How to use this list
Perennials return each year, which makes them a good foundation for a shade garden. This list favors plants native to North America, since they usually support local wildlife best, and mentions a few popular non-natives where they come up so you can recognize them. Native ranges differ, so confirm a species suits your state before buying. For the bigger picture, see our native shade garden guide.
First, pin down your conditions:
- Light: deep shade, part shade, or morning sun with afternoon shade.
- Moisture: dry (often under trees), average, or moist.
- Hardiness zone: check your USDA zone against plant tags.
Perennials for dry shade
Dry shade is the hardest site. Tree roots take up water, and little rain reaches the soil. Options include:
- Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica): fine-textured, grass-like, forms a soft mat.
- Wild ginger (Asarum canadense): heart-shaped leaves, spreads slowly; often listed for both moist and dry shade.
- Hairy alumroot (Heuchera villosa) and American alumroot (Heuchera americana): mounding foliage with airy flower spikes.
- Golden ragwort (Packera aurea): yellow spring flowers, adaptable to a range of moisture.
- Barrenwort (Epimedium): a widely sold non-native groundcover that is often recommended for dry shade.
Perennials for moist shade
- Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia): white spring flower spikes and lobed leaves.
- Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica): nodding pink-to-blue flowers in spring, then dormant by summer.
- Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis): red summer flowers that attract hummingbirds; likes steady moisture.
- Goat’s beard (Aruncus dioicus): tall plumes of cream flowers.
- Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris): large, vase-shaped fronds.
Perennials for deep shade
Deep shade limits flowering, so rely on foliage and texture:
- Ferns, including Christmas fern and maidenhair fern
- Wild ginger
- Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum): arching stems with dangling flowers
- Bugbane or black cohosh (Actaea): tall late-season flower spikes
Hostas, hellebores and Japanese painted fern are common non-native deep-shade choices that you will see in most nurseries.
Perennials for part shade and morning sun
Plants that tolerate morning sun and afternoon shade are the most flexible group:
- Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis): red and yellow flowers, popular with hummingbirds.
- Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum): pink-lavender spring flowers.
- Woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata): fragrant spring carpet.
- Wild bleeding heart (Dicentra eximia): long-blooming pink flowers and ferny leaves.
- Green-and-gold (Chrysogonum virginianum): yellow star-shaped flowers.
Native grasses for shade
Most grasses want sun, but a few cope with shade. Sedges (Carex) are the most dependable. Northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) is another native that tolerates part shade. Expect them to be less vigorous than in full sun.
When to plant shade perennials
Fall is a good planting time in many regions because cooler weather and rain help roots settle. Spring also works. Whichever you choose, water regularly through the first season. Local conditions vary, so follow guidance from your regional extension office.
The 3-year perennial rule
The saying “sleep, creep, leap” describes a common pattern. In year one the plant focuses on roots and looks small; in year two it grows more; in year three it fills out. It is a rule of thumb rather than a guarantee, and shade perennials in particular can be slow. Avoid judging a plant too early.
Design tips
- Mix leaf shapes and sizes, such as ferns beside broad-leaved ginger.
- Layer bloom times so spring ephemerals are followed by summer and fall flowers.
- Group plants in drifts of three or five.
- Add shrubs for structure. Region-specific suggestions are in guides such as shade plants for Virginia and southern plants for shade.