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by Sassy11 from Houston, TX

Last Post 11 days, 21 hours Ago


Partial Shade Loving Plants
Mar 16, 2008 | 12:24 PM
Category: Entertainment
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Partial Shade Loving Plants

I gathered together a list of plants that do well in our Texas climate.  Shade loving plants that some of you might find useful.  As with all types of plants, some do require care.  To get you started, try your hand at growing one of these on the list.  Let me know your results, I'd love to see and hear how you progress on this endeavor.  I've tried to compile some interesting varieties for those that do not have a green thumb, time or energy to spend out in their yard.  Those of us who enjoy gardening, planting and tending the flowers, please feel free to add to the list.  I'm hoping that many of us who do have a green thumb can pass on that love to others.  Spread the joy this season by venturing out into your yards and sharing your cuttings with others.   Recently received a beautiful gift from one of my coworkers who loves various cactus.  He put together a wonderful assortment for me.  Truly a treasure when you receive something like a plant (for me anyway). 

Sassy's fun list of partial to full shade loving plants:

Begonia, impatiens, caladium, coleus, petunia, sweet alyssum, hosta lily, periwinkle, fern (some varieties, not all), dahlia, columbine, daylily, butterfly lily, lily of the valley, oak leaf hydrangea, hibiscus (various varieties can tolerate partial shade), rhododendrons, wild ginger, mint (various varieties - this is really good if you have an area/ground that receives a lot of moisture.  It does need some sunlight in order to thrive heartily.  Mint loves moist soil.  Plus on the up side, that side of your yard will be fragrant and you can add it to your tea or foods.  Fun and useful plant.)  African violets are wonderful indoor plants that enjoy partial shade. 

Come on folks, get those gardening rakes out and start planting.  Enlist your children too!  Pass on the love of flowers.  Who knows, maybe you might not have a green thumb, but one of your family members does. 

Happy gardening folks!

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Member Comments Total Comments: 6
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PBMom read my blog view my photos
Mar 17, 2008 | 4:11 PM

About how full shade and a lot of water???
Sassy11 read my blog
Mar 17, 2008 | 5:02 PM

PBMom,
I'm not sure of your question. Will answer as best as I can. Some of the plants don't like to dry out (particularily the tropicals, violets, mint, ivy). Let me know the soil condition on the particular part of your home that you want to plant the shady plants. Is it facing N/S/W/E. Does it receive full sun, partial sun (if so, what time of day do you notice the partial shade - morning or later in the day). Is it full shade due to several trees that block out the sunlight or the awning that makes that section of the home receive a lot of shade. The soil, is it moisture or dried out. Grab a handful of it and let me know if you can feel a bit of moisture in the soil or do you think it is dried out. The plants I mentioned above can thrive in partial shade. Some like the hydrangeas need to have more care, such as fertilizer (acidic). Some of the tropicals do well in partial shade, such as the elephant ears, rhododendrons or the canna lilies.
PBMom read my blog view my photos
Mar 17, 2008 | 7:14 PM

Sassy: It gets no sun at all (grass won't even grow there); it is right under the back length of our house and the when it rains, the gutters overflow and that area is just one line of MUD. I need no fuss plants -- meaning, I plant them, they grow, I don't have to do much else.
Sassy11 read my blog
Mar 17, 2008 | 11:46 PM

Cinnamon fern (Osmunda), Sensitive Fern, Lady Fern, Texas copper lily, Ginger lily, Red Louisiana iris, Southern wax myrtle, Nandina is a hearty shrub that can tolerate a shady and moist soil, marsh pinks, golden canna, elephant ears, potato vine plant (this is not an edible plant - it looks more like an ivy. The root ball of the plant looks like a potato. It is extremely hearty and can grow in very moist conditions. It will have to be planted in a controlled area. It does have a tendency to take over.) There is a plant called four o'clocks that are extremely hearty. They bloom and produce seedlings that you can pick from the flower and throw onto the flower bed. It also has a tendency to overtake the space. Water purslane, yellow flag iris and various hearty cannas. I'm thinking various ferns for that area or the canna to lily or the elephant ear family. Each one of them are no fuss.
PBMom read my blog view my photos
Mar 18, 2008 | 12:07 AM

Oh, I forgot, no flowers. I can't have bees in my yard (allergy). That is a very specific list, isn't it (no sun, overflowing water, no flowers--so no bees).
Sassy11 read my blog
Mar 18, 2008 | 1:15 AM

PBMom,
That is rather restrictive. But, I think you've got a lot of things to work with if you choose the ferns mentioned above, elephant ears, rhododrens or shrubs such as the nandina or wax myrtle. My Mom had an area of her yard that was like what you described. She planted the elephant ears and it looked wonderfully tropical in that area of the yard. My Mom was a firm believer in Miracle Gro. She had the best ever looking plants. A funny story, she had a huge bed full of mint. I pulled it up and she asked me to get rid of it. Well being a typical teenager back then (totally clueless), I threw it in the ditch. Guess what, it grew from her house to the main street. Everytime the guys would come out to mow the ditches they got this wonderful wift of minty. The whole neighborhood had wonderful mint for our tea, now I'm a minty legend....LOL
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Sassy11

Native Houstonian that loves God, my husband, children and the opinions of other people.

Member Since: 4/2/2007


 

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