Shade Tolerant Plants

Grown more for its beautifully variegated, starkly contrasting bright white and deep green, upright to slightly arching clumps of slender foliage than for the near continuous procession of starry, ½" wide white flowers produced throughout the warmer months of the year on gracefully arching stems. The iris-like flowers are reported to attract bees, butterflies, and other smaller pollinators. Variegated Shooting Star Lily, a selection of Anthericum saundersoniae but now reclassified as Chlorophytum saundersoniae, is a naturally evergreen, clump forming member of the Asparagus family and a close cousin of the popular Spider or Airplane Plant, Chlorophytum comosum. It is adaptable to both full sun to bright shade as well as to soil types although an average moist, fertile, well-drained loam or sandy loam rich in organic matter may be optimum in the garden and landscape. The Variegated Shooting Star Lily also makes an easy container plant as a specimen or as a filler in mixed combination pots and can be easily overwintered indoors near a sunny window. Item# 13064

The Variegated Red Shrimp Plant produces a continuous display of upright to arching spikes composed of large showy maroon bracts from which the individual maroonish-red and white tubular flowers emerge in spring and summer to year round under warm tropical conditions. This plant has exceptional flower power along with beautifully variegated foliage that is flecked and splotched with creamy white. Use as a container plant specimen and in mixed container gardens as well as in the garden and landscape. The common Shrimp Plant, Justicia brandegeeana, is a heat loving, naturally evergreen, bushy, tropical plant with dark olive green foliage and grows to about 24" high by about 18" wide. It is both full sun and bright shade tolerant but tends to have the densest branching habit where it receives at least 4 hours or more of direct sunlight. Provide an average to well-drained, moderately fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Attracts hummingbirds and the occasional larger butterfly and is an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner. Caterpillar host: Cuban Crescent, Texan Crescent, White Peacock, and Malachite. Item# 710

Broad white margins surround the rich bluish-green heart of each leaf as they gracefully spiral down and around each of the sturdy upright to arching stems of this beautifully variegated ginger. Narrower white streaks often randomly dive into the green center of the leaves. The bright foliage is a standout in shaded gardens or patios. The brightly contrasting foliage is excellent for mixed containers and can be used as cut foliage in flower arrangements. Item# 3049

Large rounded clusters of medium to light pink, honeysuckle-like fragrant flowers are produced in early spring atop the still bare winter stems attracting larger butterflies, hummingbirds, and the hummingbird like Sphinx moths with its fragrance and nectar. Varnadoe's Phlox Pink, a strongly pink selection of the native Piedmont, Mountain or Pinxterbloom Azalea, Rhododendron canescens, whose flowers are more commonly a light pink to near white, at least here in the Pineywoods. This is a medium-sized deciduous native shrub and is often still fondly called Wild Bush Honeysuckle. Like most Azaleas, it will do best in an average moist, acidic, well-draining soil that is top dressed with a breathable organic mulch like pine straw. It can tolerate full to mostly sunny sites under good conditions but is generally best grown in an area that receives filtered to partial shade. Item# 13078

The large 3-4" wide, funnel shaped, white flowers are neatly edged in a broad band of contrasting rich reddish-pink and seem to nearly glow against the foil of dark green, medium textured foliage. Flowering is in midspring attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Vibrant Evergreen Azalea, a Harris hybrid, is a rare dwarf with a dense and compact habit that 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. Item# 12576

Medium to large, semi-double to peony to nearing anemone form, bright white flowers may or may not show gold tipped stamens and are produced in mid to late season, February to April. Victory White Camellia is a large flowered Japonica with a vigorous upright, well-branched habit maturing into a rounded, large evergreen shrub. The cloak of deep green, glossy foliage acts as the perfect foil to make its bright white flowers pop. 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# 13255

Loose hyacinth-like spikes of dainty green flowers with recurving petals and contrasting dark purple filaments and yellow stamens are held above the narrow silvery foliage with dark green spots and reddish-purple reverses in spring after a dry winter dormancy. This is an easy to grow dwarf scilla or squill, tentatively Ledebouria socialis 'Violacea' as there are many similar horticultural forms within this species, is a dwarf growing, evergreen herbaceous tropical succulent that grows from a thickened above ground bulb and readily multiplies happily filling its container. This should make an easy windowsill, porch, or patio plant where it receives bright indirect sunlight or a small amount of cool early morning or filtered sunlight. Provide this easy to grow plant with a well-drained, cactus-like soil and allow the soil to become moderately dry between waterings. If it gets too dry it will wilt to let you know but it readily recovers once moisture is applied. During active growth, average moisture is preferred and it can be allowed to remain a good deal dryer when dormant. We ship 3 or more bulbs actively growing in a 2.25" pot. Item# 12453

Large clusters of lightly fragrant, 1 to 1-1/2" wide, 4-'petaled' white flowers often with light green accents are produced in mid to late summer attracting bees, hummingibirds, and other pollinators. The Virgin's Bower, Clematis virginiana, is a vigorous, deciduous, woody native vine climbing via tendril-like leaf petioles up to about 20' high where it has support. It is deer and rabbit resistant, is adaptable to soil types and moisture levels, as well as sunlight, although, plants grown in sun to part shade may flower more profusely. This is not to be confused with the invasive Sweet Autumn Clematis, Clematis terniflora, which has entire or smooth leaflet edges and the foliage is thick and leathery, whereas, Virgin's Bower, C. virginiana, has toothed leaflets and the foliage tends to be a darker green. Female flowers may be followed by densely 'bearded', long lasting seed heads. Note: These are seed raised plants which may have only male, only female, or both flower types on the same plant. Flower and overall plant images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 13179

A Louisiana Super Plant selection! The large 3-4" wide, coral pink, funnel-shaped flowers are produced beginning in late spring with sporadic summer flowering and another nice show in fall with the flowers attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Watchet Azalea, an evergreen Satsuki type, has a neat and compact, densely branching, naturally rounded habit that lends itself to use in low-maintenance gardens and landscapes, including formal settings. Its small size also lends Watchet to use in bonsai as well as for low-maintenance container plants. Provide your evergreen Azaleas with a well-drained, average moist, humus rich, acid soil and topdress with an organic mulch for the best results. Item# 12575

Large rounded clusters of flowers (sterile florets) in deep rosy pink or medium blue-purple, depending on your soil's acidity and the availibilty of aluminum, adorn the tidy compact well-branched plants with strong sturdy stems and dark green healthy foliage and are produced from summer to fall. Wee Bit Giddy® Bigleaf Hydrangea is a dwarf and compact, has good cold hardiness, and is a repeat flowering mophead that flowers both on this year's and last year's growth. Its tidy rounded, 2' high by 2 -1/2' wide size make it well suited for use in both containers and in gardens with limited space but it is no less useful in gardens and landscapes providing summer to fall color. As with other Bigleaf Hydrangeas, provide this Proven Winners® Color Choice® selection with a moist, well-drained, fertile soil in an area that receives morning sun with shade or filtered shade during the hottest portion of the day in areas with hot summer climates. In cooler climates Bigleaf Hydrangeas can tolerate full to mostly sunny sites. Some direct sunlight, preferably >4 hours per day, is needed for good bud and flower production. Photo courtesy of Proven Winners - www.provenwinners.com, all rights reserved. Item# 12911

Large rounded clusters of flowers (sterile florets) in deeply saturated shades of rosy red or blue-purple, depending on your soil's acidity and the availibilty of aluminum, adorn the tidy compact well-branched plants with dark green healthy foliage from summer to fall. Wee Bit Grumpy® Bigleaf Hydrangea is a dwarf and compact, has good cold hardiness, and is a repeat flowering mophead that flowers both on this year's and last year's growth. Its tidy rounded, 2' high by 2 -1/2' wide size make it well suited for use in both containers and in gardens with limited space but it is no less useful in gardens and landscapes providing summer to fall color. As with other Bigleaf Hydrangeas, provide this Proven Winners® Color Choice® selection with a moist, well-drained, fertile soil in an area that receives morning sun with shade or filtered shade during the hottest portion of the day in areas with hot summer climates. In cooler climates Bigleaf Hydrangeas can tolerate full to mostly sunny sites. Some direct sunlight, preferably >4 hours per day, is needed for good bud and flower production. Photo courtesy of Proven Winners - www.provenwinners.com, all rights reserved. Item# 12910

Clusters of pure-white, butterfly-shaped, fragrant flowers are produced in clusters in summer atop the tropical looking, rich green foliage and sturdy lush stems attracting both butterflies and the hummingbird-like Sphinx Moths. Cut the flowers and put them in a vase and they can perfume an entire room with their sweet heady fragrance. The White Butterfly Ginger, Hedychium coronarium, is a rhizomatous and slowly spreading, naturally evergreen tropical that acts like a die-back perennial in areas where freezes occur, reliably returning in zones 7B to 10. The Hedychium Gingers typically grow and flower best where they receive at least some direct sunlight for 3-4 hours during the day and generally have the best looking foliage where they receive shade during the heat of the day. A planting on the east facing side of a house, tree or other structure where they receive morning sun is often optimum. Provide an average moist to moist, average to well-drained, moderately fertile soil to keep this easy and reliable heirloom growing and flowering. Item# 1065

Beautiful and unique spidery white flowers absolutely cover this semi-dwarf evergreen shrub in mid-spring. The rare Koromo White Azalea's naturally compact growth habit, durability, and rare flower form make this a definite conversation piece. The lavender form of this Azalea, Koromo Shikibu or Purple Spider, lines the eastern border of the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Gardens at Stephen F Austin's Mast Arboretum. 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. Item# 10813

In late summer and fall loads of dainty 1/2-1" wide white daisies, with yellow centers or disk flowers that age to red-purple, literally cover the plants for weeks and offer nectar and pollen to a variety of smaller pollinators. The White Wood Aster, Aster divaricatum now Eurybia divaricata, is a medium-sized bushy, shade and drought tolerant, vigorously spreading rhizomatous, native perennial common throughout the Eastern US. This is one of the earliest Asters to begin flowering in late summer and can even be utilized as a mum replacement in containers if desired. The White Wood Aster may be best suited to semi-shaded to shaded, naturalistic areas where it will readily colonize eventually creating a groundcover-like mass of offsets. Provide a partly shaded site in average to well-drained soils with average to dryish (once well-established) moisture conditions. Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 12991

Pink tinged buds open to 2 ¹/₂-3" wide, ruffled, fragrant, anemone-form to semi-double flowers with a boss of golden yellow stamens that are produced early in the season in Nov-December. Winter's Snowman Sasanqua Camellia is a hybrid that was selected for its reliable zone 6 cold hardiness, clean white fragrant flowers, as well as for its vigor. This is a naturally fairly large growing evergreen shrub with medium textured, deep green Sasanqua-like foliage that emerges burgundy in spring similar to the Red-Tip Photinia and extending its seasons of interest. Like a Sasanqua, Winter's Snowman can be maintained as a 4-6'H hedge, formal to informal screen, or allow it to grow into a naturally large evergreen shrub to small tree with a naturally upright to spreading habit. Provide Camellias with a fertile soil rich in organic matter, with average moisture, and a deep organic mulch. Images courtesy of CamToo Camellia Nursery, all rights reserved. Item#13010

Zone 6 US National Arboretum introduction! Medium-sized, single, pink often described with a lavender tinge, flowers with a boss of sunny yellow stamens are produced in fall or early in the season, October to November, and are held against a foil of glossy, deep green, medium-textured foliage. Winter's Star Sasanqua Camellia, an Ackerman cross using C. oleifera for cold hardiness and is listed with the C. x hiemalis hybrids, is a vigorous growing, medium-sized, evergreen shrub with a fairly upright and rounded, densely branching habit. It has taken temperatures as low as -12^oF with no apparent damage and no protection except for that of pine trees overhead per Dr. Ackerman's description in the U.S. National Arboretum's pamphlet for these introductions. 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# 13247

Loose clusters of sweetly fragrant, creamy yellow, star shaped flowers are produced over a long period beginning in late spring and early summer on this vigorous and durable evergreen twining climber. This cultivar of Confederate Jasmine appears to flower a good deal longer than the more common white flowered selections. An excellent choice for arbors, trellises, and evergreen screening on a lattice work or fence. Confederate Jasmine can also be used as a deep groundcover that will grow to 12-24" high. Where not hardy they can be maintained as easy and low maintenance container specimens. This may be the same as Woodlander's 'Mandianum' which may yet be the 'Star of Toscane'. Item # 11020

Unusual for the Florida Flame Azalea! Whorls of deep rich rosy pink to near red, pointed, tubular buds open to display the large light to medium pink, lightly fragrant, butterfly pollinated flowers that are produced in early spring atop the still bare stems. The Yellow River Pink Florida Flame Azalea, Rhododendron austrinum typically produces flowers in shades of yellow and orange and so this is quite uncommon for this species, was discovered by Ron Miller along the banks of the Yellow River in Alabama. As is typical for the native deciduous Azaleas, this is a naturally upright to vase shaped growing plant that rounds out somewhat at maturity and the foliage and new growth begin to emerge about the time the flowering season ends. As with other Azaleas and Rhododendrons, the Yellow River Pink Azalea will need a well-drained, acidic soil rich in organic matter with average moisture and will benefit greatly from an organic mulch, such as pine straw, to help maintain more even moisture levels during the growing season. They can be grown in full sun under good conditions but may benefit from midday or afternoon shade to filtered shade, especially in drier conditions. Images courtesy of Ron Miller, all rights reserved. Item#12743

Pure white 2" long tubular flowers emerge from between the spikes of golden yellow, long lasting, showy bracts nearly throughout the year where kept from cool temperatures. The Yellow Shrimp Plant, Pachystachys lutea, is an easy to enjoy and popular shade loving naturally evergreen tropical that slowly builds into a shrubby perennial with large dark green foliage. Its an easy and rewarding choice for a shaded porch or patio where it will add a little tropical flair. The flowers attract hummingbirds and other long-tongued pollinators. Provide an average moist to moist, fertile, average to well-drained soil in a shaded site for optimum growth and vigor. This is a true tropical plant that prefers temperatures above about 60^oF and can be overwintered indoors in an area with high indirect sunlight but plants can tolerate some direct sunlight, preferably cool or filtered, during the early or very late part of the day. *Note: In more northerly latitudes and/or cool summer climates plants are generally better able to tolerate full sun. Item# 3042