Perennials for Shade

Saruma henryi May 2009

Trillium luteum May 2009

 Primula elatior March 2010

Heuchera americana 'Green Spice' April 2010

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' 0609

Corydalis cava March 2010

 Hacquetia epipactis March 2010

Here is a list of shade perennials for gardens in Seattle, the Pacific Northwest & USDA Zone 8.  They provide a range of color, height & texture. Bloom starts early in spring & lasts until summer.  But shade perennials are often prized for their beautiful foliage, instead of their flowers. You will need to keep snails & slugs from disfiguring the large leaves of some of these perennials. Gather them in a paper bag & toss it into the yard waste bin.  A perennial is any plant, not woody, that lives for at least a few years, although some are short-lived.  Perennials include bulbs, ferns & grasses.  Perennial groundcovers are listed in Groundcovers for Shade. Don't allow shade perennials to dry out completely in summer.  Some of these tolerate some dryness, as noted. But most prefer a moist environment.  If your garden is dry, read Dry Shade. Many of these perennials are common in gardens.  But it may take dedicated searching to find sources for all of them.  Although this list is not complete, it is fairly broad.  A single common name is noted when the plant has a common name.  While some have several common names, others have none at all.  Latin names will be most useful to you in finding uncommon plants.  An excellent reference book for perennials is Perennials: The Definite Reference With Over 2,500 Photographs by Roger Phillips & Martyn Rix.

Aconitum (Monkshood): many species

Actaea pachypoda (Doll's Eyes) Actaea rubra (Red Baneberry): berries highly poisonous

Adiantum pedatum (Maidenhair Fern)

Alchemilla mollis (Lady's Mantle): for part shade, tolerates dryness

Anemone x hybrida (Japanese Anemone): tolerates dryness, spreads widely by stolons, Anemone nemorosa (Wood Anemone) Anemone sylvestris (Wood Anemone): spreads widely by stolons

Aruncus aethusifolius, Aruncus dioicus, Aruncus 'Horatio' (Goatsbeard): tolerates some dryness

Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’ (Japanese Painted Fern)

Achlys triphylla (Vanilla Leaf): tolerates some dryness

Astilbe (Ostrich Plume): several species & cultivars

Bergenia (Elephant Ears)

Blechnum spicant (Deer Fern): tolerates some dryness

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' (Bugloss)

Campanula latifolia, Campanula takesimana (Bellflower)

Cimicifuga (Bugbane)

Clintonia uniflora (Queen's Cup): & other species

Corydalis cava, Corydalis flexuosa, Corydalis scouleri (Corydalis)

Darmera peltata (Indian Rhubarb)

Deinanthe bifida, Deinanthe caerulea (Deinanthe)

Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman's Breeches) Dicentra eximia (Fringed Bleeding Heart) Dicentra spectabilis (Bleeding Heart, renamed Lamprocapnos spectabilis)

Diphylleia cymosa (Umbrella Leaf)

Digitalis purpurea (Foxglove): short-lived, but returns from seed

Doronicum (Leopard's Bane): several species for part shade

Dryopteris erythrosora (Autumn Fern): tolerates some dryness

Eomecon chionantha (Snow Poppy)

Epimedium (Bishop’s Hat): many species

Erythronium dens-canis (Dog-tooth Violet) Erythronium oregonum (Fawn Lily)

Euphorbia amygdaloides ‘Purpurea’ (Wood Spurge)

Gaultheria procumbens (Wintergreen)

Geranium 'Johnson's Blue' (Cranesbill) Geranium phaeum (Mourning Widow)

Glaucidium palmatum (Japanese Wood Poppy)

Hacquetia epipactis (Hacquetia): tolerates some dryness

Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' (Japanese Forest Grass): & other cultivars

Helleborus argutifolius (Corsican Hellebore): part shade, Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten Rose) Helleborus lividus, Helleborus x sternii (H argutifolius x H lividus): all tolerate dryness

Hepatica americana (Liverwort)

Heuchera americana: many cultivars, Heuchera micrantha 'Palace Purple' (Alumroot)

Hosta (Plantain Lily): many species & cultivars

Jeffersonia diphylla (Twinleaf): tolerates some dryness
Kirengeshoma palmata (Yellow Wax Bells)

Ligularia (Leopard Plant): many species

Liriope muscari (Lily Turf): tolerates dryness

Luzula sylvatica (Wood Rush)

Lysichiton americanus (Skunk Cabbage): for wet places

Meconopsis betonicifolia (Blue Himalayan Poppy): & other species

Milium effusum 'Aureum' (Golden Wood Millet)

Mitella breweri, Mitella diphylla (Miterwort)

Omphalodes cappadocica (Navelwort)

Petasites japonicus, Petasites palmatus (Coltsfoot): spreads widely by rhizomes

Podophyllum hexandrum, Podophyllum peltatum (May Apple)

Polygonatum odoratum (Solomon’s Seal): & other species

Polystichum munitum (Western Sword Fern): tolerates dryness, Polystichum polyblepharum (Tassel Fern) Polystichum setiferum (Soft Shield Fern)

Primula (Primrose): many species & cultivars

Pulmonaria (Lungwort): many cultivars

Rodgersia podophylla (Rodgersia): & other species

Saruma henryi (Saruma)

Smilacina racemosa (False Solomon’s Seal): tolerates some dryness

Tellima grandiflora (Fringecup): tolerates some dryness

Thalictrum aquilegifolium (Meadow Rue): for light shade

Tiarella wherryi (Foam Flower)

Tolmiea menziesii (Piggyback Plant)

Tricyrtis (Toad Lily): several species & cultivars

Triosteum pinnatifidum (White Feverwort): tolerates some dryness

Trillium (Wake Robin, Toad Shade): many species

Uvularia grandiflora (Merry Bells)

Viola sempervirens (Pioneer Violet)