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Shade Tolerant Native Shrubs for Your Landscape

Attracting Birds, Flowering Plants

Shady spots are hard to fill in a landscape. If you’d like to liven up a sun shy area of your yard or garden with native shrubs, then these selections will help you decide which ones are right for you.

Aesculus parviflora Walt. (Bottlebrush buckeye)

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision SpermatophytaSeed plants

Division MagnoliophytaFlowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Rosidae

Order Sapindales

Family Hippocastanaceae – Horse-chestnut family

Genus Aesculus L. – buckeye

Species Aesculus parviflora Walt. – bottlebrush buckeye

This shrub grows from 6-12 feet high and prefers shady locations. It has four-petal white flowers that give off a honey like fragrance, and fruits that have a nutlike appearance. This was used as a treatment for colic and whooping cough traditionally. Its wood is used for packing crates.

Clethra alnifolia L. (Coastal Sweetpepperbush, Summersweet)

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Dilleniidae

Order Ericales

Family Clethraceae – Clethra family

Genus Clethra L. – sweetpepperbush

Species Clethra alnifolia L. – coastal sweetpepperbush

This shade tolerant deciduous shrub will grow up to 8 feet tall. It has lovely reddish-brown bark. This shrub is mainly used purely ornamental due to its incredibly fragrant white flowers that appear July to August. It will fruit from September to October, but has little value to livestock and deer.

Dirca palustris (Eastern Leatherwood)

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Rosidae

Order Myrtales

Family Thymelaeaceae – Mezereum family

Genus Dirca L. – leatherwood

Species Dirca palustris L. – eastern leatherwood

This shrub gets 4-8 feet tall and requires a spacing of 4-8 feet. It prefers light to full shade. It is a generally healthy plant, free from pest and disease. There are pale yellow flowers in late winter to early spring. It has deciduous smooth leaves and is a generally nice looking plant. The Native Americans used this wood for basket weaving. BEWARE: Handling it may cause a skin irritation. Parts are poisonous and the fruit is narcotic and may be poisonous.

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Euonymus americanaL. (Strawberry Bush, Brook Euonymus, Hearts a Burstin’)

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Rosidae

Order Celastrales

Family Celastraceae – Bittersweet family

Genus Euonymus L. – spindletree

Species Euonymus americana L. – strawberry bush

This shrub has some unique color. With its hot pink seed capsules and its orange red seeds, late summer is an explosion of day-glow delight. It will get up to 2-6 feet tall and needs spacing of 15-24 inches. It prefers partial to full shade. There are yellow or pale green blooms from mid spring to early summer. It is drought tolerant and good for xeriscaping. You can propagate this by semi-hardwood cuttings. Early folklore had the strawberry bush’s bark as a treatment for laxative effects. BEWARE: Seed and other parts are poisonous if ingested.

Hydrangea quercifolia Bartr. (Oakleaf Hydrangea)

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Rosidae

Order Rosales

Family Hydrangeaceae – Hydrangea family

Genus Hydrangea L. – hydrangea

Species Hydrangea quercifolia Bartr. – oakleaf hydrangea

Deciduous shrub that will grow 4-8 feet tall and is wider than it is high. It has dark green coarse leaves and white flowers that will turn pink and then tan in the course of its lifespan. Plant this in partial shade, and mulch well. This shrub has wonderful showy fall color from October to November.

Ilex opaca Ait. (American holly)

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Rosidae

Order Celastrales

Family Aquifoliaceae – Holly family

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Genus Ilex L. – holly

Species Ilex opaca Ait. – American holly

This is an evergreen shrub/small tree that will reach maturity at up to 50 feet. Greenish white flowers start in April and orange/red four-seeded fruits appear September to December. This fruit is loved by over 18 species of game and song birds, so this is a favorite for people creating birding sanctuaries. The holly is very shade tolerant but heavy shade will affect its crown area.

Photinia pyrifolia (Lam.) Robertson & Phipps (Red Chokeberry)

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Rosidae

Order Rosales

Family Rosaceae – Rose family

Genus Photinia Lindl. – chokeberry

Species Photinia pyrifolia (Lam.) Robertson & Phipps – red chokeberry

This deciduous slow growing shrub loves well drained soil and partial shade. It will grow up to 6-10 feet tall. It is good for putting wonderful red fall color into your garden and for attracting birds. It will flower from March to May with white or pink flowers.

Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr. (Flame Azalea)

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Dilleniidae

Order Ericales

Family Ericaceae – Heath family

Genus Rhododendron L. – rhododendron

Species Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr. – flame azalea

This shrub gets up to 6-8 feet tall with an equal spread. It likes partial shade and acidic soil. Its red, orange, or yellow fragrant flowers will appear in late winter to early spring. Too much shade on this one will lessen the blooms. It has average water needs. You can propagate this by semi hardwood cuttings. BEWARE: Parts are poisonous if ingested.

Rhododendron catawbiense Michx. (Catawba Rosebay)

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Dilleniidae

Order Ericales

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Family Ericaceae – Heath family

Genus Rhododendron L. – rhododendron

Species Rhododendron catawbiense Michx. – Catawba rosebay

This shrub gets up to 6-10 feet tall and has a spread of 6-8 feet. It prefers light shade and acidic soils. There is shiny evergreen foliage and has average water needs. There are pink, red, or violet flowers in spring. BEWARE: Parts are poisonous if ingested.

Rhododendron periclymenoides (Michx.) Shinners (Pink Azalea)

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Dilleniidae

Order Ericales

Family Ericaceae – Heath family

Genus Rhododendron L. – rhododendron

Species Rhododendron periclymenoides (Michx.) Shinners – pink azalea

This shrub gets up to 3-6 feet tall and has a 3-8 foot spread. It likes partial shade and acidic moist soil. It has fragrant pink flowers in mid spring to early summer. Its deciduous foliage is leathery. It’s a good solid azalea choice for blooms and foliage. BEWARE: Parts are poisonous if ingested.

Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr. (Swamp Azalea)

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Dilleniidae

Order Ericales

Family Ericaceae – Heath family

Genus Rhododendron L. – rhododendron

Species Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr. – swamp azalea

This shrub gets up to 4-6 feet tall and has an equal spread. It prefers light shade and acidic moist soil. Its fragrant pink, white, or yellow flowers appear in late winter to early spring. There is deciduous foliage. You can propagate this by semi hardwood cuttings. BEWARE: Parts are poisonous if ingested.