Verticals for Shade
I'm trolling for plant suggestions. I need some verticals for a shady spot beneath some birches near chain ferns, a dogwood and a struggling hydrangea (too shady). I really like the strappy, vertical foliage of Japanese Iris, but it's too shady for them to blossom. The site gets about 3 hours of morning light and then it's all shade.
Any ideas for a nice green vertical like Iris ensata?
Thanks
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(post #15372, reply #1 of 18)
Tricyrtis likes shade.
Eroomgardener, Zone 6 or 7 depending.
Eroomgardener, Zone 6 or 7 depending.
(post #15372, reply #2 of 18)
Veratrum viride might work. It has large ribbed leaves and is quite large. It needs moist soil. It is listed as zones 5-8. Smilacina racemosa (I can't remember its new taxonomy) is somewhat vertical, but also somewhat horizontal. Maybe one of the disporums or polyganatums.
Chicagoland Zone5
"Well I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused." D. McManus
Chicagoland Zone5
"Well I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused." D. McManus
(post #15372, reply #3 of 18)
you might try one of the variegated iris. No, it won't bloom under those conditions... but if you must have iris foliage, don't worry about getting it to flower, just plant something else behind it with a tall flower. Can't think of anything w iris like foliage that will grow in the shade.
btw, Zone? soil conditions?
Selling plants from an orange box, and doing a bit of design on the side- LI NY, Zone 7ish...
Selling plants from the Orange box, and doing a little garden work on the side.
LI, NY, almost zone 7, but it's been warmer of late :)
(post #15372, reply #5 of 18)
Iris foetidissima tolerates and will bloom in partial shade, as will Iris tectorum. Aspidistra and Pyrrosia lingua also make great vertical accents in the shade if it's the foliage you're after.
North Carolina - zone 7
North Carolina - zone 7
(post #15372, reply #4 of 18)
Veronica
if memory serves me right, you are a Zone 9 gardener. I might suggest Aruncus or Goatsbeard and the taller Thalictrums or Rue. I would call them more "tall" than "vertical", but both will flower in the shade.
Marty
"The plants have been good to us." Lester Hawkins
Marty
"The plants have been good to us." Lester Hawkins
(post #15372, reply #6 of 18)
You're right - I am in Zone 9, CA central valley. I like your suggestions. I'd considered Aruncus for another spot, where I want a mass of foliage. I've never seen one in real life and don't know whether they're grown around here. I've gotten some good suggestions about my vertical shade-grower needs and think I'll just plant Japanese iris for their tall foliage, kiss off any blooms, and plant Thalictrium or Cimicifuga behind them. Thanks for your ideas.
(post #15372, reply #7 of 18)
You're welcome! I kept racking my brain vor "verticals" that would bloom in the shade down there, and I just couldn't think of any; backing up the vertical foliage with taller blooming things seems like a nice combination.
Marty
"The plants have been good to us." Lester Hawkins
Marty
"The plants have been good to us." Lester Hawkins
(post #15372, reply #8 of 18)
I'd give Iris pseudacorus a shot. It's much more robust than most of the Japanese Iris and though it is technically a "water" iris, it will grow in drier ground just fine. It will give you excellent 3-4 foot vertical foliage and it doesn't go half dormant in mid-summer like many irises do. And it won't mind the shade.
Troy
www.troybmarden.com
"The great wonder, in gardening, is that so many plants live!" Christopher Lloyd
(post #15372, reply #9 of 18)
Actually that plant is a non-native invasive here in the west. Absolutely takes over wherever it's planted, and we have been asked to please, please please not plant it anymore.
Marty
"The plants have been good to us." Lester Hawkins
Marty
"The plants have been good to us." Lester Hawkins
(post #15372, reply #10 of 18)
Then in that case I would look at Iris virginica 'Contraband Girl'. It is an extremely robust form of our native blue flag. Iris pseudacorus can be invasive here, as well, but I don't let it go to seed and I've never had a problem in drier garden soil (as opposed to stream banks, pond edges, etc.).
Troy
www.troybmarden.com
"The great wonder, in gardening, is that so many plants live!" Christopher Lloyd
(post #15372, reply #11 of 18)
For a layered effect, I could see Tiarella/Heuchera/Heucharella out front, (good variety of foliage, airy see-through blooms) then Iris (architectural form), backed by Astilbe (Plumes of flowers in shades of red to cream), then Cimicifuga to the rear (white to cream spike rising above everything else).
Selling plants from an orange box, and doing a bit of design on the side- LI NY, Zone 7ish...
Selling plants from the Orange box, and doing a little garden work on the side.
LI, NY, almost zone 7, but it's been warmer of late :)
(post #15372, reply #12 of 18)
Thanks. I've already got the Heuchera tribe going out there. What did you mean, though, by 'architectural form' iris? Mainly, I'm interested in foliage for this spot -- I love the spiky form/shape that a good stand of Japanese Iris creates. I'll try Astilbe elsewhere as I've got too much of a ferny texture going on here as it is.
Veronica
(post #15372, reply #13 of 18)
I love the spiky form/shape
That's what I ment by 'architectural' it's a strong form that stands out against the softer billowy forms of many plants
Selling plants from an orange box, and doing a bit of design on the side- LI NY, Zone 7ish...
Selling plants from the Orange box, and doing a little garden work on the side.
LI, NY, almost zone 7, but it's been warmer of late :)
(post #15372, reply #14 of 18)
I'm wondering how iris pseudacorus would do here in NM. With their need for wet conditions, would they grow well in tubs? I have a nice area for sitting under a breezy porch, do they need all day sun?
New Mexico home organic gardener
Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience. Emerson
(post #15372, reply #15 of 18)
Astrid -
They don't need all day sun, and they should do well in tubs. They are sometimes used in small garden ponds. Check to see if it is on the non-native invasive list for New Mexico. It is here in Oregon and in California as well. It was a problem in the North Bay area, but I'm not familiar with it's invasive potential in more xeric regions like your own.
Marty
"The plants have been good to us." Lester Hawkins
Marty
"The plants have been good to us." Lester Hawkins
(post #15372, reply #16 of 18)
Thanks!
New Mexico home organic gardener
Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience. Emerson
(post #15372, reply #17 of 18)
liriope grows in the shade and has strappy foliage, but it is narrower and floppier than iris. There are mounding kinds and spreading kinds.
(post #15372, reply #18 of 18)
I have little shade in my gardens. The heat is intense in full summer, so I guess I will put shade plants on hold for now. I do have wide porches almost all round my house which helps keep my house cool, but most of that is landscaped in crushed stone.
New Mexico home organic gardener
Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience. Emerson
Edited 6/23/2009 6:08 pm by Astrid
Edited 6/23/2009 6:22 pm by Astrid