15 Annual Plants That Will Thrive in Your Shaded Garden (2024)

15 Shade-Loving Perennials to Brighten Up Your Garden

Impatiens

Coming in just about every color, impatiens may be the most common and reliable annuals for shade. "Impatiens are incredibly floriferous, practically covering themselves in flowers," says Justin Hanco*ck, horticulturist for Costa Farms. "Most varieties have flat, almost pansy-like flowers, but there are a few strains that have petal-packed flowers that look more like miniature roses." This plant can thrive in all-day shade or morning sun with afternoon shade.

• Zones: 10 to 11
• Size: 30 inches tall x 30 inches wide
• Care requirements: full to partial shade; moist, well-draining soil

Wishbone Flower

Wishbone flower (Torenia) is an under-appreciated gem that shows off delightful little flowers in shades of blue, purple, white, and yellow, says Hanco*ck. Most varieties grow in a mounding shape, but there are trailing varieties you can grow as a groundcover or in hanging baskets, window boxes, or other planters.

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 12 inches tall x 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: full to partial shade; moist, well-draining soil

Browallia

A lovely plant that is actually in the tomato family, browallia (Browallia speciosa) has attractive violet, blue, or white star-shaped flowers that bloom throughout summer. This annual likes morning sun and afternoon shade. It can still do well in all-day shade, but it will flower less.

• Zones: 9 to 11
• Size: 18 inches tall x 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: full shade to partial sun; moist, rich, well-draining soil

Coleus

Coleus (Coleus scutellarioides) has beautiful variegated foliage and is a great addition to garden beds. "It’s also one of the tallest annuals for shade, so coleus gives you both color and structure in your garden, landscape, or container gardens," says Hanco*ck. Coleus is not very drought-tolerant, so it will be happiest if it's watered regularly during dry spells.

• Zones: 10 to 11
• Size: Up to 4 feet tall x 4 feet wide
• Care requirements: full shade to full sun; moist, rich, well-draining soil

Wax Begonia

A hybrid of begonia, wax begonia (Begonia semperflorens-cultorum) is beloved for its low-maintenance nature. It has thick, almost rubbery foliage in shades of green and bronze that are adorned with sprays of pink, white, or red flowers, says Hanco*ck.

• Zones: 9 to 11
• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: full to partial shade; moist, rich, well-draining soil

Rex Begonia

Rex begonia (Begonia rex) hybrids have colorful and textural foliage rather than eye-catching flowers. "There’s a wide range of colors from which to choose, from rich reds (Red Kiss is a favorite, for example) to silver (such as Fedor) to pink and purple (such as Jurassic Cherry Spike)," says Hanco*ck. Rex begonia likes regular watering during dry spells but is otherwise easygoing.

• Zones: 10 to 11
• Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 9 to 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: full shade; moist, rich, well-draining soil

Tuberous Begonia

Grown for its flowers, most varieties of tuberous begonia (Begonia tuberhybrida) have large, double, rose-like blooms in a range of colors. "Some varieties are delightfully fragrant, providing both beauty and scent to the garden," says Hanco*ck. "They don’t tend to do well in areas with high summer heat and humidity."

• Zones: 6 to 10
• Size: 12 to 24 inches tall x 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: full shade; moist, rich, well-draining soil

Trailing Fuchsia

As the name implies, trailing fuchsia (Fuchsia procumbens) is a trailing plant that shows off pendulous flowers in colors of oranges, greens, pink, purples, or red. "It blooms from June to October. It is great for hanging baskets, window boxes, and draping over a container's edge," says Linda Langelo, horticulture specialist atColorado State University. "It attracts bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies."

• Zones: 9 to 11
• Size: 2 to 6 feet tall x 3 feet wide
• Care requirements: full shade to full sun; moist, sandy or clay loam, well-draining soil
  

Winged Tobacco

Winged tobacco (Nicotiana alata) is an annual flower that blooms at night with yellowish-green to white long-tubed flowers. "In Latin, the species name alata means winged," says Langelo. "The flowers are fragrant and attract butterflies."

• Zones: 10 to 11
• Size: 3 to 5 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
• Care requirements: full shade to full sun; moist, well-draining soil with organic matter

Trailing Lobelia

Trailing lobelia (Lobelia erinus) features purple flowers in loose clusters that are often used for edging in garden beds and along pathways. "It needs regular fertilization every two weeks throughout the season," says Langelo. "This annual does not like hot and humid weather—it is a cool spring annual and blooms from April through June." Lobelia's flowers attract butterflies.

• Zones: 10 to 11
• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: partial shade; moist, well-draining soil with organic matter

New Guinea Impatiens

A variety of impatiens, New Guinea (Impatiens hawkeri) is an annual plant with dark green to bronze or variegated leaves. "Their flower colors include white, pink, orange, red, violet, and purple," says Langelo. "This is a very showy annual. Pinch back stems of young plants to keep them compact."

• Zones: 10 to 12
• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 18 to 36 inches wide
• Care requirements: full to partial shade; moist, well-draining soil with organic matter
  

Sweet Potato Vine

Sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas) is a climbing plant grown for its colorful foliage rather than its flowers. "There are a few different varieties with different leaf textures, from heart-shaped to more lacy," says Hanco*ck. "The two most common colors are dark purple and chartreuse, but other shades, such as bronze and variegated, are available, too."

• Zones: 6 to 10
• Size: 12 to 24 inches tall x 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: full shade to full sun; moist, well-draining soil

Iresine

There are a few varieties of iresine (Iresine spp.), but Blazin’ Rose is the most common. "It features reddish-purple leaves with bright rosy-red veins, making it stand out from a distance," says Hanco*ck. "It doesn’t require any special care, making it as easy to grow as it is colorful."

• Zones: 10 to 12
• Size: 3 feet tall x 18 inches wide
• Care requirements: full shade to full sun; moist, well-draining soil

Elephant's Ear

Elephant's ear (Caladium spp.) is technically a tropical perennial, but it’s usually grown as an annual in most parts of the country. "It shows off colorful arrow- or heart-shaped leaves in a wide range of shades of red, pink, purple, white, and green," says Hanco*ck. "Truly tropical in nature, Caladium doesn’t like to grow until temperatures warm, so don’t plant it too early in the season." All varieties do well in all-day shade, but there are also varieties that can thrive in full sun.

• Zones: 9 to 10
• Size: 2 feet tall x 2 feet wide
• Care requirements: full shade to full sun; moist, well-draining soil

Persian Shield

Persian shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus) features striking, dark purple foliage accented with silver. "I love how it almost looks metallic and makes for a stunning accent against blue, purple, pink, or white flowers or foliage," says Hanco*ck. "Because the color comes from the leaves, it looks good from the moment you plant it until frost, with no worry about it going in or out of bloom."

• Zones: 1 to 12
• Size: 3 feet tall x 18 inches wide
• Care requirements: full shade to part sun; well-draining soil high in organic matter