipponicum ‘Pictum’ Japanese painted fern 3-8
Bergenia cordifolia heartleaf bergenia 4-8
Brunnera macrophylla Siberian bugloss 3-9
Cimicifuga racemosa black snakeroot 3-9
Convallaria majalis (rampant groundcover, can be a pest, sometimes red berries in fall) lily-of-the-valley 3-8
Corydalis lutea (dormant in summer if dry) yellow corydalis 4-9
Dicentra spp. bleeding heart 3-8
Digitalis purpurea (very adaptable; self-sows) foxglove 4-8 (most varieties)
Epimedium x rubrum (good for dry shade) red barrenwort 4-9
ferns--various species  
Geranium macrorrhizum 'Elizabeth Ann' cranesbill 3-8
Helleborus orientalis lenten rose 4-9
Heuchera sanguinea coral bells 4-9
Hosta spp. plaintain lily 3-9
Lamium maculatum deadnettle 3-9
Lobelia cardinalis (sun to part shade) cardinal flower most zones 4-9
Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’ variegated Solomon's seal 4-9
Pulmonaria saccharata lungwort 3-9
Tiarella cordifolia foamflower 4-8

 

For more information, see our guide to Creating Beautiful Shade Gardens, Cornell Cooperative Extension's Landscape Plants for Shady Areas and the University of Minnesota extension's Gardening in the Shade and Shade: Tall Perennials.

For tips on a variety of gardening topics, see our Plant Information Guides.
- Courtesy of NYBG Plant Information Service

 

 

  • Last Updated Feb 05, 2021
  • Views 973
  • Answered By Anita Finkle

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