List of shade plants

These plants are good for varying levels of shade. Click on the plant name (not photo) for more details on whether they like part-shade, deep-shade or both.

Annuals, Perennials, Bulbs

• 

  Acanthus mollis
  Bear's breech

• 

  Aconitum
  Monkshood

• 

  Ajuga
  Carpet bugle

• 

  Alchemilla
  Lady's-mantle

• 

  Anemone
  Windflower

• 

  Anthurium
  Flamingo flower

• 

  Aquilegia
  Columbine

• 

  Arisaema
  

• 

  Arum
  

• 

  Aruncus
  Goat's beard

• 

  Asarum
  Wild ginger

• 

  Aspidistra elatior
  Cast-Iron plant

• 

  Astilbe
  False spiraea

• 

  Astrantia
  Masterwort

• 

  Begonia
  

• 

  Bergenia
  

• 

  Billbergia
  

• 

  Bletilla striata
  Chinese ground orchid

• 

  Browallia
  Amethyst flower

• 

  Brunnera macrophylla
  Brunnera

• 

  Caladium bicolor
  Fancy-leafed caladium

• 

  Calceolaria herbeohybrida
  

• 

  Campanula (some)
  Bellflower

• 

  Carex
  Sedge

• 

  Cimicifuga
  

• 

  Clivia miniata
  Kaffir lily

• 

  Coleus hybridus
  Coleus

• 

  Colocasia esculenta
  Elephant's ear

• 

  Convallaria majalis
  Lily-of-the-valley

• 

  Corydalis
  

• 

  Crassula
  

• 

  Cyclamen
  

• 

  Cymbidium
  

• 

  Delphinium
  

• 

  Dicentra (most)
  Bleeding heart

• 

  Digitalis
  Foxglove

• 

  Doronicum
  Leopard's bane

• 

  Potentilla indica
  Indian mock strawberry

• 

  Hyacinthoides
  Bluebells

• 

  Epimedium
  

• 

  Erythronium
  

• 

  Ferns
  

• 

  Filipendula
  

• 

  Galax urceolata
  

• 

  Galium odoratum
  Sweet woodruff

• 

  Gentiana
  Gentian

• 

  Geranium (some)
  Cranesbill

• 

  Gillenia trifoliata
  

• 

  Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'
  Japanese forest grass

• 

  Heliconia
  

• 

  Helleborus
  Hellebore

• 

  Hepatica
  Liverleaf

• 

  Heuchera
  Coral bells

• 

  Heucherella tiarelloides
  

• 

  Hosta
  Plantain lily

• 

  Impatiens (most)
  

• 

  Inula helenium
  Elecampane

• 

  Iris foetidissima
  Gladwin iris

• 

  Crested Iris
  

• 

  Kirengeshoma palmata‎
  

• 

  Lamium maculatum
  Dead nettle

• 

  Ligularia
  

• 

  Lilium
  Lily

• 

  Liriope
  Lily turf

• 

  Lobelia (most)
  

• 

  Lysimachia
  

• 

  Meconopsis
  

• 

  Mertensia virginica
  Virginia bluebells

• 

  Milium effusum 'Aureum'
  Bowles' golden grass

• 

  Mimulus hybrids
  Monkey flower

• 

  Myosotis
  Forget-me-not

• 

  Nicotiana alata
  

• Ophiopogon-planiscapus-Nigr.jpg

  Ophiopogon
  

• Oxalis corymbosa 2.jpg

  Oxalis
  

• 

  Podophyllum
  

• Polemonium carneum0.jpg

  Polemonium
  

• Solomon's Seal.jpg

  Polygonatum
  Solomon's seal

• 

  Primula
  Primrose

• Self-heal-Lachlan-Cranswick.jpg

  Prunella
  Self-heal

• Pulmonaria officinalis 800.jpg

  Pulmonaria
  Lungwort

• X

  Rehmannia elata
  

• Rodgersia pinnata var. 'Superba'.jpg

  Rodgersia
  

• Saxifraga rotundifolia a1.jpg

  Saxifraga
  Saxifrage

• Schizanthus pinnatus.jpg

  Schizanthus pinnatus
  Poor man's orchid

• Golden Ragwort Senecio aureus Plant 3264px.JPG

  Senecio hybridus
  Cineraria

• Sisyrinchium montanum1.jpg

  Sisyrinchium
  

• Jk-Maianthemum racemosum.jpg

  Smilacina racemosa
  False Solomon's seal

• Soleirolia soleirolii001.JPG

  Soleirolia soleirolii
  Baby's tears

• Indianpink.jpg

  Spigelia marilandica
  Pinkroot, Indian pink

• Thalictrum flavum0.jpg

  Thalictrum
  Meadow rue

• Foamflower Tiarella 'Cygnet' Leaves 2054px.jpg

  Tiarella
  Foamflower

• Tolmiea menziesii.JPG

  Tolmiea menziesii
  Piggy-back plant

• Torenia fournieri2.jpg

  Torenia fournieri
  Wishbone flower

• Zebrina1.jpg

  Tradescantia
  

• Tricyrtis hirta - blossom top (aka).jpg

  Tricyrtis
  Toad lily

• TrilliumErectum.jpg

  Trillium
  Wake Robin

• Globeflower Trollius laxus Flower 2400px.jpg

  Trollius
  Globeflower

• Viola x hybrida 'Clear Crystals Apricot', SC, Vic., 15.9.2007.jpg

  Viola
  Viola, Pansy

Ground covers

• Actinidia kolomikta.jpg

  Actinidia kolomikta
  

• Aegopodium podagraria.jpg

  Aegopodium podagraria
  Bishop's weed

• 

  Akebia quinata
  

• PorcelainBerry.JPG

  Ampelopsis brevipedunculata
  Porcelain berry

• Starr 071024-9714 Cissus nodosa.jpg

  Cissus
  

• 

  Clematis (some)
  

• CanadianDogwoodGrowingTrailSide.jpg

  Cornus canadensis
  Bunchberry

• Cymbalaria-muralis-close.JPG

  Cymbalaria muralis
  Kenilworth ivy

• Euonymus fortunei a1.jpg

  Euonymus fortunei
  

• X Fatshedera lizei2.jpg

  Fatshedera lizei
  

• 

  Fragraria chiloensis
  Wild strawberry

• Glechoma hederacea 001.JPG

  Glechoma hederacea
  Ground ivy

• 

  Hedera
  Ivy

• 

  Houttuynia cordata
  

• 

  Lonicera (some)
  Honeysuckle

• Mitchella.repens01.jpg

  Mitchella repens
  Partridgeberry

• 

  Monstera deliciosa
  Split-leaf philodendron

• Pachysandra terminalis0.jpg

  Pachysandra terminalis
  Japanese spurge

• WilderWein.jpg

  Parthenocissus
  

• Rhoicissus tomentosa capensis creeper - Cape Town 1.JPG

  Rhoicissus capensis
  Evergreen grape

• Rubus pedatus 1370.JPG

  Rubus pedatus
  

• 

  Trachelospermum jasminoides
  Star jasmine

• 

  Vinca
  Periwinkle

Shrubs

• 

  Abutilon
  Flowering maple

• X

  Acanthopanax sieboldianusz 'Variegatus'
  

• 

  Actaea
  Baneberry

• X

  Aucuba japonica
  Japanese aucuba

• X

  Brunfelsia pauciflora
  

• 

  Buxus
  Boxwood

• 

  Camellia
  

• X

  Clethra alnifolia
  Summersweet

• X

  Cleyera japonica
  

• X

  Cordyline stricta
  

• 

  Cycadaceae
  Cycads

• X

  Daphne
  

• X

  Enkianthus campanulatus
  

• X

  Euonymus fortunei
  

• 

  Fatsia japonica
  Japanese aralia

• 

  Fothergilla
  

• 

  Fuchsia
  

• X

  Gardenia jasminoides
  

• X

  Gaultheria
  

• X

  Hamamelis
  Witch hazel

• 

  Hydrangea
  

• 

  Ilex
  Holly

• 

  Kalmia latifolia
  Mountain laurel

• X

  Leucothoe
  

• 

  Lindera
  Spicebush

• 

  Loropetalum chinense
  

• 

  Mahonia
  

• X

  Nandina domestica
  Heavenly bamboo

• X

  Osmanthus
  

• X

  Philodendron selloum
  

• X

  Pieris
  

• X

  Pittosporum tobira
  Tobira

• X

  Phapis
  Lady palm

• 

  Rhododendron
  Azalea

• X

  Ribes sanguineum
  Pink winter currant

• X

  Ruscus
  Butcher's broom

• X

  Sarcococca
  Sweet box

• X

  Skimmia japonica
  

• 

  Symphoricarpos (some)
  Snowberry

• X

  Taxus
  Yew

• X

  Ternstroemia gymnanthera
  

• 

  Vaccinium
  

• X

  Viburnum (evergreen)
  

Trees

• X

  Acer palmatum
  Japanese maple

• X

  Cercidiphyllum japonicum
  Katsura tree

• X

  Cercis canadensis
  Eastern redbud

• X

  Davidia involucrata
  Dove tree

• X

  Franklinia alatamaha
  

• 

  Halesia
  

• X

  Laurus nobilis
  Sweet bay

• X

  Palms (some)
  

• 

  Podocarpus
  

• 

  Schefflera
  

• X

  Stewartia
  

• 

  Tree ferns