Plants that Grow Well in the Shade

• August 20, 2022
• posted by: greenhaven
• comments: 0

It is very interesting how some plants will perform better in certain areas of a landscape. Plants that grow well in the shade may not be able to survive a single day in full sun while other plants can live well in any condition. It is sometimes difficult to know which plants to place where. We at Walrath’s Trucking are here to help educate gardeners on which plants will thrive best in shaded areas.

Different Plants that Grow Well in the Shade

In Washington State, we have the benefit of having many plant species that thrive in the shade and in full sun. No matter your landscaping, you can fill every inch with something green, growing and beautiful. Here is a list of a few plants that grow well in the shade.

Rhododendrons

This flowering bush is the state flower of Washington. It can grow in just about any landscape and provides everything other plants and animals need to thrive. Squirrels and birds love to eat the immature blooms, bees and other pollinators love the endless flowers that explode in bunches from every direction and the bushes can grow to towering heights, providing much needed shade for outdoor creatures.

Hostas

Hostas can be a pretty coveted line of flowers. They can last generations and are passed down from gardener to gardener. These plants are very interesting when they first begin to erupt from the ground. Instead of a little sprout, they look sort of like pointy cones peaking out of the soil. It looks almost as if they grow leaf-first out of a spiral. There’s only one way to see the magic for what it is and that is by growing them in your garden of plants that grow well in the shade. 

Bleeding Hearts

These interesting flowers have always been a favorite of gardens in the Pacific Northwest region. These short shrubs grow long stems of flowers with miniature, delicate heart-shaped blooms dangling from thin secondary stems like little jewels. Some of the blooms are light pink and others are a bright, hot pink. Most all have a light pink or white center and sometimes have a splash of purple.

Columbine

Columbine is very popular when it comes to plants that grow well in the shade. The beautiful, full and structured blooms sit atop a long, thin stem. The buds look like stars blooming in the spring. These flowers come in many varieties and colors and you cannot go wrong with where you place them.

Snowbells

These are pretty, little bulbs that pop up during or shortly after the final snow. They are straight out of a fairy garden.

Salal

Salal is a very abundant plant in the Pacific Northwest. You can hardly go anywhere without seeing these short shrubs with trails of white flowers and subsequent blue berries that bear, birds and other wildlife thrive on. You can fill in a great amount of area with these shrubs. The plant will fill in any area with ease as the years mature it.

Helleborus

These are a very hearty flower that continues to bloom year after year. The plants will spread if you give them room to grow and they come in many shades of purple, pink, yellow, white and fully green like the stem. These plants are very short and will not take up much room amongst other plants that grow well in the shade.

Bugloss

Bugloss is a wide, medium-height shrubby plant that grows dainty power-blue flowers atop stems that reach up beyond the foliage. The leaves are artful with a lighter outer edge and darker center area. These are dense plants with lots of growth expected each year.