I haven't met an experienced gardener yet who has not tried at one time or another to push the boundaries in landscape gardening with some plant or other...that's part of the fun and challenge of gardening. But, when starting out in gardening - when any failure with a plant can be a disastrous heartbreaker - concentrating on plants that will grow in one's specific growing environmental conditions (climate, soils, etc.) is a wise idea. Success is more assured and nothing is more encouraging to new gardeners (or anyone, for that matter) than success.
That means finding the right plant(s) for each growing conditions. The following is a listing of numerous plants that perform well under various shade conditions in our Upper Gulf Coast area.
AGERATUM, NATIVE BLUE (Eupatorium coelestinm) Valuable for hardiness and adaptability with a display of fluffy autumn leaves. Blooms clusters of fuzzy blue flowers in fall. Grows in practically any soil or exposure, but does best with at least a half day of direct sunlight. A native of Texas and the Gulf South. Grows 2' to 3' tall.
ANGELONIA, HILO PRINCESS (Angelonia "Hilo Princess") Soft stemmed perennial with upright growth habit. Bears showy long narrow racemes of purple or pink flowers in summer. Reaches 12-18 inches. Moist, well drained fertile soil in Full Sun to Part Shade.
ARGENTINE STAR GRASS (Hypoxis) A clumping iris grass-like evergreen perennial that blooms one-inch yellow star shaped flowers, spring to fall. Grows about 12" tall & wide. Sun or Part Shade.
BANANA MAGNOLIA TREE (Michelia fuscata) Fragrant creamy white flower with a slight magnolia fragrance. Large, lustrous, dark green leaves on a fairly fast growing 18' tree. Produces beautiful 3" magnolia type flowers in spring. Likes moist, well-drained soil. Can create a beautiful tall, thick screen with pruning, if desired. Part Shade or Sun.
BARBADOS CHERRY, DWARF (Malpighia glabra nana) A unique and colorful native shrub with small pink and white flowers in spring, late summer and fall, then producing an abundance of red cherry-like fruit. Evergreen in mild winters. Grows 3-4 feet tall. Sun or Part Shade and good drainage. Excellent for beach planting.
AMERICAN BEAUTYBERRY (Callicarpa americana) A deciduous shrub, averaging 6' with bright purple or white berries in fall at the leaf junctions the length of the branches. Prune each year since berries form on new growth. Grows in Sun or Part Shade. Great for fall and winter color. Birds like the berries. In spring, small feathery flowers along the branches.
CHINESE BEAUTYBERRY, WHITE (Callicarpa dichotima "Shirobano" white) White berries in fall. Has a more refinedlook to the plant than the American variety. A 4-5' plant. Has upright arching stems. Sun or Part Shade.
BEE BALM (Monarda dydima) Marshall's Delight. Bushy 2-3' perennial topped by tight clusters of pink or red tubular flowers throughout the summer. The foliage has a pleasant fragrance, like a blend of mint and basil. Sun or Part Shade. Hummingbirds!!!
BUDDLEIA (Buddleia davidii) Large deciduous shrub (4' tall) with long fragrant flower trusses from spring until first frost. A must for cut flowers & butterflies. Fragrant! Thrives in full sun or part shade in moist soils. Responds to pruning with thicker growth and more flowers. Also known as Butterfly Shrub. Comes in many colors. Varieties: Dark Knight, Dubonnet, Pink Delight, Royal Red, White Profusion & Lockinch.
TANGERINE BULBINE (Bulbine sp.) Foliage is more refined and forms tighter clumps than the Yellow Bulbine. Flower is a soft tangerine. Does well in containers. Prefers full sun to light shade. Must have good drainage. Grows to 12" with flower spikes rising 12" to 18" above foliage. In mild winters, Bulbine has been known to bloom all year.
BUTTONFLOWER, BLUE BRAZILIAN An unbelievable blooming tender perennial spring to fall. An 18" mounding plant covered with one-inch pin-cushiony blue flowers. Sun or Part Shade. Butterflies.
BUTTONBUSH, CHINESE Large upright shrub with beautiful, small, dark, green, glossy foliage and very unique clear-white "ball" flowers. Grows 6-8' tall in sun or part shade. It is deciduous, (i.e., drops its leaves in winter).
CAT WHISKERS (Orthosiphon staminens) Super showy! A sometimes tender, shrubby "mint" with terminal lavender-purple or white flowers constantly in bloom! The flowers have long stamens like a cat's whiskers. It grows 3'-4' and prefers part shade. The white shows up beautifully in shady conditions! Responds well to heavy pruning. Comes back fuller & more colorful. Attracts butterflies.
CELOSIA, "PINK ROCKET" (Celosia "Pink Rocket") A beautiful reseeding annual with dark green-burgundy foliage topped with long pink bottle brush type-flowers almost constantly! Sun or Part Shade. 3-4' tall. Responds well to pruning.
CESTRUM (Solanaceae) Clusters of showy, yellow tubular flowers, late spring to fall. Flowers and fruit attract birds, including hummingbirds. Fast growing. May freeze back in heavy frosts, but recovers quickly. Responds well to pruning and regular watering . Sun or Part Shade.
CHENILLE, FIRETAIL (Acalypha pendula) An unusual and very attractive groundcover for Part Shade. Slowly carpets the ground and is covered with long crimson flower tassels through the summer. Is cold hardy in most of our winters. Grows 3-6" tall. Also makes great hanging baskets.
CHINESE FRINGE TREE (Chionanthus retusus) Ornamental tree covered with clusters of fringy white flowers in March. Fast growing attractive small tree with sculptured trunk. Part Shade or Sun. Good drainage. Moderate water. In bloom, this is a magnificent tree. 20' tall.
CHRYSANTHEMUM PACIFICUM (Chrysanthemum pacificum) Gold and silver chrysanthemum. Semi-trailing and semi-shrubby, with stems to 2-3' densely clad in lobed, dark green leaves apparently edged white (woolly white undersides show at edges). Broad clusters of yellow flowers appear in fall; lacking rays, they resemble clustered brass buttons. In mild winter regions, you may cut back after bloom. In hot climates, provide shade from afternoon sun. Don't plant near large trees or hedges with invasive roots.
SCARLET CLERODENDRON (Clerodendron speciosissimum) An extremely showy semi-woody upright perennial with huge, dark glossy green heart-shaped leaves up to 1' in diameter. Outstanding flowers. Up to 1-1/2' tall scarlet pyramidal panicles. Blooms summer & fall. Best in moist, fertile well-drained soil, partial shade. Butterflies & Hummers. Must have afternoon shade! Grows 6-8' tall.