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
1 rating

Saturday - May 02, 2009

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Shade Tolerant
Title: Native shade-loving container plant for Austin
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

What is a good plant that works well in a container, is shade-loving and produces some blooms?

ANSWER:

Since you live in the same town as we do, we're sure you already know that the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is dedicated to the care, protection and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which the plant is being grown. If you would like a little extra help with native plants in containers, read our How-To Article Container Gardening with Native Plants. We will go to our Recommended Species section, click on Central Texas on the map, and then use the Narrow Your Search function to select on "herbs" (herbaceous blooming plants) for habit and "part shade" and "shade" for Light Requirements. We will not select anything under "Duration." You might choose perennials that will stay in the same pot over time, but will die back all or partially during the winter, or annuals that can be kept in the pot while they are blooming, and then replaced by something that blooms later. These plants are all commercially available; if you have difficulty locating them, go to our Native Plant Suppliers section, type your town and state into the Enter Search Location box, and you'll get a list of native plant nurseries, seed suppliers, and landscape and environment consultants in your general area.

Herbaceous blooming plants for container gardening in Austin

Callirhoe involucrata (purple poppymallow) - evergreen, sprawling up to 3', thick mat up to 1 ft., blooms white, pink, purple March to June, sun or part shade

Conoclinium coelestinum (blue mistflower) - perennial to 3 ft. tall, blooms blue, purple July to November, sun, part shade

Coreopsis lanceolata (lanceleaf tickseed) - perennial, evergreen, to 2-1/2 ft. tall, blooms yellow April to June, sun, part shade or shade

Echinacea purpurea (eastern purple coneflower) - perennial, 2 to 5 ft., blooms pink, purple April to September, sun or part shade

Ipomopsis rubra (standing-cypress) - biennial, to 6 ft. tall, blooms red, orange, yellow, May to July, sun or part shade

Lobelia cardinalis (cardinalflower) - perennial, 1 to 6 ft. tall, blooms red, orange, yellow, May to July, sun or part shade

Machaeranthera tanacetifolia (tanseyleaf tansyaster) - annual, spreading, 6 to 12" tall, blooms purple May to October, sun or part shade

Melampodium leucanthum (plains blackfoot) - perennial, mounded 6 to 12" tall, blooms white, yellow March to November, sun or part shade

Phlox drummondii (annual phlox) - annual, 12 to 20" tall, blooms white, red, pink, purple March to June, sun or part shade

Salvia coccinea (blood sage) - annual/perennial, 1 to 3 ft. tall, blooms white, red, pink February to October, sun, part shade, or shade

Salvia engelmannii (Engelmann's sage) -perennial to 1-1/2 ft. tall, blooms blue, purple April and May, sun or part shade

Salvia roemeriana (cedar sage) - perennial to 2 ft. tall,blooms red March to August, part shade


Callirhoe involucrata

Conoclinium coelestinum

Coreopsis lanceolata

Echinacea purpurea

Ipomopsis rubra

Lobelia cardinalis

Machaeranthera tanacetifolia

Melampodium leucanthum

Phlox drummondii

Salvia coccinea

Salvia engelmannii

Salvia roemeriana

 

 

More Shade Tolerant Questions

Native Plants for Shaded North Slope in Ohio
January 03, 2013 - I have a shaded north hillside which needs erosion control plants. Mostly moss and very thin grass grows there now. Please help!
view the full question and answer

Shade tolerant groundcover plants for Tarrant County, Texas
November 01, 2011 - I live in far NE Tarrant County (Ft Worth), TX and need a groundcover that can tolerate complete shade and poor, rocky, clay soil. I need mostly for erosion control, and needs to be relatively low
view the full question and answer

Plants for shade
August 19, 2008 - I live in hot, humid Houston and the tree coverage of my yard is nearly 100 percent (so, little sunlight reaches the ground). Can you suggest a plant or two that would thrive in these conditions?
view the full question and answer

Native shrubs or ground cover for north-facing landscape in Ft. Worth
March 23, 2010 - Need native plant ideas for a landscaping bed against the house facing north. Already has 1 Beautyberry but two others died of root rot last year due to incredibly high water table in our area. Old ...
view the full question and answer

Should Solanum eleagnifolium, silverleaf nightshade, be removed from yard
October 01, 2009 - I live in Upstate NY. I'm quite sure, after checking many sites/pictures, that I have a couple specimens of Silver Leaf Night Shade (Solanum elaeagnifolium) growing in the "wild" portion of my side...
view the full question and answer

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