Best Shade Perennials

Top Shade Perennials

Virginia Blue Bells

One of the earliest blooming plants in spring, Virginia Blue Bells (Mertensia virginica) appear before there is dense leaf cover and are gone before summer. Clusters of small blue, bell-shaped flowers will cover a wooded landscape in growing zones 3-8 and provide an attractive blue signal that spring has arrived.

Virginia Blue Bells are native woodland plants and are self-spreading via underground roots. The plant will also spread via seeds and will quickly fill-in any landscape area that provides the plant with partial shade and moist soil.

English Ivy

English Ivy (Hedera helix) can be grown as a houseplant or in any outdoor area that is partially shaded. Hardy in growing zones 4-8, this vines will thrive in poor soil and hard-to-reach locations.

English Ivy is a non-blooming vine that produces small roots along the length of the vine. This root system allows the plant to access nourishment and moisture from many locations so it can survive where other plants fail.

The vine is slow growing but will reach a mature length of 50 feet in a few years.

Colombine

The colorful, bell-shaped flowers of the Columbine (Aquilegia) are a favorite of hummingbirds.

Early spring blooming plants, the Columbine will produce blooms in a wide range of colors all summer when planted in partial shade and heavily mulched.

This plant will adapt to most soil conditions and will self-seed, reaching a mature height of 6-10 inches. Hardy in growing zones 3-9.

Lobelia Plants

Also known as the Cardinal Plant, Lobelia plants (Lobelia spp.) are low maintenance and will bloom all summer when planted in partial shade.

This perennial has compact growing habits and will produce masses of blue blooms throughout the summer. Lobelia is hardy in growing zones 3-8, will become in almost any soil type and makes an ideal border plant.

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Moss also works well when using shade perennials. Plant under perennial for complete weed control.

Buy your shade perennials today at TN Nursery.