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Shade Perennials

Shade Perennials


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SELECTED PERENNIALS USEFUL FOR SHADY SPOTS

One thing that can be frustrating is what to do with shady areas of the yard. Even though options may seem limited, there are many perennials that grow well with less sun. Most garden centers will have an excellent selection. Here are a few of the many to consider:

Columbine (Aquilegia spp.): Columbines perform well in areas that receive afternoon shade but not full shade. Most varieties reach 18-24 inches in height but there are a few dwarf varieties. There are many flower colors available. They include white, yellow, pink, red and purple. Columbines often go dormant by late July, and generally live for 3-4 years. However, they freely reseed.

Lupine (Lupinus spp.): Lupines flower in mid-spring for 4-6 weeks. There are multiple species and varieties available. Flower colors include white, red, pink, purple and yellow. The standard size for most is 2-3 feet high and wide. Some stay smaller.

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spp.):Most of us have had a great aunt or grandma who grew old fashioned bleeding heart in their yard. The commonly grown species is recognizable due to its pink, heart-shaped, springtime flowers. Less common but still useful forms exist including a white flowering version and lower growing fern-leafed types. Bleeding hearts go dormant along the Wasatch Front by mid-July. They may flower the entire growing season in cooler mountain valleys.

Coral Bells (Heuchera spp.): Coral bells primary attraction is the beautiful foliage, that varies in color from green, to red, brown and yellow. They offer hard-to-find color contrast to what can be a rather muted landscape. Coral bells also have ornamental white, pink or red flowers in the middle of the summer. Plant size varies from 12-18 inches high and wide.

Foam Flower (Tiarella app.): Foam flower is closely related to coral bells and hybrids of the two exist. Foam flowers' foliage is a main attraction, but its pink flowers are also nice. Plant size averages at around a foot in height.

Perennial Geranium or Cranesbill (Geranium spp.): Perennial geraniums grow in shadier areas quite well but require at least some morning or evening sun. Depending on the species, they grow up to 3 feet high and wide. Many groundcover forms also exist. Flower primarily appear in late spring and vary in color from white to dark pink.

Leopard's Bane (Doronicum orientale):The main attraction of leopard's bane is that it has brilliantly colored springtime yellow, daisy-like flowers. Additionally, it is very cold hardy, and survives in almost any populated area of Utah. Leopard's bane reaches a foot high and wide and lives for 3-5 years in the landscape.

Wind Flower (Anemone spp.): There are a few species available. Some bloom in the spring and others in the fall. The autumn blooming types are nice because few other shade perennials bloom at this time. Over time, plants reach up to 1-3 feet high and wide. Flower colors including pink, white, red and yellow.

Hosta (Hosta spp.): Hostas are the most popular problem free shade perennials. They have beautiful foliage and reach anywhere from 6 inches to 5 or 6 feet tall. Leaf shape and color is highly variable, where many blue tinted and variegated types exist. Deer and snails are about the only common detriments to hosta.

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