Shade Gardening in Zone 7: A Comprehensive Guide to Plants that Thrive in the Shadows

Shade Gardening in Zone 7: A Guide to Plants that Thrive in the Shadows

Zone 7 is known for its hot, humid summers and mild winters, making it a great place to grow a variety of shade-loving plants. Whether you’re looking for plants with interesting foliage, beautiful flowers, or both, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Foliage Interest

If you’re looking for plants that will add a touch of color and texture to your shady garden, there are many great options to choose from.

• American alumroot (Heuchera americana) is a popular choice for its attractive foliage, which comes in a variety of colors, including purple, red, and silver. It’s also a relatively low-maintenance plant, making it a good choice for beginners.
• Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior) is another low-maintenance plant that’s known for its tough, leathery leaves. It’s a great choice for shady areas that receive little sunlight.
• Hosta (Hosta spp.) is a classic shade-loving plant that comes in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Hostas are known for their large, heart-shaped leaves, which come in a variety of colors, including green, blue, and variegated.
• Royal fern (Osmunda regalis) is a stately fern that adds a touch of elegance to any shady garden. It has large, showy fronds that can grow up to 6 feet tall.
• Gray’s sedge (Carex grayi) is a low-growing sedge that forms dense clumps of narrow, gray-green leaves. It’s a good choice for groundcover or edging.
• Galax (Galax urceolata) is a small, evergreen plant with attractive, heart-shaped leaves. It’s a good choice for shady areas that receive little sunlight.

Flowering Plants

If you’re looking for plants that will add a splash of color to your shady garden, there are many great flowering plants to choose from.

• Pineapple lily (Eucomis autumnalis) is a unique and eye-catching flower that produces long stalks topped with striking flower clusters that look like miniature pineapples. The flowers come in shades of pink, purple, white, or green.
• Japanese Anemone (Anemone x hybrida) is a popular shade-loving plant that produces masses of daisy-like flowers in late summer and fall. The flowers come in a variety of colors, including white, pink, and purple.
• Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) is a deciduous shrub that produces fragrant, white flowers in early summer. The flowers are followed by attractive seedpods that persist into winter.
• Columbine (Aquilegia spp.) is a delicate and graceful plant that produces nodding flowers in a variety of colors, including blue, purple, pink, and white.
• Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema dracontium) is a unique and fascinating plant that produces a single, hooded flower in early spring. The flower is followed by a cluster of bright red berries.
• Solomon’s Plume (Smilacina racemosa) is a graceful fern-like plant that produces clusters of white flowers in early summer. The flowers are followed by attractive red berries.
• Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) is a classic shade-loving plant that produces fragrant, bell-shaped flowers in early spring. The flowers are followed by attractive red berries.
• Lenten Rose (Helleborus spp.) is a winter-blooming plant that produces showy flowers in a variety of colors, including white, pink, and purple.

Shrubs

If you’re looking for shrubs that will add structure and interest to your shady garden, there are many great options to choose from.

• Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is a deciduous shrub that produces large clusters of white flowers in late spring or early summer. The flowers gradually turn pink in late summer, and the large leaves turn a wonderful reddish purple color in the fall.
• Azaleas (Rhododendron spp.) are a classic choice for shady gardens, and they come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. Azaleas prefer acidic soil, so it’s important to amend the soil before planting.
• Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) is a deciduous shrub that produces fragrant, yellow flowers in early spring. The flowers are followed by attractive red berries.
• Mapleleaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) is a deciduous shrub that produces clusters of white flowers in late spring. The flowers are followed by attractive blue-black berries.
• Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is an evergreen shrub that produces clusters of pink or white flowers in late spring. Mountain laurels prefer acidic soil, so it’s important to amend the soil before planting.
• Ogon spiraea (Spiraea thunbergii) is a deciduous shrub that produces clusters of white flowers in early summer. The leaves turn a brilliant yellow in the fall.

No matter what your needs are, there are plenty of shade-loving plants to choose from for your zone 7 garden. With a little planning, you can create a beautiful and thriving garden that will provide you with years of enjoyment.