Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
2 ratings

Saturday - September 13, 2008

From: Media, PA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Shade Tolerant
Title: Plants for shade in Pennsylvania
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

i would like to plant a small area in my rear yard, that is full shade in the summer (when the trees are full with leaves) and part shade in early spring. i live on a state park - there are plenty of deer. so.. deer resistant, shade loving, perennial native plants to fill a 20x30 foot area, any suggestions?? thanks.

ANSWER:

You can find a list of recommended species for Pennsylvania by visiting our Recommended Species page and choosing Pennsylvania from the map.  When you reach the Pennsylvania Recommended Species page (with a list of commercially available native plants suitable for landscaping) you can choose the Narrow Your Search option and choose "Shade - less than 2 hours of sun per day" and/or "Part shade - 2 to 6 hours of sun per day".  If you choose "Shade...", you will get a ist of more 70 plants.  That done, you need to assess them for deer resistance and you can do that with a list (Deer Tolerant/Resistant Native Plants) from Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Here are a few species that occur on both the deer resistant list and our "recommended species" list for shade plants for Pennsylvania.

Actaea pachypoda (white baneberry) and Actaea rubra (red baneberry)

Aquilegia canadensis (red columbine)

Coreopsis lanceolata (lanceleaf tickseed)

Penstemon digitalis (talus slope penstemon)

Phlox stolonifera (creeping phlox)

Physostegia virginiana (obedient plant)

Polemonium reptans (Greek valerian)

Rudbeckia hirta (blackeyed Susan)

Fern species are also generally deer resistant.  You can find the ferns that are native to Pennsylvania by doing a Combination Search in our Native Plant Database and choosing 'Pennsylvania' from the "Select State or Province" and 'Fern' from "Habit (general appearance)".  Here are a few of Mr. SP's recommendations from these:

Asplenium platyneuron (ebony spleenwort)

Athyrium filix-femina (common ladyfern)

Osmunda cinnamomea (cinnamon fern)

Remember that "deer resistant" doesn't mean "deer proof".  In stressful conditions (e.g., drought) deer will often eat plants that they would otherwise avoid.


Actaea pachypoda

Actaea rubra

Aquilegia canadensis

Coreopsis lanceolata

Penstemon digitalis

Phlox stolonifera

Polemonium reptans

Physostegia virginiana

Rudbeckia hirta

Asplenium platyneuron

Athyrium filix-femina

Osmunda cinnamomea

 

 

More Shade Tolerant Questions

Native wildflowers for shade in Boone NC
July 05, 2011 - I have a totally shaded area with tall trees and want to plant some native shade wildflowers beneath the trees. It is fairly level. I'd like perennial flowers. I noticed Flaming Azalea was one opti...
view the full question and answer

Edible plants in shade in Enville TN
June 15, 2009 - I have a flower bed against the back of my house with nothing in it. We moved into this house late last year and I was planning on planting some tomato plants there until I discovered it never gets an...
view the full question and answer

Habiturf for shady areas in San Antonio TX
November 08, 2013 - Will the Habiturf grass mentioned here do well in shady areas too?
view the full question and answer

Plants for a moist, wooded area in North Carolina
December 06, 2014 - I am looking to plant some native flowers in a wooded area in Surry County NC. The chosen location is fully shaded beside a creek. The water table typically sets about 2 feet below the surface of th...
view the full question and answer

Replacement for grass under non-native weeping willow from Yorba Linda CA
April 24, 2012 - What would be a good replacement for the grass currently growing under a weeping willow? Something requiring low maintenance, the problem is with mowing over and around the roots.
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.