Another supporter of Turk's cap here. Planted some last year and it did great is full to partial shade area. Cut it back in November and it has already started to grow back.

We also planted some balloon plants a few years ago and they have been incredibly resilient. Survived the freeze from a few years ago. In a partial sun area.

We also use phlox as some ground cover and it has also survived over the years and looks great when it blooms in the Spring. Stays green throughout the rest of the year when not in bloom.

Japanese burberry did not do well at all a full sun area of our flowerbed. It looks great and wish it would have survived, but just couldn't make it work.

My Turks cap would survive in central Texas but they tend to get killed back every year up here in the Dallas area

Bassmaster said:

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Tony Franklins Other Shoe said:

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Turks caps are one of the best for shade and color.

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And Hummingbirds

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Firebush, that was mentioned earlier, is also a great hummingbird attractor and is hard to kill for you black thumbs.

AggieOO said:

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Anyone has a suggestion for a plant that does well in heavy shade (a little morning/evening sunlight)? Its texas, and we travel a lot, so would need to be drought tolerant. I'm getting close to buying a couple fake metal succulents and call it a day.

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Chinese Jasmine is good ground cover in shade or sun but has to be controlled - which I have failed.

agz win said:

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AggieOO said:

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Anyone has a suggestion for a plant that does well in heavy shade (a little morning/evening sunlight)? Its texas, and we travel a lot, so would need to be drought tolerant. I'm getting close to buying a couple fake metal succulents and call it a day.

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Chinese Jasmine is good ground cover in shade or sun but has to be controlled - which I have failed.

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Asian Jasmine has looked rough in SA the last few years. Guessing the droughts and freezes did a number on it. Tried cutting it back some at the prior house but ended up ripping it all up eventually when it never bounced back. It also got clogged with live oak leaves which was annoying.

Just ripped up a brown patch at the new place too. The rest is pretty green, but I'll probably get rid of it too since it's got some other weeds growing in it and is near an area where leaves fall. It's just a small strip between garage and walkway to front door anyway. Planning to replace with rock and possibly some low maintenance plants (possibly potted).

Need something in bed behind the pool in front of some wax myrtles…any suggestions? Would love some color.

Cactus

Globe mallow

maroon10 said:

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Need something in bed behind the pool in front of some wax myrtles…any suggestions? Would love some color.

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Variegated Ginger or some Coleus?

I've never planted Coleus until this year, so I'm not sure if they're "bulletproof." But we've always had Variegated Ginger that have always done well. I've also had great luck with Golden Dewdrop in the past, and I believe they did have thorns if that matters. I'm in Houston.

Tagged

For annuals, I'm a big fan of vinca/periwinkles.

So many annuals I've tried, die when it hits 100 degrees. These power through the summer.

Bumping this thread, need some ideas for shady flowering types in heavy shade.

I hope you get some good suggestions. I'll be watching. Only thing I know that do well are begonias and geraniums. Begonias can look alright in the right application but otherwise those are two crappy choices.

If you want plant suggestions, you need to post where you live.... Texas, it's bigger than France.

Not always flowering but Purple Heart can handle shade. May freeze back in winter but hard to kill completely and can handle the summer from what I've seen in others' yards.

From what I've learned, there isn't much that flowers more in the shade, but I'll be trying out Turks cap, Crossvine, gold dust aucuba, and moon dust cast iron plant. The aucuba and cast iron will at least adds some interest in the shade while being pretty tough.

I'm in the woodlands

I've had success with deer resistant bulbs with no effort.

Southernbulbcompany.com

Dill-Ag13 said:

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Bumping this thread, need some ideas for shady flowering types in heavy shade.

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Impatiens do well in shade for me and have lasted into winter

Until the F-ing pill bugs start feasting on them...

The Dog Lord said:

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Not always flowering but Purple Heart can handle shade. May freeze back in winter but hard to kill completely and can handle the summer from what I've seen in others' yards.

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I'm pretty sure that **** could live anywhere. I STILL have it under some boxwoods out front despite all my years of repeated attempts to kill it, and that area gets NO sun. For one, it's right under thick, mature boxwoods, but it's also the north side of the house and shaded from direct sun all day, all year long.

I also have a small bit that took root from clippings that somehow made their way to the east side of my house. It has survived being dug up, the deep freeze of 2021, and the blistering heat and drought of last year. Oh, and it has to grow through 4" of pea gravel every time, too.

I've repeatedly tried to kill it in both spots with every type of ground clear herbicide short of sodium chloride, and yet it still comes back. It's not what it once was, but it would certainly take back over if allowed.

In SE Texas, try American beautyberry. Native, can take sun but does appreciate afternoon shade. Not super showy until it puts on berries in the fall. Mosquitoes hate it, birds love it. Beauty is subjective but this plant is way up my list as both pretty and bullet proof.

Try viburnums as well. Many are native. Way under used. Most have spring blooms and fall berries. Bee and bird friendly. Tough as nails once established.

The key is go native and go native for your area of the state. Lots and lots of choices. Several have been mentioned so far in this thread(e.g. Turks Cap). You won't be sorry.

And no, I don't own a native nursery. Just self educated after beating my head against a wall for a long time. I'm old but I'm slow.

Edit - geez. Just looked out my window and realized I forgot one of my favorites. Coral berry. Native. Sun or shade. Fantastic berries in the fall/winter. Not invasive really but can/will spread. I keep mine in check doing maintenance once per year. Again, bird friendly. Great for erosion control too.

Lastly, for those in the SE part of the state(not sure where else) looking for a small tree, have a look at parsley Hawthorne. If you drive around, you'll see it on the edge of forests. Tons of white blooms in the spring and red berries in the fall/winter. Pollinator and bird friendly. Birds use it for nesting because thorns provide some protection. A truly beautiful small tree in my opinion. Lots of great native trees.

Okay, I'll shut up now.

Dill-Ag13 said:

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I'm in the woodlands

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Turks cap
Begonias
Impatiens
Cardinal flower(I have not grown but literature says can handle shade)

I'm positive there are many others.

A couple non-flowering but just as showy include ginger, coleus, chocolate plant/ajuga and even some ornamental grasses that put up purple blooms in the middle of the summer.

Hope that helps.

Love the beauty berries- my front door matches the purple berry color. Also comes in a white and maybe pink variety. I'd also add Carolina Jasmine . Confederate Jasmine mostly didn't survive the snow we had a few years ago. Loquats are also a nice fruit provider.

Discovered these today, a yaupon but with some color/character, now just need to find em locally.

Eureka Gold from Garden Debut