Shade Gardening

Plants
Shade Gardening

Shade Gardening Archives - D. Barnett

Greetings! I am David Barnett, Horticulturist, Treasurer of the Arlington Organic Garden Club and home gardener. The club begged and beseeched and finally I broke down and volunteered to write this page. I believe in Darwin's theory, only the fittest survive in my yard. Monthly I will let you know what some of the best shade plants are for the North Texas area.

The plants I will be listing each month are grown and tested in my own yard. I live on a spacious corner lot with several mature oak trees and of course all of the other trees I just had to plant. Growing anything in the shade is not a simple task. There can be too much water or NO water at all and the insect infestation is totally different than plants growing in the sun. We all make mistakes and that is what gardening is all about: trial and error. A good gardener will often try new plants in different areas. Gardening includes much experimentation and sharing of knowledge.

January '01 Feature:
Begonia grandis (Hardy Begonia)

Here is another can't miss shade perennial. This plant is hard to find in the nursery trade. You can find it in mail order catalogs and of course at the annual AOGC plant sale in June. I have grown this plant for years in the same place in my side garden. It has never succumbed to any of the savage weather we have had in the last five winters or summers. The book on this shade plant is height 18", Width 18" Zones 6-9.

Hardy Begonia plant never fails to amaze me. One year in the early part of spring (following a real mild winter) I was working on my flower bed, weeding and mulching. When I discovered that this begonia had already reached it's full growth and was starting to bloom! I was indeed a happy gardener.

The leaves of this plant are shaped like an angel wing begonia. It normally blooms in late spring to frost. The flowers of this begonia are pale pink held loosely above the leaves. There are tiny bulb-like tubers that appear at the leaf joints in late summer. These can be used to increase your stock or to pot up and share with a fellow gardener. This plant needs shade and moist well-drained soil.

A brother or sister plant to this one is Begonia grandis 'Alba'. Alba has a wonderful white bloom and needs all of the conditions listed above. I have had a small start of this plant for three years. It is the smallest plant in my garden. It just sits there and has never bloomed for me yet. The jury is still out on this one!

Begonia grandis will need extra watering in the hot summer. In the winter it will freeze to the ground and leave no visible signs that it was ever there. Do not give up on it for this plant will come back with a vengeance the next year. If that is not good enough for you, look under the leaves of the plant and you will see a whole bunch of new plants coming up. This is the plant I pot up every year. It is best to get them potted up as soon as possible, while they are still small plants.

I grow my begonias with wood fern in the background. They are truly a wonderful sight together. As I usually say in this column, this plant is a true Texas star for the garden, in addition to, a superb southern heirloom perennial.

October Feature:
Pseuderanthemum alatum
"Chocolate Plant"

Here is one plant that is a true winner in anyone's shade garden. The Chocolate Plant is hard to find in the nursery trade (if it is even offered). It is best obtained in a plant swap, plant trade, or the AOGC annual plant sale. This is a plant that is destined to be a pass-along plant.

The Chocolate Plant is easily propagated so once you own one you will have it a long time. The seeds germinate easily, but you must harvest the seeds before they make their popping sound. If you hear the pop, give up on harvesting till next time. The pop will spread the seed over a good-sized area. (I feel like I am giving a rice crispy cereal commercial). You can also wait till the seeds germinate and transplant the small plants. Trust me on this it is easier than trying to find the small seed. The first time you see this plant you will think it is dead. The dark brown of the leaves and stems make it look that way. Oh but the beauty of the bloom makes it all worth while.

In the late spring through fall the bloom is supported on long stalks held high above the plant with small purple flowers.

It can take some sun but does best in dappled to shady areas. The more sun it does get the more you will love this plant. Along the center of the leaves a metallic silver pattern emerges. With the brown of the leaves and the metallic silver pattern this is a stunning contrast in the garden bed. The book on this plant is 12" tall to 24" wide, zones 7-11, and it does go dormant in the winter. Don't give up on it for it will return next spring just like tax time. This could be a wonderful companion plant for pale foliaged plants, especially those with blue tones. The Chocolate Plant is a true no muss, no fuss, garden plant.

September Feature:
Tovara (to-vah-ra) virginiana
'Painters Palette'

Tovara is a plant that has just the right color of foliage to brighten up any shady spot. It prefers rich, moist soil with light shade to half a day of sun. The more sun it gets the taller it will grow. The only problem with that is the sun will bleach out the wonderful colors of the leaves.

The book on this plant is 18" to 24" tall, 6" to 12" wide and Zone 4-9. As I stated earlier it will grow taller in the sun, but it will grow shorter in the shade to filtered shade. I have grown this plant for approximately 5 years now and I have seen it grow 3" to 6" in the shade, but it still blooms and does just fine.

So now lets talk about the leaves. The green leaf has a central red-brown to burgundy area, with ivory to yellow-white splashes in an overall deep pink tinge. In a nutshell, no two leaves are ever the same color or contrast. One leaf might be greener, redder, whiter, or any mix of colors than any of the other plants growing right beside it.

Tovara blooms in mid- to late spring, and has airy spikes of small red bead-like blooms. It tends to spread by reseeding itself in the same general area, however it is very controllable. Sometimes this plant is listed under Polygonum or Fallopia.

I must say I have traded this plant at plant swaps all over Texas and I just recently sold 5 flats of this wonderful plant at the Arlington Organic Garden Clubs' plant sale. It is always the first plant to sell, which shows you how wonderful it is. I recommend this one above all other plants. This is a tried and true shade plant for the state of Texas.

August Feature: Persian Shield
(Strobilanthes dyerianus)

Persian Shield is a fairly new plant to both gardeners and nurseries. It comes from the ACANTHACEAE Family and is related to such plants as Ruellia, Shrimp Plant and Bear's Breeches. It is originally from that wonderful sunny land of Burma.

This plant is a soft-stemmed shrub. The color is hard to describe if you have not seen the plant, but I will give it a try.

The leaves are in pairs and have an elliptical shape. The top of the leaf is a dark green with an iridescent silver/purple overlay that looks like it has been painted on. The leaf color can change depending on the light level. The underneath side of the leaf is dark purple. It resembles a metallic glittering jewel.

This plant holds its color well and will grow great in pots. In the house it will need a sunroom or a bright window. The book on this plant claims it has short spikes of funnel-shaped pale blue flowers. They are 1¼ inches long and are produced in the autumn (I didn't know Burma had an autumn). I have never had this happen in my yard, it always freezes before the bloom comes. Height 4ft Width 3ft Zone 9-11. I have grown this plant in zone 8 for three years now with filtered light to some sun. It needs a little extra water in the hot summer. This plant dies to the ground with the first freeze. I usually add a little extra mulch on top when real cold weather threatens to help protect the roots. Don't give up on this plant it will come back the following spring, just as soon as the ground heats up enough.

You just can not get this color with any other plant. It is most definitely a keeper and should be used more often.

July's Feature:
Turk's Cap or Texas Wax Mallow
(Malvaviscus arboreus var. Drummondii)

This has to be one of the finest varieties in this species. It was very common in old Texas gardens. The popularity as a garden flower can be traced from the gulf coast of Mexico to Florida.

Although this species of Turk's Cap is more compact in its growth and bears smaller flowers and foliage than Malvaviscus arboreus (Giand Turk's Cap) it can on occasion become as impressive in size. Turk's Cap can grow in alkaline or acid soils and is well adapted to sun or partial shade. It is a deciduous perennial shrub height 5'-8', spread 5'-8', zones 7-11. Propagation is by cutting, transplants, or seed (usually spread by the birds, which are attracted by the red seed head).

I grow my Turk's Cap in the two corner flowerbeds located in by back yard. In winter I prune back the long growing canes 6-8 inches above the ground. The new canes or limbs form in early spring. As spring is followed by summer the showy red blooms start to appear just in time for the hummingbirds. Red tomato-like fruits that are edible and fairly tasty (or so I have heard) follow the blooms.

This plant likes moist soil, but once established it is fairly drought tolerant. There is no other plant that can give so much color in such shady areas.

There are also white blooming forms of Turk's Cap and a rare variegated leaf form that blooms red. I have never noticed any insect damage that has amounted to anything. However, I did notice some powdery mildew this year from all the late spring rains. This plant is a keeper but it is also a plant that just keeps on going -- like that pink bunny!

June's Feature:
Ligularia (lig-you-lay-ri-a) tussilaginea 'Aureo Maculata'Leopard Plant

Ligularia has the most remarkable bold foliage of almost any plant. This evergreen plant originated in Japan and was brought back during the Victorian Era to be used in greenhouses and in some borders. The beauty of this plant has only recently been rediscovered. The Leopard plant is a vigorous, rhizomatous, mostly evergreen perennial, which grows in zones 7-10.

The leaves of the Leopard plant are to die for. They are large, rounded, and dark green in addition to being

up to 12" across with spotted yellow dots all across the leaf. They are carried on 12" sturdy branching, woolly stems with spires of bright yellow daisy like flowers. It normally blooms in late summer to early fall. The bloom is O.K. but trust me, you grow this plant for the colorful leaves.

The Leopard plant needs rich, moist, even boggy soil, in light shade to some sun. Full shade or full sun will kill this plant in a Texas minute. Too much sun and the leaves will burn or worse, bleach out the wonderful yellow dots. This plant will need some supplemental watering in the heat of summer.

There are also three very rare forms of this plant. Green leaves with pink dots, green leaves with white dots and my favorite green leaves with a variegated white gently flowing back from the end of the leaf. I would like to have all of these, so keep a eye out for me.

I have grown the Leopard plant for several years and I just love it. The yellow dots are never the same on any one leaf. This plant is a little hard to find and pricey ($12-$24 per gallon) but you will be rewarded with a wonderful woodland plant.

May's Feature:
Chinese Ground Orchid (Bletilla striata)

Bletilla (Hardy Orchid) is another must for the woodland garden. This is the only orchid that we can grow in the ground. These hardy spring flowering orchids prefer a slightly moist or humusy garden soil. The only thing this orchid does not like is dry soil and full sun. This orchid grows upright, heavily textured, iris-like green leaves 10" x 1" wide, forms a slowly spreading clump. In the early

Bletilla Striata "Alba"

spring, stalks of purple bell-like flowers to 15" tall are held atop the foliage. The blooms last 4-6 weeks and the stem and leaves last until the heat of early summer rear's its ugly head. The orchid will disappear until the next early spring.

I have had only one problem with these plants. If the winter is mild and they start to come up early, a late freeze can damage them. I suggest overing them until the threat of frost is completely gone.

If you have thought that orchids were difficult to grow, then you have to try this orchid!

There are different flowering colors: Bletilla Striata 'Alba' - White flowers Bletilla Ochracea 'Yellow' - Yellow blooming Bletilla Striata 'Albustriata' - this one is a white-edged form of Bletilla Striata. The leaves of the plant are edged with a narrow margin of white (rare) stripes on each side.
	Bletilla Striata 'Albustriata'

April's Feature: Strawberry Begonia or Geranium Saxifraga Stolonifera

This ground cover is not a strawberry or a geranium or even a begonia. This is one of the finest and one of the most bizarre ground covers around. The Strawberry Begonia is a low growing ground cover with a nice spreading habit. It produces dainty white flowers on spikes held high above the foliage. The leaves are lime green to medium green with silver veins and reddish undersides. It spreads like a strawberry plant, forming new baby plants at the end of slender runners. It prefers shade to filtered sunlight, however, I

have some growing in direct afternoon sun (2 to 3 hours) and it has done quite well. I had some growing in dense shade, but it did not survive. This ground cover grows well in zones 7-10. It is a ground cover normally grown in a greenhouse. In addition, it grows well in hanging baskets. I had to give it a little extra watering in the summer months but other than that it has proven to be a real trooper in the garden. My experience this winter was no die back and the sleet storm we encountered did not hinder it. It is a phenomenal ground cover for lightly shaded areas.

March's Feature: Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis)

This Lovely flowering perennial thrives with little care and is a must for the shade garden. This plant flowers in the late winter to very early spring. It forms a nice cluster of deeply divided glossy leaves. In the late fall this cluster opens up and the old leaves drop away from the newly emerging leaves. The semi-nodding flowers will self-sow and form long-lived colonies. I am still waiting for the blessed event.

Lenten Rose needs humusy, evenly moist, neutral or alkaline soil. It needs morning sun and dappled or filtered afternoon shade is a must. That is what the book says, I grow mine in filtered light under a large oak tree and dogwood tree and it does just fine. As the plant matures (after two years) the more tolerant to the heat of summer it will become. You can remove any old or damaged leaves as needed.

It grows in Zone 4-9, 15" tall and 24" wide. The flower of orientalis can range from white, to red, to deep lavender. I have had H. orientalis growing at my house for the last three years. It has bloomed only two of those years. If the winter is mild you might not get a bloom, but have an ice storm like we had this year and you are guarantied a wonderful bloom (as the pictures illustrate). So, to sum it all up, H.orientalis is a little expensive ($7.99 and up) but this evergreen flowering perennial is a must for your shade border. It will give a little character to any area you have that you need a great shade plant.

February's Feature: Heuchera (HEW-kur-ah)

This woodland plant has recently undergone a huge resurgence in popularity. The trail blazer plants that have caused this popularity to re-emerge are H. "Palace purple" and H. "Montrose ruby". Thanks to all the plant breeders in the world we have several kinds of new Heuchera. The following list is just a sample:

H. Oakington Jewel
H. Pewter Veil
H. Chocolate Ruffle
H. Mint Frost
H. Persian Carpet
H. Plum Pudding
H. Strawberry Candy
H. Velvet Knight

Heuchera Oakington Jewel in early February

This is just a few of all the new Hybrids that have come out at this time and no telling how many will be out in the future. If you go by most gardening books they state that it is semi-evergreen. I have found it to be evergreen in my yard except for a brief transitional period in late summer. It loves the cold but hates the intense heat of our Texas summers. I have discovered that the lighter the leaf colors the more tolerant of the heat this plant seems to be. The foliage is to die for. The flowers will attract butterflies but they are rather small. In addition, the flowers are held up on spikes (panicle) above the foliage in colors of pink, red, and white. You will not grow Heuchera for its flower: you will grow it for its beautiful foliage. The leaves look like a maple leaf or ivy. The leaves are green, purple, variegated, and just about anything in between. It can take some sun, but in the summer it has to have shade or filtered light. The soil should be well drained. I know by experience that Heuchera will need supplemental watering especially in the summer, moisture is not a problem in the winter.

Heuchera is hardy in zones 4-9, and grows to 12" high and 18" wide. Propagate in early spring or late fall. Just give Heuchera a nice humusy area to grow and keep an eye on it for at least the first year and during the summer season.

This wonderful low growing plant with its different looking leaves is truly a keeper. Most definitely a plant to try. Mail order catalogs may be your only source to obtain some of the newest hybrids. The prices range from $3.99 to $9.00. Do look around at your local nurseries and ask for them by name: Heuchera.

January's Feature: Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra eliator)

To begin, let's talk about the Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra eliator). It is an evergreen that grows in two forms: a dark green foliage and a variegated foliage (Aspidistra elatior 'Variegata).

The Cast Iron plant is native to Japan. This is truly a great plant. It is not called Cast Iron for nothing. It is extremely tough and drought tolerant (once it is established). A real cold winter will fray and brown the tips of the leaves and they will look pretty bad. Cutting away the bad and leaving the good can solve this problem. New leaves will be coming up from the ground in the middle of spring.

Cast Iron plant in early February

The height of the plant is 24". In addition, the spread (area of coverage) is 24". When planting, spacing should be 18"apart. This is what the gardening books tell you, but with my yard, the 'Variegata took ten years for a single plant to spread 24". Flowers are an inconspicuous brown and they bloom very low to the ground. The Cast Iron plant does not like a lot of fertilizer. Organic fertilizer, compost, and leaf matter is the best fertilizer. This plant can be used as an accent or tall ground cover and has the ability to thrive in the adverse conditions and low light of shade. The Cast Iron plant can be grown from Zone 7-9 with no difficulty. North of Zone 7 it can be grown in pots and used inside the house or in the greenhouse.

Cast Iron "Variegata" after rare January snow

The 'Variegata' form of Cast Iron is really something to see. The variegation runs in stripes of white on the dark green leaf. Too much fertilizer will cause this plant to lose it's Variegation and the leaves will turn back to green. It is beautiful in the back of a dark garden bed or in an area you need to brighten up. It costs more than the standard Cast Iron Plant, usually double the price. It is definitely worth a try and is clearly a keeper.

So to sum it all up if you are looking for a plant to put into a dark garden area and you just want to plant it and forget it this is a must. Darwin himself would be a happy Gardener with this plant…………..