Native Plants

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Thursday - September 12, 2013

From: Annapolis, MD
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Shade Tolerant, Shrubs
Title: Shrubs for Shade in Annapolis MD
Answered by: Larry Larson

QUESTION:

Can you please recommend dense shade tolerant shrubs for Annapolis, Maryland.

ANSWER:

Sure, you can find a list to consider using the Maryland Recommended Species list. When it is reduced to the Shade Tolerant ones, 15 shrubs are listed.

I’ve interpreted “dense” as the shrub having more of the classic shrublike mound aspect as different from being a small tree, which is the other aspect one will find called a “shrub”. As you didn’t mention size, I am listing these in rough order of height.

Ceanothus americanus (New jersey tea) - - 3 ft.
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus (Coralberry) – 4-6 ft.
Physocarpus opulifolius (Atlantic ninebark) – 3-10 FT.
Cephalanthus occidentalis (Common buttonbush) – 6-12 ft.
Rhododendron catawbiense (Catawba rosebay) 6-20 ft. – Specifically mentioned as dense
Rhus typhina (Staghorn sumac) – 15-30 ft. – Colony forming