Which Plants for Which Areas

Written & contributed by Peggy Gannon

Shade-Loving Plants  •  Plants for Wet Areas  •  Plants for Dry Areas
Flowers to Attract Hummingbirds  •  Plants for Poor Soil
Plants for Erosion Control  •  Ground Covers

SHADE-LOVING PLANTS

Most sun-loving perennials can tolerate light shade. The plants listed below demand full shade (FS). Some will take full sun (S) as well. Plants tolerating part shade are listed as (PS).

ANNUALS
Begonias
Coleus
Fuschia
Impatiens
Lobelia

SHRUBS
Azalea (PS)
Bayberry(PS)
Buckthorn
Burning bush (PS)
Cotoneaster (PS)
Daphne (PS)
Dogwood (PS)
Euonymous Emerald
Hemlock
Honeysuckle (S-FS)
Hydrangea (PS)
Magnolia (PS)
Mountain laurel
Pines (PS-FS)
Privet (PS
Rhododendron (PS)
Serviceberry (PS)
Silver lace vine (PS)
Snowberry
Viburnum (PS) Virginia creeper (PS-FS)
Winterberry Witchhazel (PS)
Yew (PS-FS)

PERENNIALS
Aconitum (PS)
Adiantum (FS)
Aegopodium
Ajuga (S-FS)
Alchemilla (S-FS)
Aquilegia (S-FS)
Aruncus
Asperula
Aster alpinus
Astilbe
Athyrium
Baptisia (PS)
Bergenia
Convallaria (S-FS)
Dicentra
Doronicum
Euonymous fortunei (S-FS)
Geranium (PS)
Geum (S-FS)
Hedera helix (S-FS)
Heuchera (S-FS)
Hostas (S-FS)
Lamium
Ligularia
Monarda (S-FS)
Myosotis
Parthenocissus (S-FS)
Phlox divaricata
Polygonum bistortum (S-FS)
Polyanthus (FS)
Trollius (PS)
Veronica (PS)
Vinca minor (S-FS)
Viola
Vitis hederacea (S-FS)

PLANTS FOR WET AREAS

PERENNIALS
Bergenia
Ferns
Hosta, green & variegated
Siberian Iris
Lupine
Lychnis chalcedonica
Lysimachia
Spartina pectinata
Tradescantia

SHRUBS
Chokeberry
Clethra
Elderberry
Highbush cranberry
Pussy willow
Snowberry
Viburnum, arrowwood
Winterberry
Witch hazel

TREES
Autumn Purple Ash
Amelanchier
River Birch
Red Maple
Silver Maple
any Willow
Swamp White Oak

PLANTS FOR DRY AREAS

PERENNIALS
Achillea
Aegopodium
Ajuga
Armeria
Asclepias tuberosa
Baptisia
Catananche
Coreopsis
Coronilla varia
Echinacea
Echinops
Filipendula
Heliopsis
Hosta, green & variegated
Malva
Oenothera
Phlox subulata
Potentilla
Saponaria
Sedum

SHRUBS
Caragana
Cotoneaster acutifolia
Honeysuckle
Junipers
Potentilla
Rugosa roses
Tamarisk

TREES
Honeylocust
Norway Maple
Silver Maple
Littleleaf Linden

FLOWERS TO ATTRACT HUMMINGBIRDS

ANNUALS
Alyssum
Cleome
Cosmos
Fuschia
Geranium
Impatiens
Morning Glory
Nasturtiums
Nicotiana
Petunia
Salvia
Snapdragons

PERENNIALS
Alcea
Aquilegia
Asclepias
Campanula
Delphinium
Digitalis
Heuchera
Lilium
Lobelia
Monarda
Penstemon
Salvia

TREES & SHRUBS
Azalea
Honeysuckle
Rhododendron
Flowering crabapple
Lilac
Trumpet vine
Hawthorne
Quince
Weigela

PLANTS FOR POOR SOIL

Beauty bush
Crimson CloudHawthorne
Littleleaf Linden
Daylilies

GROUND COVERS

Aegopodium (Bishopsweed)
Ajuga
Asarum canadense (see Herbs)
Convallaria (lily of the valley)
Coronilla varia (crownvetch)
Lamium
Lysimachia (Creeping Jenny)
Pachysandra terminalis
Sedums (acre, dragons' blood, any of the low-growing sedums)
Vinca minor (Periwinkle)

PLANTS FOR EROSION CONTROL

Keep in mind: plants that establish a large root system quickly to control erosion will not stop at some imaginary line; they may invade adjoining spaces. Heavy mulching will help to hold newly-established plants till the roots fill in; the mulch will help reduce erosion until the roots take over.

The following plants are recommended for slopes where erosion is a problem and where dry conditions often prevail:
Artemesia stellerana
Coronilla varia
Cotoneaster horizontalis
Euonymous fortunei
Hemerocallis
Hosta
Juniperus horizontalis
Juniperus procumbens nana
Lamium maculatum
Pachysandra terminalis
Phlox subulata
Rosa rugosa
Snowberry
Vaccinium angustifolium
Ajuga reptans