It can be difficult to find plants that will thrive, never mind just survive, in dry shade. Successful establishment depends on several factors.
These include good ground preparation and correct choice of plants. It is relatively easy to cultivate soil in a new planting area, but more difficult if there are well established trees with an extensive root system that limits cultivation.
Types of dry shade
Free draining sandy soil in the shade can present problems and offer opportunities. Sandy soils are always free draining and nutrient poor. Initial soil improvement with a deep layer of moisture retaining materials such as homemade compost is to be recommended. This may be an open but shaded site, or it may have added complications such as the presence of trees.
Sandy soils can also be warmer than clay soils and less of a problem in cold winters as there is less moisture in the soil. This in turn offers the opportunity to grow less hardy plants, particularly for those living in the south of the country.
Trees can dry out soils can cause shade on almost any type of soil and this needs to be taken into account when choosing plants.
Wind tunnels alongside buildings, walls and fences can also make it difficult for some plants to thrive, particularly those with larger leaves, plants like Acer palmatum can suffer leaf burn in shady windswept areas.
Once planted, it is essential subjects are kept adequately watered at least for the first growing season and possibly longer in areas of competition from other factors such as large, well established trees. Applying a damp mulch is also beneficial.
List of plants for dry shade
Dry shade loving Trees
Ilex aquifolium (Holly)
Taxus baccata (Yew)
Dry shade loving shrubs
Aucuba japonica
Buxus sempervirens (box)
Danae racemosa (poets laurel)
Daphne laureolaElaeagnus x ebbingei
Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’ AGM
Hydrangea aspera macrophylla
Kerria japonica
Lonicera pileata
Mahonia aquifolium especially M a. 'Apollo' AGM
Mahonia eurybracteata ‘Soft Caress’ (a new woodland bearberry)
Nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo)
Osmanthus decorus
Pachysandra terminalis
Rubus cockbunianus ‘Golden Vale’
Rubus tricolour
Ruscus aculeatus (butcher broom)
Sarococca confusa (Chinese box)
Vinca minor
Vinca minor 'Argenteovariegata' AGM
Vinca minor f.alba 'Gertrude Jekyll' AGM
Ferns for dry shade
Asplenium scolopendrium (harts tongue fern)
Ceterach officinarum (rusty black fern)
Dryopteris filix-mas AGM
Polystichum polyblepharum (Japanese tassel fern)
Polystichum setiferum (soft shield fern)
Polystichum tsussimense (Korean rock fern)
Polypodium vulgare (common polypody)
Perennials for dry shade
Acanthus mollis (bear’s breeches)
Acanthus spinosus (spiny bear’s breeches)
Actea pachypoda (white baneberry)
Actea rubra (red baneberry)
Ajuga reptans (bugleweed)
Asarum arifolium (arrowhead ginger)
Asarum europaeum (european ginger)
Alchemilla mollis
Anemone xhybrida (A. hupehensis var japonica) (Japanese or woodland anemone)
Aquilegia vulgaris 'Munstead White' AGM
Aster divaricatus (white wood aster)
Bergenia cordifolia especially B. c. ‘Overture’ AGM, B. ‘c. Eric Smithii has blood red winter foliage
Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' AGM and other cultivars (Siberian Bugloss)
Carex 'Ice Dance' (a creeping sedge for dry shade)
Dicentra formosa, D. ‘Langtrees’, D. spectabilis AGM, D. ‘Stuart Boothman’ AGM (Bleeding Heart)
Digitalis (foxglove)
Epimedium x perralchicum AGM (barrenwort or bishops mitre)
Epimedium pinnatum subs. Colchicum
Epimedium x rubrum AGM
Epimedium x versicolor 'Sulphureum'
Epimedium x youngianum 'Niveum'
Euphorbia amygdaloides var robbiae AGM (Wood Spurge)
Geranium himalayense
Geranium macrorrhizum 'White-Ness' AGM
Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Bevans‘ AGM
Geranium macrorrhizum 'Mount Olympus White' AGM
Geranium macrorrhizum 'Pindus'
Geranium nodosum
Geranium phaeum 'Album' (Good insect pollinator plant)
Geranium sylvaticum 'Amy Doncaster'
Gillenia trifoliata AGM (bowman’s root)
Hosta species (green leaved are most successful followed by blue leaves cultivars)
Helleborus foetidus
Heuchera especially H.'Regina' AGM
Iris foetidissima AGM (Gladwin’s Iris or stinking iris)
Lamium macculatum ‘Beacon Silver’, L. m. ‘White Nancy’
Liriope muscari 'Big Blue'
Kirengeshoma palmate
Omphalodes cappadocica 'Cherry Ingram' AGM
Ophiopogon species
Phlox divaricata (woodland phlox)
Phlox stolonifera (creeping phlox)
Polygonatun odoratum (solomon's seal)
Primula vulgaris subsp. Sibthorpii
Pulmonaria saccharata (bethlehem sage)
Pulmonaria 'Cotton Cool'
Saxifraga stolonifera
Symphytum grandiflorum
Tellima grandiflora 'Forest Frost'
Tiarella 'Pink Skyrocket', T. 'Sugar and Spice' (foam flower)
Uvularia grandiflora (bellwort)
Viola species inc. V. labradorica
Waldstinia ternata
Bulbs for dry shade
Anemone blanda (wood anemone)
Anemone nemorosa 'Robinsoniana' (wood anemone)
Convallaria majalis (lily of the valley)
Cyclamen coum (Ashwood nurseries specialize in many good forms of C. coum
Cyclamen hederifolium (ivy leaved cyclamen)
Galanthus nivalis (snowdrop)
Ranunculus ficaria (celandine)
Grasses for dry shade
Anemanthele seems to thrive in all forms of dry shade.
Anemanthele lessoniana (was Stipa arundinacea) excellent in driest of shade
Carex several including; muskingumensis, pendula
Chasmanthium latifolium
Hakonechloa
Holcus mollis ‘Albovariegatus’
Luzula sylvatica 'Hohe Tatra' (high tatra woodrush)
Milium effusum ‘Aureum’ (wood millet)
Ophiopogon planiscapus
Climbers for shade
Cissus striata
Hedera colchica ‘Dentata Variegata’ (bullock’s heart ivy)
Parthenocissus tricuspidata AGM
The information given in this Fact Sheet is provided in good faith. It is however of necessity general information and advice on the topic. Howard Drury will not be under any liability in respect of the provision of such advice and information, and you are strongly advised to seek independent advice on any particular gardening problems or queries you may have, preferably from experts who can (when appropriate) inspect the problem before providing advice.
© 2022. This material has been produced by Howard Drury and must not be reproduced in part or full without the written consent of Howard Drury, Kings Heath, Birmingham B13 0SJ.
JHD/06/04/2022
