Plants for Full Shade Gardens

Plants for full shade thrive in spots that get fewer than four hours of direct sun per day. Whether you're working under a tree canopy, along a north-facing bed, or in a cool shaded corner, the right plants make all the difference. They transform those shadowy spots into standout garden features. Full shade doesn't mean a boring garden, it means a lush, layered landscape full of color and texture.

Our full shade plant collection spans annuals, perennials, and shrubs. We hand-pick every variety for reliable performance in low-light conditions. You'll find options with vibrant blooms, bold foliage, and interesting form. That means you can design a shade garden that looks great from spring through fall.

Purple leaved heuchera in a mulched garden bed
A close-up of overlapping, heart-shaped leaves of the Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Jet Black™ Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea), a trailing plant with smooth, nearly black foliage and subtle veins visible on its slightly shiny surface - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Jet Black™ Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) features heart-shaped, deep purple leaves and grows in a decorative brown ceramic pot with a raised floral pattern - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Jet Black™ Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea)

$10.99
$10.99

Densely growing heart-shaped, dark purple leaves of the Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Mahogany™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) stand out among colorful flowers and vibrant foliage above reddish-brown mulch - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of heart-shaped, purple-tinted leaves with prominent veins on the Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Mahogany™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea), showing some green foliage among the overlapping, smooth leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Mahogany™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea)

$10.99
$10.99
Close-up of Swingtime Trailing Fuchsia, showcasing white and pink petals among green leaves and buds - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A hand gently holds a blooming Swingtime Trailing Fuchsia, its pink and white petals surrounded by green leaves and buds set against a glass greenhouse backdrop - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Swingtime Trailing Fuchsia

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Uncommon Thread™ Japanese Maple (Acer) leaves, showing delicate green and reddish-purple pointed lobes overlapping. A softly blurred background enhances the striking color and texture of this unique specimen tree - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Uncommon Thread™ Japanese Maple (Acer) showcases delicate, feathery green leaves and serves as a striking specimen tree, beautifully set amid lush grass and greenery in soft sunlight - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Uncommon Thread™ Japanese Maple (Acer)

$24.99
$24.99
‘Valentine’ Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) features red and pink heart-shaped flowers with green leaves, growing densely together in a garden, set against a softly blurred natural background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of 'Valentine' Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) flowers, displaying red and white heart-shaped blooms hanging from a curved stem with green foliage in a garden setting - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Valentine® Bleeding Heart (Dicentra)

$20.99
$20.99

Close-up of a vibrant pink Vicki™ Clematis flower with pointed petals and yellow center, set among green leaves. Additional pink Vicki™ Clematis blooms appear softly in the background - Photo Courtesy of Donahue's Clematis

Vicki™ Boulevard® Clematis

$18.89
$20.99 $18.89

Close-up of Volcanica™ French Quarters Coleus leaves, featuring jagged edges, bright green borders, deep pink centers, and dark purple patches. This shade annual’s colorful, densely packed foliage creates striking contrast - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of Volcanica™ French Quarters Coleus—this eye-catching plant has jagged bright green edges, deep pink centers, and rich maroon patterns, making it a striking shade annual - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc.

Volcanica™ French Quarters Coleus

$10.99
$10.99

A close-up of Wedding Party® 'Black Tie Affair' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) shows pale double petals edged in purple with dark veins, green leaves, and yellow stamens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A hand holds the Wedding Party® 'Black Tie Affair' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), a shade perennial with green leaves and two layered dark purple and white flowers featuring showy yellow stamens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Wedding Party® 'Black Tie Affair' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

A hand holds a Wedding Party® 'Blushing Bridesmaid' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) bloom, showing light pink petals edged in magenta with intricate veining and a center of pale green and white stamens - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A hand holds a Wedding Party® 'Blushing Bridesmaid' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with double white petals edged and veined in purple, pale yellow stamens, and lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Wedding Party® 'Blushing Bridesmaid' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

A close-up of Wedding Party® 'Childhood Sweetheart' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), a striking spring perennial with cream petals streaked with dark red and layered blooms, set against a backdrop of rich green leaves and red flowers - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Wedding Party® 'Childhood Sweetheart' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$17.99
$17.99
A close-up of a hand gently holding a Wedding Party® 'Confetti Cake' Lenten Rose, a pale cream flower with dark purple speckles and layered petals, among green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Wedding Party® 'Confetti Cake' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), a shade perennial with layered white petals speckled dark purple near the center and pale yellow stamens, set against a softly blurred woodland garden backdrop - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Wedding Party® 'Confetti Cake' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

A hand gently holds a blooming Wedding Party® 'Dark and Handsome' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), showcasing deep purple, double-layered petals, pale yellow stamens, and green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Wedding Party® 'Dark and Handsome' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), featuring deep purple-black layered petals, striking yellow stamens, and lush green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Wedding Party® 'Dark and Handsome' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

Wedding Party® 'Dashing Groomsman' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) features dark purple double blooms and lush green leaves—some flowers open, others in bud - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A close-up of Wedding Party® 'Dashing Groomsman' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with double dark purple blooms and green leaves in a terracotta pot against a black background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Wedding Party® 'Dashing Groomsman' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

A close-up of Wedding Party® 'Father of the Bride' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) displays pale yellow petals with maroon speckles at the center, surrounded by lush green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Close-up of pale yellow Wedding Party® 'Father of the Bride' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) flowers with purple-speckled centers and green leaves, growing in a pot - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Wedding Party® 'Father of the Bride' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$19.99
$19.99
Close-up if a single bloom of the Wedding Party® 'First Dance' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) features pale yellow blooms with ruffled petals lightly edged in pink, set against lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of Wedding Party® 'First Dance' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) shows pale yellow and cream flowers with light green centers and purple-tinged edges, densely clustered - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Wedding Party® 'First Dance' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99
A hand holds four pale pink, ruffled double blooms of Wedding Party® 'Flower Girl' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with greenish-white centers against green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of the Wedding Party® 'Flower Girl' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) features pale pink double blooms amid green leaves, with additional softly blurred flowers and foliage in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Wedding Party® 'Flower Girl' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

A hand gently holds a vibrant purple-pink double blooming perennial, Wedding Party® 'Maid of Honor' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), with ruffled petals and yellow stamens among green leaves and a blurred background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Wedding Party® 'Maid of Honor' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) featuring ruffled pink and white double blooms with green leaves, intricate veining, and other Lenten Rose flowers and foliage in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Wedding Party® 'Maid of Honor' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99
Close-up of Wedding Party® 'Mother of the Bride' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) in pale yellow with light pink edges, set among green leaves and other purple-tinged double blooms and buds - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A close-up of the Wedding Party® 'Mother of the Bride' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), featuring its pale pink and yellow double blooms with layered petals and green leaves in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Wedding Party® 'Mother of the Bride' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

Two hands gently hold three Wedding Party® 'Shotgun Wedding' Lenten Rose flowers—purple and white with yellow centers—amid green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Wedding Party® 'Shotgun Wedding' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of several cut Wedding Party® 'True Love' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) blooms showing dark purple-pink layered petals and pale yellow stamens, set against green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A hand gently holds a deep burgundy, double-petaled Wedding Party® 'True Love' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with pale yellow stamens in the center, surrounded by green leaves and more buds of this striking shade perennial - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Wedding Party® 'True Love' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99
A hand gently holds a snow white, multi-layered Wedding Party® 'Wedding Bells' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with a green center and delicate petals, surrounded by green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of Wedding Party® 'Wedding Bells' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) reveals delicate white petals and yellow-green centers, densely clustered and softly lit to highlight the beauty of this perennial shade flower - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Wedding Party® 'Wedding Bells' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99
A close-up of the Wedding Party® 'Wedding Crasher' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), an early spring bloomer with multiple pink petals speckled with darker spots, yellow stamens at the center, and green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Wedding Party® 'Wedding Crasher' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99
Close-up of Wedding Party® 'Whirlwind Romance' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with double purple and white flowers, yellow stamens, and green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A close-up of Wedding Party® 'Whirlwind Romance' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), a deer and rabbit-resistant perennial featuring double-layered purple and white blooms with yellow stamens and striking dark purple-edged petals - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Wedding Party® 'Whirlwind Romance' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$20.99
$20.99

Close-up of White Album® Wintercreeper (Euonymus), with dark green leaves the fade to white around the edges fills the frame - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCTop-down view of White Album® Wintercreeper (Euonymus) with dense dark green and white leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

White Album® Wintercreeper (Euonymus)

$21.99
$21.99

FAQs

Hosta, Japanese Painted Fern, Foamflower (Tiarella), Rex Begonia, and Japanese Forest Grass all perform well in low-light beds and borders. These varieties earn their place through textured, colorful foliage as much as through flowers, which is what keeps a shade garden interesting all season. Most also handle the moist, cooler soil typically found in shaded spots.

Rex Begonias lead the way with bold leaf patterns in deep purples, silvers, and pinks that read as vividly as any flower. Hosta offers blue, gold, and variegated options in every size from miniature to statement piece, while Japanese Forest Grass brings bright chartreuse and gold to darker corners. For flowers specifically, Astilbe adds feathery plumes in white, pink, and red above finely cut foliage.

Hellebore, Bugleweed, and Sedge (Carex) handle drier shade better than most, and Autumn Fern is more forgiving than Lady Fern or Japanese Painted Fern once established. Dry shade is common under mature trees, where roots pull moisture from the soil before other plants can reach it. Checking each plant's water needs before buying helps match your selection to the actual conditions in your bed or border.

Full shade means a planting area gets zero to four hours of direct sun, while part-shade areas receive four to six hours. Plants suited for full shade, like Hosta and Lady Fern, tolerate low light better than part-shade varieties, which often need some morning or filtered sun to perform well.

Yes, low-growing options like Bugleweed spread readily and work well as groundcover beneath trees where grass struggles. These plants tolerate root competition and low light while filling in bare spots with dense foliage, making them a practical choice for shaded areas under mature trees and shrubs.