Part-Shade Plants

Partial-shade plants thrive in areas that get about 4 to 6 hours of sun each day, usually morning light or dappled shade under trees. This makes these plants ideal for borders, gardens under tree canopies, spaces along fence lines, hanging baskets, and even containers.

At Garden Crossings, we have a wide selection of perennials, annuals, edibles, and garden shrubs that’ll perform beautifully in your shady spot, each selected for exceptional quality and customer success. Explore our plants.

White part shade flowers with variegated green foliage
A Dressed Up® 'Evening Gown' Coral Bells (Heuchera) perennial sits on the patio, its dense, glossy ruffled leaves showing dark purple-black coloring with burgundy-edged highlights - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.A large Dressed Up® 'Evening Gown' Coral Bells (Heuchera) with dark, ruffled leaves grows in a gray, ribbed planter outdoors, set against green grass and a stone walkway for an elegant perennial display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Dressed Up® 'Evening Gown' Coral Bells (Heuchera)

$18.99
$18.99

Dressed Up® 'Prom Dress' Coral Bells (Heuchera) features ruffled, broad silvery-purple leaves with dark veins and edges, creating a striking pattern. In a black pot - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.A large black pot displays Dressed Up® 'Prom Dress' Coral Bells (Heuchera), a shade perennial with ruffled, silvery-purple leaves veined in burgundy, outdoors on a patio surrounded by greenery - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Dressed Up® 'Prom Dress' Coral Bells (Heuchera)

$15.19
$18.99 $15.19

A cluster of vibrant purple El Niño® Chitalpa flowers with ruffled petals and white-yellow centers blooms atop this drought-tolerant shrub, surrounded by green leaves against a softly blurred background. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCTall clusters of bright pink, ruffled flowers bloom among long, pointed green leaves on El Niño® Chitalpa, set against lush green foliage. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

El Niño® Chitalpa

$22.99
$22.99

A close-up of frilly, multicolored Elegance Antoinette Collection Pansy (Viola) flowers in pink, purple, yellow, and white with green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Tagawa Greenhouses, Inc.A close-up of an Elegance Antoinette Collection Pansy (Viola) showcases pale pink and purple, ruffled petals that evoke soft, wavy blooms against a green, blurred background - Photo Courtesy of Tagawa Greenhouses, Inc.

Elegance Antoinette Collection Pansy (Viola)

$14.99
$14.99

Clusters of Elegance Twilight Collection Pansy (Viola) bloom in rich purple, lavender, red, and violet above green stems—ideal for adding vibrant color with cool-season pansies against a softly blurred backdrop - Photo Courtesy of Tagawa Greenhouses, Inc.Close-up of Elegance Twilight Collection Pansy (Viola) featuring ruffled purple petals with white and dark edges, set among green leaves. The intricate textures and vibrant colors make these cool-season pansies stand out - Photo Courtesy of Tagawa Greenhouses, Inc.

Elegance Twilight Collection Pansy (Viola)

$13.49
$14.99 $13.49

Close-up of vibrant magenta Elpis™ Clematis flowers with large, ruffled petals and white stamens, set among green leaves in sunlight - Photo Courtesy of Donahue's Clematis

Elpis™ Clematis

$20.99
$20.99
A young Emerald Isle™ Elephant Ear (Alocasia) in a green potted plant with large, glossy, heart-shaped leaves on thick stems, set in a textured gray pot with soil, displaying lush tropical foliage against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.An Emerald Isle™ Elephant Ears (Alocasia) with large, tropical foliage outdoors near a white fence, beneath a metal-framed canopy against the blue sky with red flowers beneath it - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Emerald Isle™ Elephant Ears (Alocasia)

$18.99
$18.99
Three pale, star-shaped flowers with light purple veins bloom among green leaves. Endless™ Flirtation Bush Violet offers delicate, five-pointed petals - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA close-up of a white browallia with faint purple veins, green leaves, and blurred red flowers in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Endless™ Flirtation Bush Violet (Browallia)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of vibrant Endless™ Illumination Bush Violet flowers with green leaves, accompanied by a few narrow red-orange blooms - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA cluster of vibrant purple star-shaped flowers, Endless™ Illumination Bush Violet (Browallia) is a stunning blue-toned annual - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Endless™ Illumination Bush Violet (Browallia)

$10.99
$10.99

Bright orange, star-shaped tubular blooms cluster among green foliage on the Estrellita Little Star® Firecracker Bush (Bouvardia), creating a vivid firecracker-like display against its lush, lance-shaped leaves. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClusters of small, star-shaped pink and orange flowers emerge among lush green foliage as the Estrellita Little Star® Firecracker Bush (Bouvardia) adds a vibrant, colorful touch to any garden. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Estrellita Little Star® Firecracker Bush (Bouvardia)

$21.99
$21.99

Close-up of Eye Catcher® 'Canary Feathers' Coneflower (Echinacea), a striking yellow perennial with yellow-green centered blooms and long, thin petals, surrounded by lush leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A garden featuring clusters of Eye Catcher® 'Canary Feathers' Coneflower (Echinacea), accented by other yellow perennials and lush green foliage, creates a vibrant, colorful natural scene - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Eye Catcher® 'Canary Feathers ' Coneflower (Echinacea)

$17.99
$17.99
A close-up of Eye Catcher® 'Coral Craze' Coneflower (Echinacea) with vibrant pink pointed petals and a spiky orange center, set among green leaves and another similar bloom in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of Eye Catcher® 'Coral Craze' Coneflowers (Echinacea), featuring vibrant pink blooms with dark centers, thrives among green leaves by a stone pathway - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Eye Catcher® 'Coral Craze' Coneflower (Echinacea)

$18.99
$18.99

Two vibrant Eye-Catcher® 'Tanager' Coneflowers (Echinacea) with dark centers bloom against a blurred greenbackground - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Eye-Catcher® 'Tanager' Coneflower (Echinacea) features vibrant orange blooms with dark centers, surrounded by lush green foliage and blue accents flowers visible in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Eye-Catcher® 'Tanager' Coneflower (Echinacea)

$17.09
$18.99 $17.09
Illustration of a house with a porch and seating, featuring an EZ Scapes™ Deer Proof the Shade #1 Garden Kit in the front yard; green, purple, and blue flowering plants are shown in detail with a close-up view below - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Garden design diagrams for “Island” and “Mailbox” layouts, each using the EZ Scapes™ Deer Proof the Shade #1 Garden Kit. Brunnera, Heuchera, and Polemonium are grouped in purple, green, and light blue circles on 5x10 grids - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

EZ Scapes™ - Deer Proof the Shade #1 - Garden Kit

$122.34
$135.93 $122.34
An illustration of a house with a front porch and a garden bed featuring lush blue-green foliage, ideal for the EZ Scapes™ Foliage Friendly Shadescape #1 Garden Kit. A close-up shows the same vibrant leafy plants - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Two diagrams from the EZ Scapes™ Foliage Friendly Shadescape #1 Garden Kit show groupings of green Heuchera, blue-green Brunnera, and blue Hosta on a 10x5 grid: one as a shallow border, the other as an island shape - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

EZ Scapes™ - Foliage Friendly Shadescape #1 - Garden Kit

$124.14
$137.93 $124.14
A hand-drawn landscape design illustrates a single-story house with garden beds featuring the EZ Scapes™ Night and Day Garden Kit along the foundation and walkway, plus a close-up of the planting arrangement below. - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Diagram shows two shade garden layouts: Shallow Border with rows of purple, green, and gray circles, and Island with a clustered look. Both use the EZ Scapes™ Night and Day Garden Kit on a grid. - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

EZ Scapes™ - Night and Day - Garden Kit

$124.14
$137.93 $124.14
Close-up of a cluster of Fairytrail Bride® Cascade Hydrangea flowers and green buds among lush leaves, with sunlight highlighting the cascading petals of this stunning reblooming hydrangea. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA Fairytrail Bride® Cascade Hydrangea, with clusters of white flowers and green leaves, sits on a wooden bench in a garden filled with greenery and yellow blooms in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Fairytrail Bride® Cascade Hydrangea

$22.99
$22.99

Top-down view of a dense cluster of Fairytrail Fresco® Cascade Hydrangea blooms in pale blue, lavender, and light green shades, with lush green leaves peeking through the trailing flowers. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Close-up of clusters of pale pink Fairytrail Fresco® Cascade Hydrangea flowers with green-tinged petals, surrounded by lush green leaves in the background. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Fairytrail Fresco® Cascade Hydrangea

$22.99
$22.99

A cluster of Fairytrail® Green Cascade Hydrangea blooms with lush green leaves grows in a mulched garden bed, with blurred greenery and a pathway in the background. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. A garden with clusters of white and pink hydrangeas and Fairytrail® Green Cascade Hydrangea in full bloom, surrounded by lush green foliage and trees, with a house visible in the background. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Fairytrail® Green Cascade Hydrangea

$22.99
$40.99 $22.99

A terracotta pot with lush green leaves and clusters of Fairytrail® White Cascade Hydrangea, a striking reblooming variety, sits on a wooden surface against a beige wall - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.A large clay pot with a lush Fairytrail® White Cascade Hydrangea, showcasing white flower clusters and green leaves, sits on a wooden deck in front of beige siding - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Fairytrail® White Cascade Hydrangea

$22.99
$22.99
Close-up of vibrant Fall in Love® 'Sweetly' Japanese Anemone flowers with yellow centers, pink petals and green foliage, surrounded by buds, creates a colorful, lively garden scene with this stunning fall-blooming perennial - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A vibrant garden bed brims with blooming pink flowers featuring yellow centers, including Fall in Love® 'Sweetly' Japanese Anemone, surrounded by lush green foliage and accented with small purple flowers in the lower right corner - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Fall in Love® 'Sweetly' Japanese Anemone

$18.99
$18.99

A close-up of vibrant green and yellow-veined leaves, some edged with purple, from Fancifillers™ Guacamole Plectranthus near dark purple foliage and pale pink flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of vibrant yellow-green, serrated leaves and deep green veins with purplish stems in the background, showcasing the lush foliage of Fancifillers™ Guacamole Plectranthus - Photo Courtesy of Mast Young Plants.

Fancifillers™ Guacamole Plectranthus

$10.99
$10.99
A hanging basket of Proven Winners' Far and Away Annual Combination, featuring vibrant Supertunia Vista petunias in pink, red, and white, overflows beautifully and hangs by a metal chain against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Far and Away Annual Combination

$15.99
$15.99

Dense clumps of Feather Falls™ Sedge (Carex), a variegated plant with long, slender green and white striped leaves, growing outdoors in soil - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.A Feather Falls™ Sedge (Carex), known for its long green and white striped leaves and fuzzy, wheat-like flower spikes, is potted on a patio with decorative metal furniture in the background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Feather Falls™ Sedge (Carex)

$15.99
$19.99 $15.99

Part-shade abelia shrub with flowers.

Enjoy Beautiful Blooms and Foliage with Less Shade

Many of the most beautiful flowers and plants thrive in sunny gardens. Others prefer deep shade and will easily burn or scorch in the afternoon sun. But there are also plants that don’t fall comfortably in either category: part-shade plants.

These plants do best in morning sun and afternoon shade, which protects from the harsh midday heat. This gentle sun helps bring out their most vibrant blooms and leaf colors. However, you’ll find that some varieties, like bugleweeds, are very adaptable and grow well in full shade too.

Chokeberry plants for part shade.

Shop Part-Shade Plants and Flowers for Your Growing Conditions

Growing since 2004, Garden Crossings understands first-hand how growing conditions and hardiness zones can influence your plant’s growth. To support your gardening success, we’ve selected partial-shade plants for zones 2 through 9. You’ll also find varieties that meet your growing conditions, from drought-tolerant shrubs to pollinator-friendly perennials. 

Order online for pickup or get your plants delivered.

FAQs

Part shade means your spot gets 4 to 6 hours of sun every day. These plants specifically prefer gentle morning sun and shade in the afternoon for protection from intense midday rays.

Many plants thrive in morning sun and afternoon shade, including begonias, fuchsias, and mums. Flowering shrubs like hydrangeas also often love cool morning light.

Not necessarily. Regional variations can also influence how plants respond to sunlight. For example, afternoon sun in southern states is often much stronger than in northern states like Minnesota. Consider your climate and hardiness zone before planting.