The term full shade does not mean no sun. For horticultural purposes, a location is considered to be in full shade if it receives less than three hours of direct sun daily and receives filtered sun the rest of the day. Preferably, the hours of direct sun occur in the cooler hours of the morning with filtered protection from intense sun in the late afternoon. A distinction should also be made between the terms surviving and thriving. Many plants can survive in full shade, but that is not sufficient for the purposes of most gardeners. Ornamental gardens are meant to beautify a property, and a plant that underperforms (for example, by not flowering as much as it should) is not helping the garden live up to this goal. A plant that is merely surviving is taking up space that is better occupied by a plant that will perform at its best in full shade. Therefore, the best examples of full shade plants cannot just survive in low-light conditions but rather thrive in them. Zone recommendations shown for the following full shade plants refers to the U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone system.
Hetz’s Japanese holly (Ilex crenata ‘Hetzii’; zones 5 to 8) Inkberry holly (Ilex glabra; zones 5 to 9) Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis, including cultivars in shrub form that make excellent hedges; zones 3 to 7) Yew (Taxus spp.; zones 4 to 7)
Common bleeding hearts (Dicentra spectabilis; zones 3 to 9) Fringed bleeding hearts (Dicentra eximia; zones 3 to 9) Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria; zones 3 to 7) Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum; zones 4 to 9) Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis; zones 4 to 9) Leopard plants (Ligularia spp.; zones 4 to 8) Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica; zones 3 to 8) Toad Lily (Tricyrtis; zones 4 to 8) Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla; zones 3 to 8)
The growing zones listed here indicate where the plants can survive as perennials; used elsewhere, they are used as annuals.
Impatiens (Impatiens spp.; zone suitability varies by type) Wax begonia (Begonia x semperflorens-cultorum; zones 7 to 11) Coleus (Plectranthus and Solenostemon; zone 11) Fuchsia (Fuchsia; zone 10 to 11)
Spotted deadnettle (Lamium maculatum; zones 4 to 8) Creeping myrtle (Vinca minor; zones 4 to 9) Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior; zones 6 to 11) Japanese Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis; zones 4 to 8) Some varieties of plantain lily (Hosta spp.; zones 3 to 8 or 9, typically) Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis; zones 2 to 7) Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum; zones 3 to 8)
Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala ssp. petiolaris; zones 4 to 7) Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata; zones 4 to 8)
