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

Thursday - June 17, 2010

From: Park Ridge, NJ
Region: Northeast
Topic: Edible Plants, Shade Tolerant, Grasses or Grass-like, Herbs/Forbs, Shrubs
Title: Plants for shade, poor soil in Park Ridge NJ
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Hello! I live in far northeast New Jersey, by the New York state border. I am looking for plants for areas of my lawn that nothing currently grows in - due to shade and poor soil quality - very rocky, sometimes very dry, occasionally flooded. They must be native plants to the area, low maintenance and hardy, perennial plants. I am primarily interested in types of grass, but would also like to plant some bushes, shrubs and wildflowers, and even edible plants (fruit/berry trees/bushes, veggies, beans, anything). Thank you very much for your help!

ANSWER:

Before you do anything else, we urge you to read our How-To Article A Guide to Native Plant Gardening. It doesn't matter what part of the country you live in, this has important information.

We will certainly try to find a list of native plants that will grow in Bergen County, USDA Hardiness Zone 6b. Before we do that, though, we need to warn you that the problem you are having does not have entirely to do with plant selection, but mostly with location. The grasses we find that will grow in shade are not going to be mowable turf grasses, but taller grasses that will turn brown in drought and cold. Another problem, from your list of requests, is that most vegetables and fruit trees are not only not native to North America but need more sun to thrive. Even hardy and drought-tolerant plants need some irrigation in the early months of their lives, and "low maintenance" does NOT mean you can plant and forget.

Since it is now Summer, well, it is in Texas, anyway, you really won't need to be planting anything until Fall. Woody plants, like trees and shrubs, should either be planted in Fall or early Spring in your hardiness zone. Wildflowers should be seeded in early Spring, and perennials will usually not bloom until the second season. So, there is no Instant Garden. We suggest you use the time until you can begin planting to improve the conditions in which the plants will grow. We will search on plants that can tolerate "part shade," which we consider to be 2 to 6 hours of sun a day, and "shade," 2 hours or less. If the shade is created by trees, some trimming and limbing up to let more sunshine in can make a big difference. If they are BIG trees, it would be worth it to hire a licensed, trained arborist to do the trimming, someone who will make sure the trimming does not harm the trees. 

Next, try making amendments to the poor soil you have. Drainage is very key in getting most plants to do well. If your soil is clay, it will be even harder. Consider the possibility of raised beds.  Here is one article on the construction of such a bed from Popular Mechanics. Another take on the problem comes from About.com: Organic Gardening, Raised  Bed Gardens. Whether you raise it by construction of borders or simply by adding amendments to the soil, you will need to till or dig in compost or other organic materials, and be prepared to irrigate it when it is dry. With the improved drainage, the occasional flooding should be okay.

Follow each link to the page on that plant in our Native Plant Database to learn growing conditions, projected size, bloom time, etc. To make your own selections, go to our Recommended Species section, click on New Jersey on the map, and then Narrow Your Search by selecting from General Appearance,  Duration, Light Requirements, any other specifications you have.  For additional grasses, go to the Native Plant Database, select New Jersey and make the other choices in the Combination Search.

Herbaceous Blooming Perennials for Park Ridge NJ:

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed) 

Claytonia caroliniana (Carolina springbeauty)

Coreopsis lanceolata (lanceleaf tickseed)

Shrubs for Park Ridge NJ:

Gaultheria procumbens (eastern teaberry)

Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey tea)

Hypericum prolificum (shrubby St. Johnswort)

Vaccinium angustifolium (lowbush blueberry)

Grasses for Park Ridge NJ:

Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland sea oats)

Muhlenbergia schreberi (nimblewill)

Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)

Tridens flavus (purpletop tridens)

From our Native Plant Image Gallery:


Achillea millefolium

Ratibida pinnata

Claytonia caroliniana

Coreopsis lanceolata

Gaultheria procumbens

Ceanothus americanus
seeds
Hypericum prolificum
wwwwwwwwwwwwww

Vaccinium angustifolium

Chasmanthium latifolium

Muhlenbergia schreberi

Schizachyrium scoparium

Calylophus berlandieri ssp. pinifolius

 

 

 

More Shrubs Questions

Montana native plants to create a garden with edible plants
January 14, 2013 - Hi Smarty Plants We are looking to create a native herb, vegetable, root, fruit, flower and ground cover garden for the area of Hot Springs, Sanders County, Montana. Our zone is 4 and soil is mostly ...
view the full question and answer

Shade loving plants with color for Irving, Texas
July 01, 2010 - Looking for shade loving perennials or annuals with color - native and low water. Live in Irving, Texas.
view the full question and answer

Fast-growing non-invasive shrub for privacy fence in Sugar Land TX
December 06, 2011 - I live in South Texas in Sugar Land. I was going to plant oleanders in my backyard along the fence as a privacy hedge, about 20 feet from my house. However, I was told they were a bad choice becaus...
view the full question and answer

Picture in newspaper from Austin
June 02, 2012 - Your gardening story for the Jan 21,2012 in the Austin American Statesman pictured a pale green bush with purple flowers, however the plant was not identified. Can you tell me what it is? Thanks
view the full question and answer

Evergreen shrub for Austin TX
February 28, 2015 - I am wanting an evergreen shrub 6-8 ft tall to use as a screen in our backyard. Do you have any suggestions?
view the full question and answer

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