Shade Tolerant Plants

The spicily fragrant, 4" wide, medium-sized, loose peony form, medium to deep pink double blossoms with contrasting yellow stamens peaking out between the ruffled petals are produced in mid to late season or January to April. Ack-Scent Camellia is a hybrid with a moderate rate of growth develops into a dense evergreen shrub with an upright eventually rounded habit. Bred for its fragrant flowers by Dr. William Ackerman in the 1970's it is still one of the most prized fragrant Camellias available. Provide Camellias with a fertile soil rich in organic matter, with average moisture, and an organic mulch. Images courtesy of CamToo Camellia Nursery, all rights reserved. Item# 12993

An American Camellia Society Camellia Hall of Fame Award winner and an RHS Award of Garden Merit Winner selection! The large, semi-double, rich rose colored flowers are centered by a boss of yellow tipped stamens and are produced from early to midseason. Lady Clare Camellia, its name upon import into the US, is a large vigorous Camellia with a somewhat weeping habit with large dark green foliage. This Japanese heirloom, originally known as Akashigata, has also been known by Pink Empress, Akashi Bay, and Nellie Bly. Provide Camellias with a fertile soil rich in organic matter, with average moisture, and a deep organic mulch. See our Camellia and Sasanqua Growing Guide for an in-depth guide to properly planting and growing these beautiful, long-lived, large evergreen shrubs. Item# 9144

Clusters of sweetly fragrant, 2" wide, starry, pure white flowers are produced throughout the growing season and may flower nearly year-round under warm tropical conditions. The flowers attract butterflies and pollinating moths. Angel Wing Jasmine, Jasminum laurifolium f. nitidum, is a naturally evergreen, scandent, tropical shrub cloaked in deep dark green, glossy foliage that acts as the perfect foil for the bright white flowers. It has a moderate rate of growth and is typically grown as a 3-5'H x 3-5'W shrub but it can put out long vine-like canes, to 15' or more, that can be trained as an espalier to a support or these can be headed back to keep the plants fuller and bushier. This is one of the easiest and most rewarding of the true Jasmines and it boasts some of the largest flowers in the genus. It can be utilized as a specimen or hedge in areas where the plants are hardy but makes an easy container plant that can be overwintered indoors. Provide an acid, rich fertile, average moist soil with good drainage for optimum vigor and flowering. Tolerant of full sun to light shade. Its reliability has earned it the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Item #9030

Clusters of sweetly fragrant, 2" wide, starry, pure white flowers are produced throughout the growing season and may flower nearly year-round under warm tropical conditions. The flowers attract butterflies and pollinating moths. Angel Wing Jasmine, Jasminum laurifolium f. nitidum, is a naturally evergreen, scandent, tropical shrub cloaked in deep dark green, glossy foliage that acts as the perfect foil for the bright white flowers. It has a moderate rate of growth and is typically grown as a 3-5'H x 3-5'W shrub but it can put out long vine-like canes, to 15' or more, that can be trained as an espalier to a support or these can be headed back to keep the plants fuller and bushier. This is one of the easiest and most rewarding of the true Jasmines and it boasts some of the largest flowers in the genus. It can be utilized as a specimen or hedge in areas where the plants are hardy but makes an easy container plant that can be overwintered indoors. Provide an acid, rich fertile, average moist soil with good drainage for optimum vigor and flowering. Tolerant of full sun to light shade. Its reliability has earned it the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Item# 9292

Zone 6B cold hardy! The medium-sized, white, perfect or rose form flowers are randomly streaked with contrasting medium pink and are produced in mid to late season or January to April. April Dawn Camellia is a hybrid that was selected for exceptional cold hardiness and reliable flowering even in those colder zone 6B climates. The flowers are very similar to the ever popular La Peppermint. It has a vigorous rate of growth developing into an upright shrub becoming rounded with age. Provide Camellias with a fertile soil rich in organic matter, with average moisture, and an organic mulch. Images courtesy of CamToo Camellia Nursery, all rights reserved. Item# 12994

Zone 6B cold hardy! The small to medium-sized, medium pink to red, perfect or rose form flowers are produced in mid season or January to February. April Kiss Camellia is a hybrid that was selected for exceptional cold hardiness and reliable flowering even in those colder zone 6B climates. It has a slow to medium rate of growth developing into an upright shrub becoming rounded with age. Provide Camellias with a fertile soil rich in organic matter, with average moisture, and an organic mulch. Images courtesy of CamToo Camellia Nursery, all rights reserved. Item# 12995

Zone 6B cold hardy! The medium-sized, rosy pink to near red, perfect or rose form flowers are produced in mid to late season or January to April. April Rose Camellia is a hybrid that was selected for exceptional cold hardiness and reliable flowering even in those colder zone 6B climates. It has a slow rate of growth and dense compact habit eventually developing into an upright shrub becoming rounded with age. Provide Camellias with a fertile soil rich in organic matter, with average moisture, and an organic mulch. Images courtesy of CamToo Camellia Nursery, all rights reserved. Item# 12996

Zone 6B cold hardy! Medium to large, pure white, perfect or rose form flowers, sometimes centered by a boss of yellow stamens, are produced late in the season, March to April. April Snow Camellia is a large flowered Japonica Camellia with a slow rate of growth and a dense compact habit that develops into a medium to large rounded evergreen shrub. Part of the April series developed by Dr. Clifford Parks and like its peers it was selected for its exceptional zone 6B cold hardiness as well as for its form and flowers. Provide Camellias with a fertile soil rich in organic matter, with average moisture, and an organic mulch. Images courtesy of CamToo Camellia Nursery, all rights reserved. Item# 13201

Zone 6B cold hardy! Medium sized, intense bright red, anemone form flowers with a smattering of white variegated petaloids and occasionally displaying pink filaments tipped with gold stamens. Flowers over an extended period in midseason, February to April. April Tryst Camellia is a large flowered Japonica Camellia with a moderate rate of growth eventually developing into a large, rounded evergreen shrub. Part of the April series developed by Dr. Clifford Parks and like its peers it was selected for its exceptional zone 6B cold hardiness as well as for its form and flowers. Provide Camellias with a fertile soil rich in organic matter, with average moisture, and an organic mulch. Images courtesy of CamToo Camellia Nursery, all rights reserved. Item# 13202

Medium sized, deep rose red, perfect form flowers are produced over an extended period beginning in midseason and continues well into the late season, February-April. Arctic Rose Camellia develops into a medium to large evergreen shrub with a dense compact habit with a moderate rate of growth. Its slightly smaller mature size makes it a good choice for a low maintenance hedge or container specimen as well as an accent or specimen in the landscape. As its name would imply, Arctic Rose, a William Ackerman hybrid, was selected for its ability to flower reliably even into zone 6. Provide Camellias with a fertile soil rich in organic matter, with average moisture, and an organic mulch. Images courtesy of CamToo Camellia Nursery, all rights reserved. Item# 13203

Large, pure white centers, cupped, Higo-like single flowers are heavily edged in a starkly contrasting broad, deep red to cherry red band that quickly fades to white and are centered by a large boss of yellow stamens and are produced very early in the season in October. One of the earliest Camellias to flower and are sure to attract bees and other pollinators. Autumn Sunrise Sasanqua Camellia, bred by Dr. Clifford Parks, is a vigorous growing, large evergreen shrub with an upright habit and dark green medium textured foliage. Its vigor lends Autumn Sunrise to use as a screen, hedge, or specimen plant. Provide Camellias with a fertile soil rich in organic matter, with average moisture, and an organic mulch. Sasanqua Camellias do well in full sun to bright shade. Item# 13208

Selected at the esteemed Biltmore Estate, Ashville, NC, the summerlong display of 2" wide dangling Chinese lantern-like flowers are a soft yellow-orange heavily overlaid with a strongly contrasting deep red veining. Biltmore Ball Gown Abutilon or Flowering Maple is an exceptionally hardy and reliable upright growing, naturally evergreen shrubby tropical that has proven to be evergreen in mild zone 8 winters but where it is not reliably hardy it makes an easy container plant that can be overwintered indoors near a sunny window. Abutilons are also known as Parlor Maples as this was a reliably flowering indoor plant and a conversation piece. The flowers attract hummingbirds and other garden beneficials. Provide a full sun to partly shaded site in a fertile, average moist soil. Item# 13087

Dense, deep dark green foliage adorns the naturally upright and pyramidal form of this easy to grow evergreen. Black Dragon Japanese Cedar, a dwarf selection of Cryptomeria japonica, is a fine textured, small to medium-sized, evergreen shrub with a densely branching, conical, upright habit. This cultivar tends to have a moderate rate of growth to about 4-6' high and then growth slows as plants mature. Use this small evergreen as a specimen plant, accent, low maintenance hedge, as a container plant, or as a bonsai specimen. Cryptomeria or Japanese Cedars are adaptable provided they have an average to well-drained, fertile, acidic soil with average moisture in a full sun to partially shaded site. The dark colored foliage makes an excellent foil for lighter colored flowers and foliage. Black Dragon Cryptomeria has been selected as a Great Plant Pick of the Pacific Northwest. Item# 9111

2" wide deep blue to purple trumpets with contrasting yellow throats are produced freely beginning as early as mid-spring and continuing until frost, to potentially year round under warm tropical conditions. The large showy flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The Blue Glory Vine, Thunbergia battiescombeii, is a small to medium-sized, mounding to sprawling, multi-stemmed, naturally evergreen tropical, in frost free climates, to root hardy perennial in zones 8-9 and grows to about 2-3' high and 3-4' wide as a perennial and up to twice as large in frost free conditions. This has been a reliable, low-maintenance, pest free, long-lived perennial in our gardens and easily survived 8^oF and 12^oF winter lows and extended freezing temperatures. It is tolerant of full sun where it has adequate moisture but seems to benefit from midday or afternoon shade or an eastern exposure in regions with hot summer climates. The Blue Glory Vine makes an easy container plant or an easy addition to the garden or landscape and has the potential to be used as an informal groundcover. Provide an average to well-drained, average moist, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. One of our longtime favorite root hardy tropicals. Item# 327

Fuzzy flat topped clusters composed of blue to purple Ageratum-like flowers are produced atop sturdy stems beginning in early to midsummer, continuing into fall, and often until the first hard frost or freeze. The flowers attract a variety of pollinators, especially native bees and late season butterflies. The Blue Mistflower, Cononclinium coeslestinum, is a rhizomatous colonizing native perennial that makes an easy tall groundcover where it can wend its way around larger growing plants in the garden or landscape. It also makes an easy addition to more naturalistic settings like roadside plantings, meadows, and prairies. The Blue Mistflower generally prefers an average to moist, fertile soil in full to partly sunny sites for optimum vigor and flowering. This species was selected as the 2024 Plant of the Year by the Georgia Native Plant Society. Item# 10458

Large clusters of lightly fragrant lavender-blue flowers are produced in early spring and are held well above the deep dark green foliage. Blue Moon Phlox was selected for its clusters of large full flowers and vigor. This is an excellent choice for lightly shaded gardens or as a groundcover under deciduous trees. Provide shade during the hottest portion of the day in hot summer climates and well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Easy and reliable once established. The flowers provide early spring nectar to butterflies and other pollinators. Blue Moon Phlox along with the straight species Phlox divaricata tied for the Top Performer in Mt. Cuba Center Phlox for Shade trials. Item# 11217

The widely flaring deep blue-purple fan shaped flowers open from tubular buds, and are very reminiscent of Scaevola or Half-Flower, open singly and in clusters held at the growing tips as well as in the leaf axils attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The 5-lobed flowers of Blue-Lips, Sclerochiton harveyanus, are produced most heavily throughout the warmer months of the year. This is a shade tolerant naturally spreading to scandent (vine-like) evergreen tropical shrub with rounded, glossy deep green foliage. Blue-Lips is considered to be frost resistant but not freeze tolerant and it is easily maintained as a shrub form for containers, including hanging baskets, in and around larger growing shade-loving tropicals in the garden as well as on a shaded porch or patio. Provide it with an average moist, acidic to neutral, well-drained soil in a site that receives at least some cool morning sunlight or filtered sunlight for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 12268

Clusters of upward facing, soft lavender pink, nicely fragrant flowers are produced in loose clusters on 12-16" high stems in mid to late spring attracting mainly butterflies. Bonnie's Pink Prairie Phlox, a selection of Phlox pilosa and appears to match the description of ssp. ozarkana, is an evergreen to semi-evergreen, rhizomatous, native perennial adorned in narrow medium to dark green foliage. It makes a vigorous ground-cover once well-established and can be allowed to wend in and around larger shrubs and perennials. Provide an average moist, fertile, average to well-drained soil in a sunny garden or landscape. Item# 3062

For several weeks in mid to late spring, the mounds of large, apple-green, heart-shaped, quilted foliage with maroon veining is topped by a multitude of conical spike-like clusters, or racemes, that are adorned in fragrant dainty white flowers that attract a variety of smaller pollinators. In fall and winter, its foliage deepens into bronze tones. Brandywine Foam Flower or Tiarella, a selection of our native Tiarella cordifolia, is a stoloniferous, ^†semi-evergreen, perennial groundcover perfectly suited to shaded gardens and landscapes. They can tolerate more sun in areas with cool summer climates but will still likely prefer to be in the shade during the heat of the day. Tiarellas prefer a moist soil with ample organic matter and average or better drainage and are resistant to be being browsed by deer and rabbits. Dr. Allen Armitage in his Herbaceous Perennial Plants, 4th Edition states that he "puts these plants on the A list for shady areas." Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 13272

Expect this to be a head turning conversation piece! Medium to large, soft pink to near white, perfect or rose form flowers are elegantly flecked and streaked with contrasting red to deep pink and are produced in mid to late season, January to April. Campari Camellia, a large type Japonica Camellia, is a vigorous, large growing evergreen shrub with a naturally upright habit becoming rounded with age. Provide Camellias with a fertile soil rich in organic matter, with average moisture, and an organic mulch. Images courtesy of Cam Too Camellia Nursery, all rights reserved. Item# 13211