BEAUTIFUL SHADY FLOWERING SHRUBS FOR YOUR BACKYARD
Flowering shrubs are a great addition to any landscape, but it seems like most things that flower are for full sun locations instead of shade. If you have a North-facing yard or lots of tall trees, you probably still want to enjoy some beautiful flowers. So what are the best shrubs to plant in the shade for your landscape?
Here’s a collection of 7 different shrubs that will grow well in Indianapolis zone 5 that you can add to part shade locations in your yard for beautiful flowers.
Many smooth hydrangea varieties and climbing hydrangeas do very well in part shade locations.
PURPLE SMOKE BUSH
Purple smokebush is a striking deciduous shrub that will grow well in a full sun or part shade location. It will do best with 4-6 hours of sun in the morning, with dappled shade in the afternoon. It can mature 15' tall and wide.
Purple smokebush features rich leaves in purple or dark green, and clusters of flowers with long hairs make it look like clouds of pink smoke are floating above the leaves. Smokebush is drought tolerant and doesn't require much pruning.
VIBURNUMS
There are over 150 varieties of viburnum, so there are cultivars for all locations, from full sun to shade. Viburnums usually bloom in the spring, with large dense clusters of tiny flowers in shades of white and pink. Some cultivars have delightfully scented flowers. There are both deciduous and evergreen viburnums available. They can be quite large shrubs, and even in shady areas they can grow up to 20' tall—although, there are also dwarf varieties.
If you have multiple viburnums, you'll be more likely to end up with clusters of the pretty viburnum berries, which are popular with all sorts of birds and pollinators, like butterflies. The berries may be a wide range of colors and also change color over the season as they ripen.
LITTLE HENRY
Little Henry, or Virginia sweetspire, is another small deciduous shrub that adapts well to part-shade locations. It has long drooping stems of tiny white flowers. The flowers are deliciously fragrant and bloom from late spring to early summer. Little Henry will usually mature to about 2' tall and wide. They will sucker and can quickly fill in an area if left to their own devices. Little Henry needs plenty of moisture, so it’s an excellent choice for rain gardens or around ponds and streams.
HYDRANGEAS
Many smooth hydrangea varieties and climbing hydrangeas do very well in part shade locations. They're an excellent choice for underplanting deciduous trees. Hydrangea macrophylla will bloom pink or blue, depending on the pH of your soil. Most of Indiana has alkaline soil, so most will usually be pink since you need acidic soil to create the blue and purple hues.
Climbing hydrangea has beautiful white flowers and will climb structures with aerial roots. They’re one of the best shrubs for full shade, but can tolerate some sun. It prefers cool conditions and needs excellent drainage.
RHODODENDRON
Many rhododendron varieties prefer lots of sunshine, but there are still quite a few that can thrive in part shade. Many prefer some dappled shade during the hottest part of the day to protect their leaves from yellowing and burning. Rhododendrons need at least 4 hours of sun, best if they get it in the morning to encourage blooming. Rhododendrons need to have their roots kept calm, so it’s essential to keep a thick layer of mulch over their root zone.
IVORY HALO DOGWOODS
Ivory Halo dogwood flowers aren't quite as showy as some of the other shrubs mentioned, but the foliage is spectacular. It’s a deciduous shrub that's eye-catching in all seasons. In spring, it has clusters of creamy flowers that can be up to 2 inches across, turning into white berries that birds love. The leaves are variegated creamy white and green all summer and then turn purple-red in the fall. When they drop, they reveal the beautiful red stems that stand out in the winter landscape.
Stop by Dammann’s garden center today to check out our extensive collection with all many different kinds of shrubs and trees that grow well in shade and are ideally suited to our local climate.