Tropical Shade Plants

From palms to bromeliads, there are a wide variety of tropical plants that will do well in partial to complete shade. With a little imagination, gardeners can create a tropical landscape even in the least amount of sun with these shade-loving plants.

Palms are not always comfortable in full sun. There are many palms that do well in the shade. Those tropical palms that do well in partial shade to full shade include: windmill palm, miniature date palm, lady palm, bamboo palm, Majesty palm, fishtail palm, needle palm, radicalis palm and metallic palm.

Perennials are plants that usually live for more than 3 years. These plants may die back to the ground during the winter months. Perennials that tolerate the shade include: bromeliads, caladiums, canna, begonias, giant taro, crinum lily, sago palms, ginger, hosta, pentas, staghorn fern, asparagus fern, bird-of-paradise, wandering jew, oyster plant, split leaf philodendron, cordyline and peace lily.

Shrubs are woody plants usually with many branches and multiple trunks. Many can be pruned into hedges. Shrubs with a tropical feel suitable for the shade include: oleander, azaleas, heavenly bamboo, gardenia, podocarpus, pittosporum and loropetalum.

A plant is classified as a tree when it grows over 15 feet. There are some tropical trees that do well in the shade whether it is under the canopy of another tree or in the shadows of large buildings. Tropical trees that do well in shaded areas include: banyan, seagrape, sweet bay and Norfolk Island pine.

Grass-like plants are great accents in tropical gardens. Some varieties that enjoy shady areas include: palm grass, umbrella sedge, palm sedge, drooping sedge and liriope.