Native Plants

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Monday - November 18, 2013

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Shade Tolerant
Title: Plant for total shade in Austin Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Most of north wall of my house is in total shade. Is there a native that will grow there? The nonnative Cast Iron Plant is thriving and the soil is good. Your list of plants requiring 2 hours or less of sun does not answer to the problem of no direct sunlight.

ANSWER:

The category of "2 hours or less of sun" is meant to cover the "no direct sunlight" situation. Here are some plants that should do well in your sunless area:

Capsicum annuum (Chile pequin)

Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland sea oats)

Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii (Turk's cap or turkscap)

Packera obovata (Golden groundsel)

Salvia coccinea (Scarlet sage)

Sabal minor (Dwarf palmetto)

Scutellaria ovata ssp. bracteata (Heartleaf skullcap)

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)

You can see more possibilities on the Plants for Dry Shade in Central Texas and the Texas–Central Recommended pages. Use the NARROW YOUR SEARCH option to choose "Shade–2 hrs or less" from Light Requirement on either of those lists to find the plants that do well in total shade. There are other interesting lists of plants under Just for Central Texans on our Recommended Species page.