Shade Tolerant Plants

The red to pinkish-red and white tubular flowers emerge from between the spikes of chartreuse bracts from spring to fall to year-round under warm tropical conditiosn. The Fruit Cocktail Shrimp Plant, one the newest selections of Justicia brandegeeana, has a naturally more compact, better branching habit than the typical Red Shrimp Plant but in all other regards it is nearly identical. It is quite tolerant of light conditions ranging from full sun to light shade but may have the densest habit in sunnier conditions. The flowers attract hummingbirds, larger butterflies, and other pollinators. Use Shrimp Plants to add color in containers, as a specimen plant or in mixed container gardens, as well as in the garden and landscape. Provide an average to well-drained, moderately fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Caterpillar host: Cuban Crescent, Texan Crescent, White Peacock, and Malachite. Item# 12724

Large branching, loose flower spikes to 16" high are composed of blue to purple, up to 2" long, hooded, two-lipped, tubular, lightly fragrant flowers that attract a variety of pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. It may be in flower at anytime of year but may be heaviest in spring and fall. Giant Blue African Salvia, Brillantasia nitens, is an unusual, large and vigorous, naturally evergreen, herbaceous tropical adorned in large, medium green, textured, tropical foliage on square stems and can grow to 6-9' high and potentially to 15' and tree-like under warm tropical conditions. Provide a full sun to part sun site, in an average moist to moist, fertile soil with average or better drainage for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 10703

Flat topped clusters composed of numerous tiny, golden yellow flowers atop sturdy stems in mid to late spring to summer attracting a host of smaller pollinators. Golden Alexanders, Zizea aurea, is a native, clump forming, herbaceous perennial with deep green foliage growing to about 2-3' high. The deep green, glossy, lobed foliage is utilized by the Eastern Black and Ozark Swallowtail caterpillars and the ripened seed heads are utilized by songbirds. It is native throughout much of the central and eastern US in moist woodlands, roadsides, meadows, and prairies. Provide a full sun to partially shaded site in a moist to average moist, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 11774

Bright cherry pink, medium-sized, trumpet-shaped, single to semi-double flowers with a boss of gold-tipped white stamens are held against a nicely contrasting foil of deep green and gold foliage. Flowering occurs in mid to late season, January to March, attracting bees and other pollinators on warmer days. Golden Spangles Camellia, a Camellia x williamsii hybrid, is a medium to large, evergreen shrub with a slow to moderate rate of growth and an upright to rounded habit growing to about 6-8'H x 3-4'W. This Camellia is truly a shrub for all seasons with its deep dark green, medium to fine-textured, glossy, Sasanqua-like foliage that is consistently heavily variegated with gold, yellow, and chartreuse along the central veins, a rarely seen trait among Camellias. Use this medium to large evergreen shrub as a specimen in the garden and landscape or as a container plant. Camellias prefer a moist to average moist, well-drained, loamy to sandy, acidic soil with a deep organic mulch. Item# 13476

Medium-sized, formal double flowers are pale pink blushing to white at the outer edges and may or may not show darker pink variegation with flowering occurring in mid to late season, January to April. The light colored flowers are held against a foil of deep green foliage. Gone Again Blush Camellia is a large flowered Japonica type with a moderate rate of growth and densely branching, rounded habit. 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# 13225

Green, gold, and cream colored variegated foliage adds pink and orange tones with new spring growth that adorns the reddish to bronze young stems. Mature plants can produce clusters of small, fragrant, white, tea-olive like flowers on the previous year's growth in fall attracting a variety of pollinators on warmer days. The Goshiki Holly Leaf Tea Olive, a selection of Osmanthus heterophyllus, is a densely branching, slow growing, evergreen shrub growing to about 4-5' high and 3-4' wide in about 5 years and potentially to 10' high and 8' feet in 10 or more years, but can be kept smaller with pruning. The colorful, glossy, medium-textured, holly-like foliage will have the most intense colors and plants will be most apt to flower in sunnier conditions, although, the plants are fairly shade tolerant. The Goshiki Holly Leaf Tea Olive has been selected as a Great Plant Pick for the Northwest thanks to its toughness and reliability in the garden and landscape. Item# 13564

The small to medium-sized single flowers can range from red tinged to lavender often with purple veining and are centered by a large boss of contrasting yellow tipped white filaments and are produced in mid to late season or February to April. Flower color tends to be the most purple where soils are strongly acidic and this seems to be fairly common for purple flowered Camellias. Grape Soda Camellia, a Nuccio's Nurseries introduction, is a moderately vigorous plant developing into an upright to rounded medium to large evergreen shrub with a slightly open habit. Provide Camellias with a fertile soil rich in organic matter, with average moisture, and an organic mulch. Item# 13000

Medium-sized, semi-double, red to pinkish-red flowers are centered by a large boss of nicely contrasting gold stamens and are produced late in the season, March-April. The pollen laden flowers attract bees and other pollinators. Greensboro Red Camellia is a large flowered Japonica type with a moderate rate of growth and densely branching, initially upright habit that rounds out with maturity. Provide Camellias with a fertile soil rich in organic matter, with average moisture, and an organic mulch. Item# 13226

Spikes of lightly fragrant peachy-pink butterfly-shaped flowers are produced in summer atop sturdy stems adorned in rich green tropical looking foliage in mid to late summer. The flowers attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and likely pollinating Sphinx Moths as well. The Hardy Peach Ginger, Hedychium coccineum var. angustifolium 'Peach', is a moderately vigorous, rhizomatous, naturally evergreen tropical that acts like a root hardy die-back perennial in areas where freezes occur. It multiplies readily but not invasively. Makes a good cut flower and is resistant to browsing by deer and rabbits. The Hedychium Gingers typically need the equivalent of about 4-6 hours of cool sunlight in a moist to average moist, rich fertile soil with average or better drainage for optimum vigor and flowering. An organic mulch with all of its many benefits is highly recommended especially for new plantings and in zones 7-8. Item# 10032

Spikes up to 16-20" high are topped by clusters of tubular blue to blue-violet flowers with a contrasting white bee-guide are produced beginning as early as late spring but mainly in summer, occasionally into fall, and attract a variety of native bees along with larger butterflies. Helmet Skullcap, Scutellaria integrifolia, is a small, 12-20" high, clump forming to short rhizomatous perennial native from East Texas, all along the Gulf Coast and up the Eastern Seaboard into southern Massachussets and New York. This is a common component of the brightly lit understory in the Pineywoods and locally we typically see it in dryer or mesic uplands including hardwood and pineforests in well-drained loamy and sandy soils as well as in more moist sunnier sites. Provide a full sun to partly shaded site in a well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. May reseed on exposed soils. Item# 12769

This heirloom produces fragrant, medium to large, semi-double to loose peony form, rosy-pink to salmon-pink flowers edged in a broad white band and are randomly streaked with deep red. The mid to late season flowers, January to April, may be centered by a large boss of gold stamens atop white filaments and attract bees and other pollinators. Herme Camellia, known by a variety of additional names depending on which continent you are on, is an old but still highly prized Japonica type with a vigorous, densely branching, initially upright habit that rounds out with maturity. 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# 13227

Small, semi-double, crimson red to rose red flowers with wavy and twisty inner petals, and may have white spots, are centered by a boss of contrasting gold stamens atop white filaments. Flowers are produced early in the season, October to December, attracting bees and other pollinators. Hiryu Sasanqua Camellia, a Camellia x vernalis hybrid, is a vigorous growing heirloom Sasanqua with an upright, well-branched, spreading habit and medium-textured small, dark green, glossy foliage that can exceed 12' high at maturity. Its vigor lends it to use as a screen, hedge, or specimen plant as well as tree forms. The Sasanqua Camellias are much more tolerant of growing conditions than standard Japonica Camellias and can tolerate less than perfect soils and full sun to light shade conditions. Images courtesy of Cam Too Camellia Nursery, all rights reserved. Item# 13228

Perennial of the Year in 2016, Missouri Botanic Gardens Plant of Merit, and a RHS Award of Garden Merit winner! As per Allan Armitage's Herbaceous Perennial Plants, 4th Edition "It has graced European gardens since the beginning of the American Civil War and is still the most popular and highly sought after white anemone today.". The clusters of 2-3" wide, pure white, upward facing flowers with yellow eyes are held high above the mass of deep green foliage on sturdy wiry, 3-4' high stems in fall. The flowers of this easy heirloom attract bees and other pollinators. Honorine Jobert Anemone is an easy to grow, clump forming, slowly spreading, shade tolerant perennial whose mass of 12" high, medium textured, deep green, Astilbe-like foliage makes a nice accent or groundcover even when the plants are not in flower. Anemones make good companions for spring flowering bulbs. Tough, easy, and reliable. Tolerant of *full sun in cool summer climates, elsewhere provide midday and afternoon shade or filtered shade. Provide an average moist, well-drained, fertile soil for optimum flowering and vigor. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12778

5" wide rounded clusters of pure white trumpet shaped flowers are held above the dark green mounds of strap-like foliage on short sturdy 24-30" high stems beginning in spring to early summer and continuing into early fall. Ice Angel™ Lily of the Nile or Agapanthus is a newly introduced vigorous hybrid with a medium sized vigorous habit with excellent flower power. It's still compact enough for colorful low-maintenance container specimens as well as adding a tropical feel to the garden and landscape. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds and the plants are deer and rabbit resistant. Provide a full sun to part sun site in an average moist, fertile, well-draining soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Image courtesy of Concept Plants BV®, all rights reserved. Item# 12297

In summer arching spikes of showy green, flattened seed heads, reminiscent of fish hanging on a fishing pole, are produced which eventually fade to tan and remain showy until late winter or early spring. The seed heads flutter even in the slightest of breezes providing motion and interest for months. One of our most recognizable, useful, and adaptable native grasses, Inland Sea Oats, Chasmanthium latifolium, is a deciduous, small to medium-sized perennial that readily develops into a groundcover via both rhizomes and seed. Its shade and moisture tolerance lend it to use as a tallish groundcover in both full sun to lightly shaded, wet to average moist, naturalistic garden and landscape settings. The decorative seedheads are used both fresh and dried in cut flower arrangements and the foliage is utilized by the Northern Pearly-Eye, Salt and Pepper Skipper, Bell's Roadside Skipper, and the Bronzed Roadside Skipper butterflies. This rhizomatous native grass is widely distributed throughout the central and eastern US from near central and eastern Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas to Illinois, Indiana, and Pennsylvannia. Tough, adaptable, provides late summer, fall, and winter color, and it's deer resistant. Item# 13108

The 2-3" wide, white funnel shaped flowers are randomly flecked with pink to red and are produced in late spring. Iveryanum Azalea, a.k.a. Iveryana, is an heirloom dwarf Southern Indica hybrid developing into a 3' high mound of medium to deep green, medium textured, evergreen foliage. It lends itself to bonsai culture but is sure to be a low-maintenance conversation piece in the garden and landscape. Azaleas do best in average moist, acidic soils that are rich in organic matter but have good to excellent drainage and should be top dressed with an organic mulch such as pine straw and pine bark. We recommend using a slow-release, non-burning fertilizer that is labeled for acidic loving plants. Azalea flowers attract a variety of pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Item# 12797

Elegant, medium to large, formal double to rose form, bright rosy pink flowers are produced in mid to late season, January to April. Jack's Camellia is large flowered Japonica with a moderately vigorous, densely branching, compact habit growing to about 4-6' high by 3-4' wide. Its smaller stature and reliable and heavy late winter and early spring flowering lend this Camellia to use as a container plant as well as in the garden and landscape. 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# 13252

An Allen Armitage 'no-brainer' perennial! The white full daisies are held atop and among the rich green foliage beginning in mid to late spring to early summer and continuing into fall. The nectar laden flowers are composed of multiple outer rows of white ray petals that have a light tinge of lavender surrounding a dense rounded mass of lemon tinged disc flowers. Japanese Aster, now classified as Aster iinumae previously Asteromea mongolica or Kalimeris mongolica, is a slowly spreading rhizomatous herbaceous bushy perennial growing to about 12-24"H x 18-24"W though some sources suggest that it may reach 36"H. This plant's reliability and flower power have garnered it a top spot among Dr. Armitage's list of "no-brainer" perennials. Provide a full sun to partly shaded site in average moist, average to well-drained, fertile soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Use this easy perennial in both the garden and landscape as a tall groundcover or specimen as well as for easy and free flowering container specimens. Caterpillar host: Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, and American Lady.

Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 13150

The top performer in both attracting pollinators and disease resistance in the Mt. Cuba Center's trials! Huge conical clusters of smaller than typical fragrant lavender-pink flowers are produced over an extended period beginning in midsummer and lasting into fall attracting a host of pollinators including butterflies, hummingbirds, and larger bees. Jeana Garden Phlox is an exceptionally vigorous and free flowering selection of our native Phlox paniculata whose stems can touch on 5' by the end of the growing season. This is a hardy, clump forming, deciduous perennial preferring a full to mostly sunny site in an acidic, average moist, fertile soil with average or better drainage. Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 13194

The 2-3" wide mainly white flowers have a nicely contrasting deep cherry red blotch and flecks but are occasionally light pink to light lavender and are produced in mid to late spring. Johga Azalea, a sport of Izayoi and sometimes spelled 'Joga', is a dwarf Satsuki evergreen azalea that slowly develops into a 2-3' high mound of deep green medium-texured foliage. It lends itself to bonsai culture but is sure to be a low-maintenance conversation piece in the garden and landscape. Azaleas do best in average moist, acidic soils that are rich in organic matter but have good to excellent drainage and should be top dressed with an organic mulch such as pine straw and pine bark. We recommend using a slow-release, non-burning fertilizer that is labeled for acidic loving plants. Azalea flowers attract a variety of pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Item# 12799

A Texas Superstar® selection! The large pyramidal to domed clusters of dark-eyed, light pink, lightly fragrant flowers are produced atop tall sturdy stems in summer and potentially into fall attracting mainly butterflies. John Fanick Garden Phlox, a selection of Phlox paniculata, is a disease resistant, clump forming, upright growing, herbaceous, native perennial growing to about 3' high and 1-2' wide. Garden Phlox will do best in an open, full sun to partially shaded site, with a well-draining, rich and fertile, acidic soil with average moisture and an organic mulch is highly recommended. John Fanick is one of the few disease resistant Garden Phlox recommended for the hot and humid south by Texas Horticulturist and author Greg Grant. Item# 10267

The yellow to gold, pinecone-like flower spikes to 18" high are composed of densely stacked bracts that take on pink tones as they age and are produced in late summer and fall. The orchid-like true flowers that emerge from between the bracts are yellow with the lower lips heavily overlayed in deep purple to black netting-like markings and are produced over a long period in late summer and fall. The Jungle Drum or Beehive Ginger, Zingiber spectabile, is a hardy, clump forming, rhizomatous perennial that produces tall, 6-8' high, deep green stems cloaked in equally dark green, large, ovate tropical looking foliage that persists until fall and then re-emerges in mid to late spring. Provide a partly sunny to partly shaded site in an average moist, fertile, average to well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Where not hardy, plants are easily overwintered indoors as container plants and are sure to add a touch of the tropics to a porch or patio area. Item# 13485