The Best Shade Shrubs

The best shade shrubs grow well where they get fewer than five hours' direct sun per day, and tolerate other growing conditions such as dry or moist soil. Shade patterns in gardens range from bright sun for a few hours every day, through filtered or indirect light, such as under a tree, through heavy, dense shade where there is no indirect or reflected light. Few shrubs can grow in heavy shade, but many thrive in partially shaded spots.

Select shrubs that are hardy in your U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone, and that prefer the existing growing conditions, for the best results.

Fast-growing shrubs can provide privacy or a quick decorative effect.

Chicago Lustre arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum 'Synnestvedt'), which grows in USDA zones 3 through 9, grows 8 to 12 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide quickly in partially shaded spots. Late spring through early summer, tiny white flowers appear, and blue-black fruits follow. Chicago Lustre also features yellow or reddish fall leaves.

Japanese privet (Ligustrum japonicum) is another hedging shrub that tolerates partial shade. Growing 6 to 12 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide, this evergreen shrub offers creamy white, fragrant spring blooms and evergreen foliage. Japanese privet grows in USDA zones 8 through 10.

Japanese privet is invasive in many areas of the U.S. Check before planting and choose a different shrub if it's invasive in your area.

With their showy blooms, flowering shrubs brighten shady spots in the garden.

Bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) bears large clusters of white, pink or blue flowers in flushes through the growing season, and also has dark green leaves 4 to 8 inches long. Growing in USDA zones 5 through 11, bigleaf hydrangea grows 6 to 10 feet tall and wide.

Bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) grows 8 to 12 feet tall and 8 to 15 feet wide, and is named for its long, cylindrical spikes of small, tubular white flowers, which appear early through midsummer. Glossy, pear-shaped, inedible nuts follow the blooms. Bottlebrush buckeye grows in USDA zones 4 through 8.

Evergreen shade-tolerant shrubs provide year-round color and structure.

Japanese aralia (Fatsia japonica) features glossy, dark green, lobed leaves up to 16 inches wide and clusters of small, cream fall flowers. Growing 6 to 16 feet tall and wide, this shrub grows in USDA zones 8 through 10. Japanese aralia is also called glossy-leaved paper plant.

Rhododendrons in the PJM Group (Rhododendron PJM Group) are rhododendron hybrids that tolerate low temperatures in winter, when their leaves take on a purple tone. In spring, clusters of four to nine rose, pink or lavender blooms appear. Growing in USDA zones 4 through 8 shrubs in the rhododendron PJM Group grow 3 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 7 feet wide, depending on the variety.

Rhododendron PJM Group hybrids grow best in acidic, organically rich soil.

When space is at a premium, several small shrubs provide a decorative effect in a shady spot.

Gardenia 'Grif's Select' (Gardenia jasminoides 'Grif's Select') grows 3 to 4 feet tall and wide, and offers flushes of fragrant white blooms up to 3 inches wide through the growing season. Also featuring glossy, dark green, evergreen leaves, 'Grif's Select' grows in USDA zones 6 through 10.

Japanese kerria 'Picta' (Kerria japonica 'Picta') grows in USDA zones 4 through 9 and grows 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. Five-petaled, yellow blooms nearly 2 inches wide appear in spring among white-edged, triangular, gray-green leaves.

Prune Japanese Kerria 'Picta' after flowering to avoid reducing next year's blooms. Wipe pruning shear blades with a cloth that was soaked in rubbing alcohol, before and after pruning this shrub.

Japanese kerria 'Picta' is invasive in some areas of the U.S. Choose a different shrub if it's a problematic plant in your area.