Shrubs That Can Grow in Partial Shade
Below you will find a list of Shrubs from our plant database that can grow in partial shade or partial sun. If you click on any of the photos, you will see a Virtual Plant Tag that may contain photos, plant descriptions, usage suggestions and a link to where you can buy that plant for your landscaping. The concept of a shrub can be difficult to define since different people might consider the same plant a groundcover, broadleaf evergreen, bush or tree.
Uses for these bushes vary by variety, and may also thrive in full shade or full sun and a variety of soil conditions including wet soil, moist soil, or dry soil.
With increased awareness of the value that native shrubs add to the natural landscape, these suggestions will help you make good choices about which plants are best suited for your home garden: American Snowbell (Styrax americanus); known by the names of Bear's Grape, Bearberry, Kinnikinick, Mealberry, Hog Cranberry, Mountain Box, Sandberry and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, this sturdy and adaptable mat-forming plant sets fruit in July and August lasting through fall; Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora); Carolina and Catawba Rhododendrons, Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia, Black Chokebery (A. melanocarpa), Inkberry (Ilex glabra) and Oregon Grapeholly (Mahonia aquifolium) are fantastic for naturalizing and mass plantings with their brilliant fall berries persisting through January; Redosier Dogwood shrubs (Cornus sericea) and recent cultivars have extended ornamental interest with variegated leaves, dwarf habit, red and yellow fruit, but the best feature are the red twigs have nice winter garden accent; Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) is excellent for fragrance and summer flower.
Europe and Asia have given American gardeners numerous shade-loving or shade tolerant shrubs that include: Abelia, Alexandrian-laurel (Danae racemosa), Andromeda or Japanese Pieris, Autumn Purple Rhododendron (R. fastigiatum) with its fall blooms, endless species, cultivars and hybrid Azaleas (Rhododendrons), a wide variety of Hydrangea, Boxwood (Buxus), Camellias, Chinese Fringe-flower (Loropetalum), Common Cherrylaurel or English Laurel and cultivars (Prunus laurocerasus) is a staple for hedging, Common or European Elder (Sambucus nigra) has had new, interesting cultivars released recently that resemble Cutleaf Japanese Maples and can be used much farther north, Daphne, Euonymus, Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina), Hollies (Ilex), Holly Tea Olive (Osmanthus), Hydrangeas, Indian Hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis), Rose-of-Sharon (Hibiscus), Roses (Rosa), Scarlet Firethorn (Pyracantha), numerous Spirea (Spiraea), Spring or Winter Heath (Calluna carnea), Witchhazel (Hamamelis), Yews (Taxus).
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