Looking for a beautiful flowering shrub for shade? Consider Mahonia repens, Corydalis, or the Emerald n Gold Euonymus. These shrubs will bloom all year long and are low-maintenance. They rarely encounter pests or diseases. Another bonus: they are drought-resistant. You can learn more about these plants in this article. Here’s a list of some of my favorites:
Mahonia repens
The frost-hardy Mahonia repens flowering shrub will tolerate partial to full shade and has beautiful, deep yellow racemes in mid to late spring. The dark yellow flowers, which turn to black berries, are reminiscent of apricots. These low-growing plants can be planted in beds, shady areas, or as a ground cover. The plants typically grow one to two feet tall and wide.
The smallest mahonia species, Mahonia repens, will reach a height of around a foot and spread to about three feet. For best results, soak the root ball for at least a day before planting. Be sure to water the plant well and fertilize in spring to promote vigorous growth. Once established, Mahonia repens flowering shrub for shade does not require pruning. Its delicate, waxy berries will attract many pollinating insects.
Another Mahonia repens is a low-growing ornamental shrub native to the Pacific Northwest. It has large, holly-like leaves and dark blue berries. It also has deeply furrowed stems and will tolerate dry shade. Mahonia repens is also known as Oregon grape. These shrubs grow in partial and full shade and will thrive in most soils. In full sun, they will suffer.
Corydalis
The Corydalis flowering shrub is a great choice for those looking for an unusual, yet colorful, shade garden plant. Corydalis blooms are small, tubular, trumpet-shaped, and come in many shades from pink to white. They can survive in any type of soil and can survive in dappled shade, but they do not like the sun’s direct sunlight. The Corydalis is very easy to grow and requires a cool, moist location. In the early spring, you should add compost to the soil. And in late winter, you can add organic flower food to the soil.
If you are a fan of birds, you may want to consider growing a Corydalis in your garden. The corydalis flowering shrub has bird-like flowers and self-sows readily. It is also deer resistant and non-invasive. Corydalis is a great shade plant, and it’s also a great plant for butterflies, with over 400 species. Corydalis is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere and Asia, but its diversity is greatest in mountainous regions of northeast Africa.
If you are looking for a perennial shade plant, the Corydalis species are a good choice. These plants have lacy foliage and yellow or pinkish-purple flowers that bloom in late spring. While the Corydalis is somewhat finicky, it does well in the right location and can spread its leaves. ‘Blackberry Wine’ has a strikingly pink stem and flowers, while ‘Berry Exciting’ has yellow-leaf form.
Japanese kerria
When used as a feature shrub in the shade, the Japanese kerria offers colorful foliage and five-petaled flowers that appear throughout the summer. Once established, the plant leaves are toothed, and they do not develop color in the fall. The stems remain green throughout the winter and add additional interest to the landscape. Established Japanese kerria plants form clumps three to six feet wide, and are up to 8 feet tall.
Despite its cultivated beauty, the Japanese kerria is an underrated shade plant. The flowering shrub matures at around three feet tall and wide and has numerous zig-zag branches. The foliage is a bright yellow and the stems are pistachio-green, and the flowers are single or double. The Japanese kerria is an excellent choice for those seeking a shade-loving perennial plant.
Another great flowering shrub for shade is the golden guinea. This deciduous shrub will grow to eight to ten feet tall and about 240-300 cm wide. It will grow under tall trees and buildings. The yellow pompom-shaped blooms of the kerria attract butterflies. Golden guinea is adaptable to most soils, and you can prune it to keep it smaller.
Emerald n Gold Euonymus
‘Emerald n Gold’ is one of the many cultivars of the popular evergreen shrub Euonymus fortunei, and is known for its glossy leaves with yellow margins. The foliage is leathery, and the emerald flowers appear in late summer and early fall. The leaves are elliptic to ovate, with finely serrated margins. This Euonymus tolerates shade well, and the flowers are a vivid emerald green.
The Euonymus genus is home to many poisonous plants, including euonymus. Most species of Euonymus have no records of toxicity, but it is best not to consume the berries as they are poisonous to humans. Euonymus berries are also eaten by birds, who spread it to new plants. The spacing requirements for euonymus flowering shrub for shade vary by variety.
Despite its beauty, euonymus is notoriously prone to diseases and pests. While a healthy euonymus plant can withstand moderate pest pressure for several years, severe infestations may necessitate the removal of the plant. Damaged plants are infected with crown gall spores, which remain in the soil for a couple of years. To prevent crown gall, substitute another flowering shrub, such as a boxwood, holly, or barberry. Alternatively, if you have no existing Euonymus, try propagating it through stem cuttings.
PJMs
PJMs flowering shrubs have structures similar to those of small trees, but they’re even more low-maintenance. These plants are easy to grow in partial shade or full sun and tend to have few insect or disease problems. These plants have fragrant flowers in spring and summer, and a wide range of foliage and berries. PJMs are also hardy in zones 4 to 8, and require acidic soil.
A compact form of the PJM Rhododendron has small, glossy leaves and a dark purple flower in early spring. This plant requires a constant source of moisture, and prefers fertile soil. It’s a four-season plant that has an upright, rounded habit. Compact forms produce clusters of delicate purple-pink flowers, which make them a showy addition to any garden.
Anise is another flowering shrub suitable for shade gardens. These plants like moist soil and will tolerate some drought once they’re established. PJMs can grow up to six feet in height and need to be thinned every few years. To make them more manageable, prune off old, overgrown stems every couple of years. A few PJMs bloom for you in early spring and again in mid-summer.
Mountain laurel
If you’re looking for a beautiful shade-tolerant flowering shrub, consider Mountain Laurel. Mountain laurel prefers medium to deep shade, but it will also grow in partially or full sun. You’ll want to plant this shrub at least four to six feet apart. Its shallow roots need good drainage, so don’t plant it too deeply. When you repot your Mountain Laurel, be sure to add plenty of compost to the soil before you plant it.
This shrub’s blooming period depends on elevation and latitude. Those in the Deep South of USDA Zone 8 may find their flowers to be later than those in higher elevations. However, if you want to have a colorful, fragrant flowering shrub in your landscape, look no further than Mountain Laurel. This beautiful plant will add beauty to your landscape, blooming between mid-April and the end of the summer solstice.
It grows up to three feet tall and can serve as a hedge or informal hedge. This plant is easy to care for and requires little maintenance. Just like other shade-tolerant shrubs, mountain laurel has beautiful, fragrant flowers, and doesn’t require pruning. Mountain laurel shrubs don’t require a lot of maintenance, and you can easily purchase them from a nursery. There are many different types of Mountain Laurel available.
Dogwood
If you’d like a flowering shrub that will bloom all year round, consider the dogwood. Its leaves have a rich green color that makes it attractive all year long, while its blooms last for weeks during late spring and summer. Dogwoods range in size from 8 to 40 feet, with redtwig dogwoods being small and growing to eight feet tall. Dogwoods are popular shade trees, as they offer a four-season display of color and beauty.
In addition to flowering in spring, the dogwood also bears berries, which attract birds. The berries are single or large clusters on the tree or shrub. In addition to the flowers, the berries add to the beauty of the dogwood’s scale-like bark and graceful horizontal branches. It also produces a plethora of flowers each year. Aside from blooming in spring, dogwoods also make beautiful accent plants in the shade.
Unlike many trees, dogwoods grow in an upright habit. They can grow up to eight feet tall and six feet wide. Their blooms are clusters of two-inch flowers and white fruits. The ‘Argentea Marginata’ variety has variegated leaves and is available at Sooner Plant Farm. It’s hardy in USDA zones three to eight, and requires a good deal of water.