GrowingHQ

Plants for dry shade

The hardest position in a garden — under a mature tree, or against a north wall with a roof overhang — and the one most planting advice quietly ignores by recommending things that need moisture.

How this list was built

Generated from the catalogue by the same engine that powers What can I grow? — 46 of the 223 plants qualify. It is published because it names a question people ask, returns enough plants to be useful, does not return most of the group it is about, and rests on fields that are actually populated. Lists that fail any of those are on the coverage page instead.

46 plants
PlantTypeLightSpacingMin. pot depthIn a container
EpimediumEpimedium × versicolorOrnamentalStraightforwardDappled shade, Full shade, Partial shade30–45 cm30 cmworkable
Hardy cyclamenCyclamen hederifoliumOrnamentalStraightforwardDappled shade, Full shade, Partial shade15–20 cm15 cmwell suited
AglaonemaAglaonema commutatumHouseplantStraightforwardDappled shade, Full shade—18 cmwell suited
Christmas boxSarcococca confusaOrnamentalStraightforwardFull shade, Dappled shade, Partial shade75–100 cm40 cmwell suited
CotoneasterCotoneaster horizontalisOrnamentalStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade, Dappled shade120–180 cm50 cmworkable
DaffodilNarcissusOrnamentalStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade, Dappled shade10–15 cm25 cmwell suited
Dragon treeDracaena marginataHouseplantStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade—25 cmwell suited
FirethornPyracantha coccineaOrnamentalStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade, Dappled shade120–200 cm70 cmmarginal
Golden-scaled male fernDryopteris affinisOrnamentalStraightforwardFull shade, Dappled shade, Partial shade80–100 cm40 cmworkable
Grape hyacinthMuscari armeniacumOrnamentalStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade, Dappled shade8–10 cm15 cmwell suited
Hard shield fernPolystichum aculeatumOrnamentalStraightforwardFull shade, Dappled shade, Partial shade50–70 cm30 cmwell suited
Hardy geraniumGeranium × oxonianumOrnamentalStraightforwardPartial shade, Full sun, Dappled shade45–60 cm35 cmworkable
HollyIlex aquifoliumTree or shrubStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade, Dappled shade, Full shade50–400 cm100 cmworkable
IvyHedera helixOrnamentalStraightforwardFull shade, Dappled shade, Partial shade, Full sun100–200 cm50 cmworkable
MahoniaMahonia × mediaOrnamentalStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade, Full shade150–250 cm40 cmmarginal
Maidenhair spleenwortAsplenium trichomanesOrnamentalStraightforwardFull shade, Dappled shade15–25 cm15 cmwell suited
Male fernDryopteris filix-masOrnamentalStraightforwardFull shade, Dappled shade, Partial shade60–90 cm35 cmworkable
OsmanthusOsmanthus × burkwoodiiOrnamentalStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade, Dappled shade75–150 cm60 cmworkable
PeriwinkleVinca minorOrnamentalStraightforwardFull shade, Dappled shade, Partial shade, Full sun45–60 cm25 cmworkable
PothosEpipremnum aureumHouseplantStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade, Full shade—15 cmwell suited
Snake plantDracaena trifasciataHouseplantStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade, Dappled shade, Full shade—15 cmwell suited
SnowdropGalanthus nivalisOrnamentalStraightforwardDappled shade, Partial shade, Full shade8–10 cm20 cmworkable
Spider plantChlorophytum comosumHouseplantStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade—15 cmwell suited
Virginia creeperParthenocissus quinquefoliaOrnamentalStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade, Dappled shade300–500 cm70 cmmarginal
YewTaxus baccataTree or shrubStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade, Dappled shade, Full shade50–400 cm120 cmworkable
ZZ plantZamioculcas zamiifoliaHouseplantStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade, Full shade—18 cmwell suited
Chinese money plantPilea peperomioidesHouseplantStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade—12 cmwell suited
Christmas cactusSchlumbergera × buckleyiHouseplantSome care neededPartial shade, Dappled shade—12 cmwell suited
Evergreen climbing hydrangeaPileostegia viburnoidesOrnamentalSome care neededFull shade, Dappled shade, Partial shade150–250 cm50 cmmarginal
FatsiaFatsia japonicaOrnamentalStraightforwardFull shade, Dappled shade, Partial shade150–250 cm40 cmwell suited
FoxgloveDigitalis purpureaOrnamentalStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade30–45 cm30 cmmarginal
Hart's tongue fernAsplenium scolopendriumOrnamentalStraightforwardFull shade, Dappled shade35–50 cm25 cmwell suited
Heartleaf philodendronPhilodendron hederaceumHouseplantStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade—15 cmwell suited
HelleboreHelleborus × hybridusOrnamentalStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade45–60 cm30 cmworkable
Henry's honeysuckleLonicera henryiOrnamentalStraightforwardFull shade, Dappled shade, Partial shade, Full sun200–300 cm50 cmworkable
HeucheraHeuchera villosaOrnamentalStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade, Full sun30–40 cm25 cmwell suited
Kentia palmHowea forsterianaHouseplantStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade—30 cmwell suited
Lemon balmMelissa officinalisHerbStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade, Dappled shade45–60 cm25 cmwell suited
MonsteraMonstera deliciosaHouseplantStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade—25 cmwell suited
Moth orchidPhalaenopsisHouseplantSome care neededPartial shade, Dappled shade—12 cmwell suited
Parlour palmChamaedorea elegansHouseplantStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade, Full shade—20 cmwell suited
PeperomiaPeperomiaHouseplantStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade—10 cmwell suited
Soft shield fernPolystichum setiferumOrnamentalStraightforwardFull shade, Dappled shade, Partial shade60–80 cm35 cmworkable
Swiss cheese vineMonstera adansoniiHouseplantStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade—15 cmwell suited
SyngoniumSyngonium podophyllumHouseplantStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade—15 cmwell suited
ViburnumViburnum tinusOrnamentalStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade, Dappled shade150–250 cm45 cmworkable