Friends in Low-Light Places: Flowers and Shrubs That Thrive in the Shade

Rhododendron

One of the best shade shrubs for big garden color, azaleas have bright green evergreen foliage and funnel-shaped spring and summertime flowers in shades of white, red, and pink.

Begonia

These plants, with their pretty blooms and shiny, deep green foliage, are popular plants for containers situated in the shade.

Nephrolepsis

When in doubt, embrace the fern. Vibrant green fern fronds can brighten up any shady corner. Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis' is the Southern-favorite Boston fern.

Buxus

These hedging shrubs are great privacy plantings, and they’re also lovely for borders because they’re hardy and can grow thick, lush, and tall.

Aspidistra

Cast-iron plant thrives in the shade and is a great choice for amateur gardeners. That’s because they do well indoors and out, even when neglected.

Ficus

Creeping fig, or Ficus pumila, can grow in sun or shade. It’s an evergreen vine that can also be grown indoors with moist soil.

Lysimachia

Lysimachia species spread quickly and produce small white or yellow blooms in summertime. Lysimachia nummularia is the species known as creeping Jenny.

Aquilegia

According to The Southern Living Garden Book, “Lacy foliage and beautifully presented flowers in exquisite pastels, deeper shades, and white give columbines a fairylike, woodland-glen quality.”

Cyclamen

These hardy plants tolerate shade and bear delicate, fluttering flowers. They’re great choices for low-light areas and rock gardens.

Digitalis

These dramatic plants produce big clusters of spotted, bell-shaped flowers that thrive in shade with regular water.

Hosta

These plants produce big, sprawling clumps of striking foliage in a variety of green, blue-green, and white shades.

Impatiens

These blooming beauties add a dose of color to shady spaces and come in hues of magenta, pink, peach, white, and red.

Lobelia

As a rule, lobelias thrive in rich soil with plenty of water. They will tolerate some sun, but as bog plants, they do best in shady climes.