Landscaping in Florida Shade1 Sydney Park Brown2

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Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office. Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office.

ENH1196

Trees and the shade they cast provide welcome relief from Sometimes difficult shade can be improved by lifting or Florida’s intense sun and heat, but gardening in shade can thinning the tree canopy or large shrubs so more sun or be challenging. indirect light can penetrate. Keep in mind that there are right and (very) wrong ways to prune trees. Rely on a Lawn grasses in particular are difficult to grow in moderate professional, such as an ISA Certified Arborist, to do the to deep shade. They typically need at least 6 hours of sun, job. See http://www.isa-arbor.com/faca/findArborist.aspx to although certain species and cultivars can adapt to less. find an ISA Certified Arborist. Additionally, most vegetables and fruit crops demand extended periods of full sun to produce well. Sometimes the best solution for difficult shade is to convert it to an outdoor garden room enhanced by seating, garden Shade shifts daily, seasonally, and over time as trees grow. art, mulch, hardscape, colorful containers, a water feature, a Carefully analyzing where and when shade occurs is a first birdbath, or other focal points. Leave the leaf litter that falls step. Also, recognizing types of shade is important as some and allow these areas to be “self-mulching.” kinds of shade are suitable for growing plants while other types are very problematic. Generally speaking, the following types of plants are potentially good candidates for shade: For example, many shade-tolerant plants prefer the follow- • Plants with broad leaves ing conditions: • Foliage plants (houseplants) for cold-protected areas • Four or fewer hours of full sun, preferably morning or of South and Central Florida or for use as cold-tender evening annuals (Table 3) • Dappled shade all day • Most ferns • High, shifting shade (pine shade) • Numerous tropical perennials in the Acanthaceae family Examples of difficult shade include the following areas: (Table 2) • Dense and dark (no sun) • Woodland native plants • In the shadow of buildings Tables 1, 2, and 3 list some plants that tolerate reduced • Dominated by tree roots sunlight. These lists are not exhaustive. • Very wet or dry

1. This document is ENH1196, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date February 2012. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2. Sydney Park Brown, associate professor and Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist. Environmental Horticulture Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A&M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office. Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office. Every plant has cultural needs besides light. Make sure to Additional Resources select plants that are suited to the site (“right plant, right Chaplin, L. T., and M. M. Brandies. 1998. The Florida place”). Gardener’s Book of Lists. Dallas, TX: Taylor Publishing. A few other considerations when growing plants in shade Dehgan, B. 1998. Landscape Plants for Subtropical Climates. include the following: Gainesville: University Press of Florida. • Areas under tree canopy tend to be warmer, frost-free spots more amenable to cold-tender plants. UF/IFAS. 2010. The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Guide to • Digging among the roots of trees and shrubs is difficult, Plant Selection & Landscape Design. http://fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/ so use smaller plants that don’t need a large planting hole. pdf/FYN_Plant_Selection_Guide_v090110.pdf. Water them frequently until they’re established. • Fertilizer cannot compensate for inadequate light. It is Acknowledgements not a substitute for photosynthesis. The author wishes to thank Ed Thralls, Orange County • Shaded lawns should be mowed higher and receive less Extension horticulture agent, for reviewing this publication fertilizer, water, and traffic. See Growing Turfgrass in the and Alachua County Extension horticulture agent, Wendy Shade (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep072). Wilber, for her contributions. • For color in shady areas, use plants that produce light- colored flowers. Dark flowers don’t show up as well. • The local county Extension office can verify the reliability of a plant in your county (http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl. edu/map).

2 Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office. Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office.

Table 1. Selected shade-tolerant plants for North (N), Central Plant Region (C), and South (S) Florida Gallberry (Ilex glabra)* NCS Plant Region Gardenia (Gardenia augusta) NCS Turf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) NC St. Augustinegrass dwarf cultivars (‘Sapphire’, NCS Mahonia (Mahonia fortunei) NC ‘Seville’, ‘Delmar’, and ‘Captiva’) Marlberry (Ardisia escallonioides)* CS Zoysiagrass cultivars (e.g., ‘Empire’) NC Myrsine (Rapanea punctata)* S Centipedegrass N Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)* NC Small trees (under 30’) Fetterbush (Lyonia lucida)* NCS Devil’s walkingstick (Aralia spinosa)* NC Pinxter azalea (Rhododendron canescens)* NC Dahoon holly (Ilex cassine)* NCS Pipestem (Agarista populifolia)* NC Dogwood (Cornus florida)* NC Sandankwa viburnum (Viburnum suspensum) NCS Pond apple (Annona glabra)* S Scorpion tail (Heliotropium angiospermum)* NCS Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia)* NC Simpson’s stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans)* NCS Redbud (Cercis canadensis)* NC Snailseed (Cocculus laurifolius) CS Silverbell (Halesia spp.)* N Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) NC Snowbell (Styrax americanus)* NCS Strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus)* NC Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum)* NC String lily (Crinum americanum)* NCS Spicewood (Calyptranthes pallens)* S Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus)* NC Swamp dogwood (Cornus foemina)* NCS Tea olive (Osmanthus fragrans) NC Walter’s viburnum (Viburnum obovatum)* NCS Umbrella sedge (Cyperus alternifolius) NCS Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria)* NCS Virginia willow (Itea virginica)* NC Palms/cycads Walter’s viburnum (Viburnum obovatum)* NC Bamboo palm (Chamadorea spp.) CS Wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera)* NCS Blue-stem/dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor)* NCS Wild coffee (Psychotria nervosa)* CS Coontie (Zamia floridana)* NCS Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)* NC Formosa palm (Arenga engleri) CS Yesterday, today and tomorrow (Brunsfelsia spp.) NCS Lady palm (Rhapis excelsa) CS Grasses Needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix)* NCS River oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)* NC Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens)* NCS Tiger grass (Thysanoalena latifolia) CS Shrubs Ferns Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum)* NC Autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrsora) NCS Azalea (Rhododendron cultivars) NC Chain ferns (Woodwardia spp.)* NCS Aucuba (Aucuba japonica) NC Cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea)* NCS Anise - Florida (Illicium floridanum)* NCS Hart’s tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) NC Anise - yellow (Illicium parviflorum)* NCS Holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum) NCS Banana shrub (Magnolia figo) NC Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum N Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)* NCS ‘Pictum’) Camellia (C. japonica, C. sasanqua) NC Leather fern (Acrostichum danaeifolium) CS Cleyera (Ternstroemia gymnanthera) NC Leatherleaf fern (Rumohra adiantiformis) CS Crape jasmine/pinwheel jasmine CS Southern shield fern (Thelypteris kunthii)* NCS (Tabernaemontana divaricata) Royal fern (Osmunda regalis)* NCS Dwarf schefflera (Schefflera arboricola) CS Southern woods fern (Dryopteris normalis)* NCS Dwarf Walter’s viburnum (Viburnum obovatum– NCS dwarf cultivars)* Sword ferns (Nephrolepis biserrata and N. exaltata)* CS Fatsia (Fatsia japonica) NCS Swamp fern (Blechnum serrulatum)* NCS Firebush (Hamelia patens)* NCS Silver-leaf brake fern (Pteris ensiformia ‘Victoriae’) CS Florida azalea (Rhododendron austrinum)* N Virginia chain fern (Woodwardia virginica)* NCS

3 Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office. Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office.

Plant Region Common name Scientific name Groundcovers Persian shield Strobilanthes dyerianus African hosta (Drimiopsis maculata) NCS Polka dot plant Hypoestes phyllostachya Algerian ivy (Hedera canariensis) CS Red flame ivy Hemigraphis alternata Artillery fern (Pilea microphylla) CS Sanchezia Sanchezia nobilis Asiatic jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum) NCS Shell ginger Alpinia zerumbet Aztec grass (Ophiopogon intermedius) NCS Toad lilies Tricyrtis spp. Lilyturf (Liriope spp.) NCS Walking irises Neomarica spp. Carpet bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) N Wishbone flower Torenia fournieri Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) NCS Yellow shrimp plant Pachystachys lutea Creeping yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia CS ‘Prostrata’) Florida violets (Viola spp.) NCS Table 3. Assorted foliage plants (houseplants) for South Florida and cold-protected areas of Central Florida Mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) NCS Common name Scientific name Periwinkle (Vinca minor) CS Chinese evergreen Aglaonema spp. Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) CS Amazon lily Eucharis amazonica Strawberry begonia (Saxifraga stolonifera) NCS Anthurium Anthurium spp. Swedish ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus) CS Aralia Polyscias spp. Turtle vine/Bolivian Jew (Callisia repens) CS Calathea Calathea spp. * Native Florida plant Ti plant Cordyline spp. Dumbcane Dieffenbachia spp. Table 2. Colorful annuals and perennials Dracaena Dracaena spp. Common name Scientific name False aralia Dizygotheca elegantissima Begonias Begonia spp. Prayer plant Maranta spp. Bromeliads Aechmea, Bilbergia, and Neoregelia spp. Peace lily Spathiphyllum spp. Blood lily Haemanthus multiflorus Philodendron Philodendron spp. and hybrids Blue ginger Dichorisandra thyrsiflora Snake plant Sansevieria Blue sage Eranthemum pulchellum Triostar Stromanthe sanguinea ‘Triostar’ Butterfly gingers Hedychium spp. ZZ plant Zamioculcas zamiifolia Caladium Caladium x hortulanum Charmed wine Oxalis ‘Charmed Wine’ Coleus Solenostemon scuttellarioides Crossandra Crossandra infundibuliformis Firespike Odontonema strictum Dancing girl ginger Globba bulbifera Ground orchid Spathoglottis spp. Hostas Hosta hybrids, such as ‘Sunhosta’, ‘Royal Standard’, ‘Elegans’, ‘Patriot’, and ‘Frances Williams’ Impatiens Impatiens spp. Jacobinia Justicia carnea Jewels of Opar Talinum paniculatum ‘Variegata’ Kaffir lily Clivia miniata Leopard plant Farfugium japonicum Nun’s orchid Phaius tankervilliae Ornamental sweet potato Ipomoea batatas Peacock gingers Kaempferia spp.