91 Plants That Tolerate Shade

If your garden receives limited sunlight, you can still grow many beautiful and useful plants.

However, most plants need some light. Many vegetables, herbs, and fruit plants can grow in partial shade. Very few edible plants will grow well in deep shade.

Leafy vegetables are often the best choices for a shady food garden. Many flowers and trees can also grow with less sunlight. By choosing plants that grow well in shade, you can make better use of the darker areas around your home.

Here are 91 plants that can grow in light or partial shade. Some flowers and trees on the list can also handle full shade.

Best Shade-Tolerant Plants to Grow

Before choosing your plants, watch the garden area for a full day. Notice when sunlight reaches it and how long the light lasts. This will help you choose plants that match the conditions.

Remember that the amount of sunlight may change during the year. An area beneath a tree may be sunny in early spring but shady after the tree grows new leaves.

Vegetables

Most vegetables produce their largest harvest in full sun. However, leafy greens, root vegetables, and some cool-season crops can grow with less light.

Leafy vegetables are often the easiest crops to grow in partial shade. In hot areas, a little afternoon shade may even protect them from heat.

Here are 28 vegetables that can tolerate partial shade:

• Beets
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Leeks
• Turnips
• Radishes
• Rhubarb
• Peas
• Rutabagas
• Kohlrabi
• Osaka Purple mustard
• Bok choy
• Chicory
• Collard greens
• Endive
• Kale
• Chinese cabbage
• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Swiss chard
• Mizuna
• Tatsoi
• Watercress
• Pea shoots
• Scallions
• Mustard greens

These vegetables still need light. Most will not grow well in deep shade. Crops such as broccoli, cauliflower, beets, and carrots may grow more slowly or produce a smaller harvest with less than five hours of sun.

Leafy greens, such as lettuce, spinach, kale, mustard greens, and bok choy, are usually better choices for areas with less sun.

Avoid planting fruiting vegetables in shady areas. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, and squash need plenty of sunlight to flower and produce fruit [1].

If you grow vegetables in containers, you can move the pots when needed. Place them where they can receive morning sun or bright, filtered light.

If you grow watercress, use clean water and a safe container or growing bed. Do not gather it from unknown streams, ponds, or ditches. The water may contain harmful germs.

Only eat the stalks of rhubarb. Rhubarb leaves are toxic and should not be eaten.

Herbs

Some herbs can grow in partial shade. However, the plants may not become as large or produce as many leaves as they would in a sunny garden.

Here are 22 herbs that can tolerate some shade:

• Angelica
• Borage
• Catnip
• Dill
• Sorrel
• Chervil
• Chives
• Costmary
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Garden cress
• Horseradish
• Lemon balm
• Lovage
• Mint
• Parsley
• Ginger
• Valerian
• Cilantro
• Tarragon
• Wild bergamot
• Sweet cicely

Mint, parsley, chervil, cilantro, lemon balm, sweet cicely, and sorrel are some of the better choices for partial shade.

Thyme, oregano, dill, borage, tarragon, catnip, and wild bergamot prefer more sunlight. They may tolerate light shade, but they can become thin or produce fewer leaves and flowers.

Ginger can grow in bright shade, especially in warm climates. Protect it from strong afternoon sun, but do not place it in a very dark area.

Mint and lemon balm can spread quickly. Growing them in pots can help keep them under control.

Fruit Plants

Most fruit plants need full sun to produce a large harvest. However, a few can grow and produce some fruit in partial shade.

Here are eight fruit plants to consider:

• Pawpaw
• Blackcurrant
• Gooseberry
• Lingonberry
• Lowbush blueberry
• Alpine strawberry
• Elderberry
• Juneberry

Pawpaw trees naturally grow beneath taller trees when they are young. Young trees can handle partial shade. However, mature trees often produce more fruit when they receive more sunlight.

Most pawpaw trees need pollen from a genetically different pawpaw tree to produce fruit. Plant at least two different trees near each other for better pollination [2].

Blackcurrants and gooseberries are good choices for partial shade, especially in places with hot summers. However, they may produce less fruit in heavy shade.

Lowbush blueberries and lingonberries need acidic, well-drained soil. Test your soil before planting them.

Alpine strawberries can grow in partial shade, but they will usually produce more berries with several hours of sunlight.

Elderberries and Juneberries can also tolerate partial shade. However, more sun usually leads to more flowers and fruit.

Use only fully ripe elderberries, and cook them before eating. Do not eat elderberry leaves, stems, or unripe berries because they can make you sick [3].

Flowers

Many flowers can brighten areas that receive limited sunlight. Some prefer full or partial shade, while others need several hours of sun to bloom well.

Here are 27 flowers for shady or partly shaded gardens:

• Hydrangea
• Bee balm
• Violets
• Lily-of-the-valley
• Bleeding heart
• Jacob’s ladder
• Forget-me-not
• Foamflower
• Lungwort
• Primrose
• Foxglove
• Astilbe
• Siberian iris
• Columbine
• Monkshood
• Bellflower
• Black cohosh
• Coral bells
• Begonia
• Pansy
• Fuchsia
• Impatiens
• Lobelia
• Monkey flower
• Snapdragon
• Wishbone flower
• Nicotiana

Impatiens, begonias, wishbone flowers, foamflowers, lungwort, coral bells, and bleeding hearts are among the better choices for shady gardens.

Bee balm, Siberian iris, snapdragons, bellflowers, and nicotiana usually bloom better when they receive more light. Place them in light or partial shade instead of deep shade.

Hydrangea needs vary by type and climate. Many hydrangeas grow well with morning sun and afternoon shade. Strong afternoon sun can burn their leaves in hot areas.

Safety note: Foxglove, monkshood, lily-of-the-valley, nicotiana, hydrangea, and bleeding heart can be toxic if eaten. Lily-of-the-valley and foxglove contain toxins that can affect the heart [4]. Keep these plants away from young children and pets.

Wear gloves when handling plants that may irritate your skin. Wash your hands after working with them.

Trees

Some trees need full sun, while others can grow beneath taller trees.

Here are six shade-tolerant trees to consider:

• Japanese maple
• Eastern redbud
• American hornbeam
• Eastern hemlock
• Flowering dogwood
• Pagoda dogwood

These trees vary in size and growing needs. Check the mature height and width before planting one near a house, fence, walkway, or power line.

Japanese maples often benefit from protection against strong afternoon sun. Eastern hemlock, American hornbeam, flowering dogwood, and pagoda dogwood can also grow in partial shade.

Eastern redbud tolerates some shade, but it usually produces more flowers when it receives more sunlight.

Choose trees suited to your climate and soil. If you live in a warm area, check whether the tree can handle your summer heat.

Advantages of Growing Plants in Shade

Shade gardens can create cool and peaceful spaces. They can also protect plants and gardeners from strong afternoon heat.

Many shade-tolerant plants have colorful or interesting leaves. This allows them to add beauty to the garden even when they are not flowering.

Soil in a shady area may stay moist longer because less water is lost through evaporation. This means you may not need to water as often.

However, wet soil can attract slugs and snails. It can also increase the risk of fungal diseases. Good drainage and enough space between plants can help prevent these problems.

Some shady areas may also have fewer weeds. However, this depends on the weed type, the soil, and moisture levels.

Understanding Sunlight Conditions

Sunlight labels can vary among plant sellers and gardening guides. Use the descriptions below as a simple guide.

1. Full Sun

A full-sun garden receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. Eight or more hours is best for many fruiting plants.

Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, strawberries, grapes, cucumbers, and squash usually grow best in full sun.

2. Part Sun

A part-sun garden receives about four to six hours of direct sunlight each day.

Plants labeled “part sun” usually prefer the brighter end of this range. They may grow in less light, but they may produce fewer flowers or a smaller harvest.

3. Part Shade

A part-shade garden receives about two to four hours of direct sunlight each day. The sunlight often reaches the area in the morning or late afternoon.

Plants labeled “part shade” may need protection from strong afternoon sun. Morning sun followed by afternoon shade is often a good choice.

Beets, carrots, kale, lettuce, spinach, and several other cool-season vegetables can grow in partial shade. However, they may grow more slowly than plants in sunnier areas.

4. Light or Dappled Shade

Light shade may mean three to five hours of direct sun or filtered light for much of the day. The exact meaning can vary, so check the plant label before planting [5].

Dappled shade is created when sunlight passes through tree branches and leaves. The light and shade may move across the ground during the day.

Some woodland flowers, herbs, leafy greens, and young pawpaw trees can grow in these conditions.

5. Full Shade

Full shade usually means fewer than two hours of direct sunlight each day. However, the area should still receive bright indirect or filtered light.

Many flowers and woodland plants can grow in full shade. Most vegetables, herbs, and fruit plants will not produce well under these conditions.

Full shade does not mean complete darkness.

6. Deep Shade

Deep shade receives very little direct or indirect light. It is often found under thick evergreen trees, beneath large decks, or between tall buildings.

Very few garden plants grow well in deep shade. You may need to thin small tree branches, use containers in a brighter place, or choose a ground cover made for very low light.

Ask a trained tree professional for help before removing large branches.

Tips for Growing Plants in Shade

• Choose plants that match the amount of light in your garden.
• Watch the area at different times of day before planting.
• Remember that sunlight changes during the year.
• Give vegetables as much morning sun as possible.
• Use containers if you need to move plants into brighter areas.
• Water only when the soil begins to dry.
• Water plants in the morning so the leaves can dry during the day.
• Add compost to improve the soil.
• Make sure the soil drains well.
• Leave enough space between plants for air to move.
• Watch for slugs and snails.
• Check plants often for signs of fungal disease.
• Use a thin layer of mulch to hold moisture and reduce weeds.
• Keep mulch a few inches away from plant stems and tree trunks.
• Avoid adding thick mulch to soil that is already very wet.
• Choose plants suited to your climate.

Takeaway

A garden does not need full sun all day to be beautiful and productive.

Leafy greens, several herbs, a few fruit plants, many flowers, and some trees can grow with limited sunlight. However, most edible plants need partial or light shade rather than full or deep shade.

Check how much light your garden receives before choosing your plants. Remember that plants growing in shade may develop more slowly or produce a smaller harvest.

Shade gardens also stay moist longer. Check the soil before watering, provide good drainage, and watch for slugs and fungal problems.

By choosing the right plants for the available light, you can create a healthy and attractive garden in places where sunshine is limited.

See also: Plants That Grow in Clay Soil.