Gardening beneath the canopy of mature trees can present unique challenges. The shade and competition for nutrients from the tree roots can make it difficult for many plants to thrive.
However, with the right selection of plants that grow well under trees, you can transform these shaded areas into vibrant and beautiful spaces.
These specially chosen plants are uniquely adapted to flourish in low-light conditions, adding color, texture, and life to your garden without the constant need for maintenance.
I’ve curated a list of 27 stunning plants that excel in shaded environments, ensuring your garden remains lush and lively even under the shelter of your favorite trees.
Each plant is carefully selected for its ability to thrive in such conditions, providing a diverse and attractive landscape year after year.
Still here? Let’s get to it!
1. Hydrangeas
US Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Hydrangeas are renowned for their beautiful, large flowers that can change color based on soil pH. These plants thrive in partial shade and prefer consistently moist soil, making them ideal for planting beneath trees. Hydrangeas ensure a new crop each year, adding continuous beauty to your shaded garden areas.
2. Columbines (Aquilegia)
US Hardiness Zone: 4-8
Columbines are delicate flowers that can transform your shaded garden into a picturesque landscape. Available in various colors, Columbines offer versatility for any occasion or mood.
These plants thrive under trees, providing bold and beautiful blooms each season. Their intricate, spurred flowers attract hummingbirds, adding life and movement to your garden.
3. Snowberries (Symphoricarpos)
US Hardiness Zone: 4-8
The Snowberry shrubs are stunning and often overlooked plants that produce beautiful white flowers in the spring and juicy globular berries in early fall.
Perfect for planting beneath trees, Snowberries provide a reliable food source when other plants may not fruit. The Magic Berry Snowberry variety offers magenta-colored fruit, adding a unique twist to your garden.
4. Primroses
US Hardiness Zone: 3-9
Primroses are among the first flowers to appear in spring, boasting cheerful yellow petals that brighten up any shaded area.
These native plants add beauty for months under a tree, with their stunning colors standing out beautifully against green foliage.
Primroses are easy to grow and ensure a persistent display of vibrant blooms each year with minimal effort.
5. Lamiums (Dead Nettles)
US Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Lamiums are excellent groundcover choices for planting beneath trees. With their dense green leaves and delicate blooms in pink, purple, or white, Lamiums not only add color but also suppress weeds naturally.
These versatile plants thrive in partial shade and can be used as vertical space-saving elements in your garden design or as floral borders around containers.
6. Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum tectorum)
US Hardiness Zone: 3-11
Hens and Chicks are renowned for their ability to thrive in shaded areas, making them ideal for planting under trees.
These succulent plants are hardy in zones 3-11 and are one of the few succulent species that can handle shade.
Hens and Chicks create beautiful and resilient groundcovers that enhance any shaded garden space.
7. Hostas
US Hardiness Zone: 3-9
Hostas are beloved for their lush foliage and ease of growth, making them perfect for beginners. With hundreds of varieties available, Hostas offer a range of leaf colors and patterns to suit any garden style.
These hardy plants thrive in shaded areas and provide a rich, green backdrop that enhances the beauty of your garden beneath the trees.
8. Lysimachias (Loosestrifes)
US Hardiness Zone: 4-8
Lysimachias, commonly known as loosestrifes, are beautiful groundcover plants known for their stunning flowers.
Available in various colors, including yellow and blue stripes, Lysimachias add a splash of color to your shaded garden areas. These plants ensure a persistent and attractive presence beneath your trees.
9. Mountain Laurels (Kalmia latifolia)
US Hardiness Zone: 4-8
Mountain Laurels are broadleaf evergreen shrubs that thrive in zones four through nine. Known for their multiple flower colors, including pink and white blooms, Mountain Laurels add elegance and structure to your shaded garden areas.
These plants ensure a consistent and attractive presence year after year.
10. Begonias
US Hardiness Zone: 7-11
Begonias are favorites among gardeners who want to add eye-catching color during the winter months. Available in a wide range of colors, including yellow, pink, white, and orange, Begonias thrive in partial shade and provide vibrant garden spaces even in cooler seasons.
11. Bergenias
US Hardiness Zone: 3-8
Bergenias boast impressive growth patterns, making them excellent groundcovers under trees. With their gorgeous green leaves, colorful flowers, and clumpy growth habits, Bergenias enliven any shaded area.
These resilient plants ensure your garden remains vibrant and full of life throughout the growing season.
12. Sedums (Stonecrops)
US Hardiness Zone: 3-9
Sedums, or stonecrops, are succulents that grow well beneath trees. With over 600 different species available, Sedums offer a variety of forms and colors to suit any garden design.
These plants provide low-maintenance and attractive groundcovers that complement the shaded environment.
13. Impatiens
US Hardiness Zone: 9-11
You Should Know: Impatiens are excellent plants for planting under trees, offering vibrant colors and thriving in deep shade.
Although they are annuals and must be replanted each year, their ability to provide continuous color and their adaptability make them valuable additions to any shaded garden.
Regular watering and care ensure their continuous presence beneath your trees.
14. Milkweed (Asclepias)
US Hardiness Zone: 3-9
Milkweed is an ideal plants for attracting pollinators, particularly monarch butterflies. These flowering herbs provide crucial habitats for monarch larvae and offer beautiful splashes of color along with heavenly scents that both humans and wildlife can enjoy.
Milkweeds ensure vibrant and lively gardens beneath your trees.
15. Azaleas and Rhododendrons
US Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Azaleas and Rhododendrons are closely related shrubs that thrive in shaded environments with acidic soils.
They require a pH between 4.4 – 6 and consistent moisture to produce their colorful foliage. These plants ensure continuous displays of vibrant blooms each year, enhancing the beauty of your shaded garden areas.
16. Foam Flowers (Tiarella)
US Hardiness Zone: 3-9
Foam Flowers are perfect additions to any shaded garden. These delicate plants produce beautiful flowers and thrive for years without slowing down.
If you want them back each season, they can easily be trimmed and will maintain their presence beneath your trees effortlessly.
17. Alpine Currants (Ribes alpinum)
US Hardiness Zone: 3-7
Alpine Currants are unique, fruit-bearing shrubs that can thrive in extremely cold climates (as low as USDA zone three).
This makes them excellent candidates for growing beneath your favorite trees, where they can provide both beauty and reliable food sources. Alpine Currants ensure robust and fruitful garden spaces year after year.
18. Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra spectabilis)
US Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Bleeding Hearts are striking perennials that add a touch of romance to any shaded garden.
With their unique, heart-shaped flowers in shades of pink and white, Bleeding Hearts thrive in partial to full shade, making them perfect for planting under trees.
These plants ensure graceful and continuous displays of blooms each spring.
19. Magnolia Shrubs
US Hardiness Zone: 6-9
Magnolia shrubs offer beautiful, fragrant flowers and an extra long blooming season, making them stunning additions to any shaded garden.
These plants thrive in zones six through nine and can survive winters without leaves, maintaining their woody stems for year-round interest.
Magnolia shrubs ensure consistent and impressive displays in your garden.
20. Mock Oranges (Philadelphus)
US Hardiness Zone: 5-9
Mock Oranges are perfect additions to any garden with their fragrant white flowers and dark green leaves. Blooming for about two weeks each year, Mock Oranges fill your space with citrus-like scents and vibrant blooms.
These plants prefer partial shade and ensure delightful and aromatic presences beneath your trees.
21. Japanese Forest Grasses (Hakonechloa macra)
US Hardiness Zone: 6-10
Japanese Forest Grasses are graceful, ornamental grasses that thrive in shaded areas. Their arching green or variegated leaves add movement and softness to your garden, while their ability to tolerate low light makes them perfect for planting under trees.
Japanese Forest Grasses provide beautiful contrasts to other shade-loving plants, enhancing the overall aesthetic of your garden.
22. Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)
US Hardiness Zone: 3-8
Sweet Woodruff is a fragrant groundcover that thrives in shaded areas. Its tiny white flowers and whorled leaves create charming carpets under trees, while its pleasant scent adds an aromatic element to your garden.
Sweet Woodruff is low-maintenance and spreads easily, making it excellent for covering large shaded areas.
23. Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)
US Hardiness Zone: 3-9
Bluebells are enchanting flowers that create stunning carpets of blue in shaded gardens. These perennial plants thrive in partial to full shade and ensure continuous and beautiful displays each spring.
Bluebells are perfect for adding a touch of elegance and color to your garden beneath the trees.
24. Ferns (Various Species)
US Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Ferns are classic choices for shaded gardens, offering lush greenery and intricate fronds that add texture and depth to your garden design.
They thrive in moist, shaded environments and are low-maintenance once established. Ferns provide serene and timeless beauty, enhancing the natural feel of your shaded garden areas.
25. Toad Lilies (Tricyrtis)
US Hardiness Zone: 5-9
Toad Lilies are exotic-looking perennials that bring unusual beauty to shaded gardens. With their intricate, orchid-like flowers in various colors,
Toad Lilies thrive in partial to full shade, making them excellent choices for planting under trees. These plants ensure unique and captivating displays of blooms each year, adding diversity to your shaded garden areas.
26. Japanese Andromedas (Pieris Japonica)
US Hardiness Zone: 5-8
Japanese Andromedas, also known as Pieris Japonica, are beautiful shrubs native to the mountains of Japan, China, and Taiwan.
Preferring full sun to light shade, Japanese Andromedas thrive in zones five through eight and provide evergreen foliage along with early spring blooms, adding year-round interest to your shaded garden spaces.
27. Climbing Hydrangeas (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris)
US Hardiness Zone: 5-9
Climbing Hydrangeas are versatile climbers that add vertical interest to shaded gardens. Their large, white flowers bloom in summer, and they can climb trellises, fences, or trees, making them ideal for creating lush, shaded structures.
Climbing Hydrangeas ensure continuous beauty and provide a stunning backdrop in any shaded garden area.
Why Grow Plants Under Tress, Anyway?
Incorporating plants that grow well under trees into your garden offers numerous advantages, making shaded gardening a more manageable and rewarding experience. These plants provide a cost-effective and low-maintenance approach to landscaping while enhancing the ecosystem by supporting diverse species.
Cost-Effective Landscaping
One of the primary benefits of plants that grow well under trees is their cost-effectiveness. Once planted, these plants often require minimal maintenance and can thrive without the need for frequent replacements.
This not only reduces costs but also saves frequent trips to the garden center. Additionally, these plants can quickly fill garden spaces, minimizing the need for additional plants and further cutting down on expenses. For gardeners on a budget, this is an excellent way to achieve a lush and vibrant garden without breaking the bank.
Low Maintenance Gardening
Gardening can be labor-intensive, but plants that grow well under trees significantly reduce the workload.
These plants require less attention once they’re established, as they have adapted to thrive in shaded environments with minimal intervention. The natural resilience of these plants eliminates the need for repetitive planting, saving you time and effort each season.
Moreover, plants that grow well under trees are often hardy and adaptable, thriving in various conditions without the need for constant watering or soil amendments. This makes them an ideal choice for those who love a beautiful garden but have limited time for maintenance.
Promotes Biodiversity
Plants that grow well under trees play a crucial role in promoting biodiversity within your garden. By growing and spreading naturally, they support a wide range of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
This not only benefits the plants themselves but also enhances the overall health of the garden ecosystem. Many of these plants are native species, well-suited to the local environment and providing essential food and habitat for native wildlife.
By incorporating a diverse range of plants that grow well under trees, you create a dynamic and lively garden environment that attracts a variety of birds, insects, and other wildlife, fostering a robust and thriving ecosystem.
How to Encourage Plants That Grow Well Under Trees
Encouraging plants that grow well under trees involves selecting the right species, ensuring appropriate soil conditions, and applying proper watering techniques. Here are some tips to help you cultivate a thriving shaded garden:
Choosing the Right Plants
Selecting plants known for their ability to thrive in shaded environments is crucial for a successful garden under trees.
Perennials such as Hostas, Lamiums, and Ferns are excellent choices due to their adaptability and resilience. Native varieties are often beneficial, as they are better adapted to local conditions and require less maintenance.
Mixing these plants throughout your garden beds can ensure a continuous bloom cycle throughout the seasons, enhancing the overall beauty and resilience of your garden.
Optimal Soil Conditions
Soil plays a vital role in the success of plants that grow well under trees. The soil should be well-draining yet capable of retaining enough moisture to support plant growth.
Incorporating compost into the soil can enrich it, providing a nutrient-rich environment that encourages healthy growth.
Additionally, mulching around the base of plants can help retain moisture and suppress weeds, creating an ideal environment for your shaded garden plants to thrive.
Proper Watering Techniques
Watering is essential, especially during the initial growth phase of plants that grow well under trees. Consistent and moderate watering helps plants establish strong roots and thrive in shaded conditions.
It’s best to water early in the morning to minimize evaporation and reduce the risk of fungal issues. Avoiding overwatering is crucial, as it can lead to root rot and other diseases.
By maintaining a balanced watering routine, you can ensure the healthy growth and natural spread of your shaded garden plants.
Managing Plants That Grow Well Under Trees
While plants that grow well under trees are excellent for creating a lush and dynamic garden, it’s important to manage their growth to prevent overcrowding and maintain the beauty of your garden. Here are some strategies to maintain a balanced and beautiful garden:
Avoiding Overcrowding
Plants that grow well under trees can sometimes spread more aggressively than anticipated, leading to overcrowding in your garden.
To prevent this, regularly thin out the plants to ensure that each one has enough space to grow strong and healthy without competing for resources.
Strategic planting from the beginning, with appropriate spacing, can also help control the spread of these plants. Additionally, using mulch around the base of plants can help limit the spread and keep the garden neat and organized.
Pruning and Trimming
Regular pruning and trimming of plants that grow well under trees can help maintain their shape and encourage healthy growth.
Removing dead or diseased parts of the plants ensures that they remain attractive and vibrant.
Pruning also helps to control the size and spread of the plants, preventing them from overwhelming the shaded area. This not only keeps your garden looking tidy but also promotes better air circulation and light penetration, benefiting all plants in the area.
Conclusion
Incorporating plants that grow well under trees into your garden is a wonderful way to achieve a beautiful, vibrant, and ever-changing landscape with minimal effort.
These resilient plants not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of your yard but also support a healthy ecosystem by attracting pollinators and promoting biodiversity.
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, plants that grow well under trees offer a low-maintenance and cost-effective solution to creating a flourishing garden that thrives year after year. Embrace the natural beauty and adaptability of these plants, and enjoy the effortless charm they bring to your shaded outdoor spaces.