Lower-light sites
Plants for Shade and Part Sun
Use this hub to shortlist plants for woodland edges, north sides, understories, and yards that do not receive all-day sun.
Shade pages get thin when they ignore root competition and moisture. A north wall, a mature tree canopy, and a damp woodland edge are not the same planting site.
This list starts with shade and part-sun tolerance, then keeps mature size, water, and soil visible so gardeners can separate dry-shade survivors from rich-woodland plants.
- Shade-tolerant profiles
- 385
- Visible shortlist
- 24
- Timing data
- 385
Useful setup tools
Useful supplies
Site prep / Before planting
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Soil test kit or lab mailer
Check pH and baseline nutrients before adding amendments, especially for fruiting crops, native beds, and acid-loving plants.
Soil / Bed prep
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Finished compost
Improve bed structure and organic matter before planting annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees.
Soil / After planting
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Organic mulch
Hold soil moisture, suppress weeds, moderate soil temperature, and protect shallow roots.
Tools / Planting day
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Hand trowel
Plant starts, herbs, flowers, bulbs, and smaller container plants at the right depth.
How this page is built
Selection notes
Includes records that tolerate shade or partial sun, then keeps soil and water visible.
Mature size, spacing, and water cues matter in north-side beds and tree-root competition.
Edible output and bloom can drop in lower light, so profile pages should still be checked.
Browse profiles
Showing 24 of 385 matching profiles
Ornamental perennial
Obsidian coral bells
dark evergreen foliage
- Light
- Partial/Shade sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 0.5-2 ft H x 1-4 ft W
- Spacing
- 1-3 ft apart
Fruit shrub
Regent serviceberry
berries ripen in early summer
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 3-8 ft H x 3-8 ft W
- Spacing
- 4-8 ft in-row x 6-10 ft rows
Berry shrub
York elderberry
white spring flowers; large berry clusters in late summer
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- High water
- Mature size
- 6-12 ft H x 6-10 ft W
- Spacing
- 4-8 ft in-row x 10-12 ft rows
Berry shrub
Adams elderberry
berries ripen in late summer
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- High water
- Mature size
- 6-12 ft H x 6-10 ft W
- Spacing
- 4-8 ft in-row x 10-12 ft rows
Berry shrub
Wyldewood elderberry
large berry clusters in late summer
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- High water
- Mature size
- 6-12 ft H x 6-10 ft W
- Spacing
- 4-8 ft in-row x 10-12 ft rows
Nut shrub
American hazelnut
nuts mature in late summer
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 6-12 ft H x 6-12 ft W
- Spacing
- 6-10 ft in-row x 8-12 ft rows
Ornamental tree
Standing Ovation serviceberry
white flowers, edible berries, and fall color
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 3-8 ft H x 3-8 ft W
- Spacing
- 4-8 ft in-row x 15-35 ft rows
Ornamental shrub
Low Scape Mound chokeberry
white spring flowers; black fall berries; red fall color
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 3-8 ft H x 3-6 ft W
- Spacing
- 3-6 ft in-row x 3-8 ft rows
Berry shrub
Viking aronia
berries ripen in late summer
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 3-8 ft H x 3-6 ft W
- Spacing
- 3-6 ft in-row x 6-10 ft rows
Ornamental tree
Autumn Brilliance serviceberry
white spring flowers; red berries summer; brilliant fall color
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 3-8 ft H x 3-8 ft W
- Spacing
- 4-8 ft in-row x 15-35 ft rows
Berry shrub
Black Lace elderberry
berries ripen in late summer
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- High water
- Mature size
- 6-12 ft H x 6-10 ft W
- Spacing
- 4-8 ft in-row x 10-12 ft rows
Fruit shrub
Cornelian cherry dogwood
red tart fruit in late summer
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 8-20 ft H x 8-18 ft W
- Spacing
- 10-20 ft in-row x 6-10 ft rows
Fruit vine
Eastern Prince schisandra
red berries in late summer
- Light
- Partial/Shade sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 8-15 ft H x 6-12 ft W
- Spacing
- 6-10 ft in-row x 8-12 ft rows
Berry shrub
Carmine goumi berry
scarlet berries ripen in late spring
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- Low water
- Mature size
- 3-8 ft H x 3-8 ft W
- Spacing
- 4-8 ft in-row x 6-10 ft rows
Berry shrub
Red Gem goumi berry
red berries ripen in late spring
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- Low water
- Mature size
- 8-18 ft H x 8-18 ft W
- Spacing
- 15-20 ft in-row x 18-25 ft rows
Berry shrub
Sweet Scarlet goumi
berries ripen in late spring
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- Low water
- Mature size
- 3-8 ft H x 3-8 ft W
- Spacing
- 4-8 ft in-row x 6-10 ft rows
Fruit tree
Shenandoah pawpaw
ripens in September
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 12-25 ft H x 10-20 ft W
- Spacing
- 10-20 ft in-row x 12-25 ft rows
Fruit tree
Sunflower pawpaw
custardy fruit in early fall
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 12-25 ft H x 10-20 ft W
- Spacing
- 10-20 ft in-row x 12-25 ft rows
Fruit shrub
Coolidge pineapple guava
aromatic green fruit in fall
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- Low water
- Mature size
- 4-15 ft H x 4-12 ft W
- Spacing
- 6-12 ft in-row x 6-10 ft rows
Berry shrub
Boreal Beast honeyberry
blue berries in late spring
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 3-8 ft H x 3-8 ft W
- Spacing
- 4-8 ft in-row x 6-10 ft rows
Berry shrub
Haskap honeyberry
blue berries in late spring to early summer
- Light
- Full/Partial sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 3-6 ft H x 3-6 ft W
- Spacing
- 4-6 ft in-row x 6-10 ft rows
Berry shrub
Koralle lingonberry
red berries in fall
- Light
- Partial/Full sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 0.8-1.5 ft H x 1-2 ft W
- Spacing
- 1-2 ft in-row x 6-10 ft rows
Fruit vine
Arctic Beauty kiwi
small kiwi berries in late summer
- Light
- Partial/Full sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 8-12 ft H x 10-20 ft W
- Spacing
- 8-12 ft in-row x 10-15 ft rows
Berry shrub
Pink Champagne currant
translucent pink clusters in midsummer
- Light
- Partial/Full sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Mature size
- 3-8 ft H x 3-8 ft W
- Spacing
- 4-8 ft in-row x 6-10 ft rows
Showing 24 of 385 matches. Open the plant screener for the full list.
Source trail
References used by this shortlist
These are the most common planning references behind the visible records on this page.
775 matching records NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox Reference basis for ornamental plant size, function, and right-plant-right-place screening. 569 matching records Penn State Extension - Landscaping and Gardening Around Walnuts and Other Juglone Producing Plants Black walnut and juglone sensitivity/tolerance cue for garden placement screening. 385 matching records University of Maryland Extension - Types of Containers for Growing Vegetables Container volume guidance, including large vegetables and 25-30 gallon dwarf fruit tree containers. 288 matching records Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder Reference basis for horticultural height, spread, bloom, and cultural ranges. 242 matching records Rutgers NJAES - Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance Deer browsing categories used as planning cues; no plant is deer proof under heavy pressure. 181 matching records Illinois Extension - Growing Vegetables in Containers Container vegetable guidance for matching container size, rooting depth, and plant density.
Individual plant profiles show their own source links and caveats; this page shows the common references behind the current collection.
More planning paths
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