Woody Plants for Shady Areas

Knowledgebase

Botanical Name	Common Name	Height (feet)	Evergreen
Shade and Acid Soil
Amelanchier spp.	Shadbush	varies w/ species
Cyrilla racemiflora	American cyrilla	10 -15 +
Daphne mezereum	February daphne	3 - 5
Enkianthus spp.	Red-vein enkianthus	varies w/species
Ilex spp.	Evergreen and deciduous holly	varies w/species	*
Kalmia latifolia	Mountain laurel	7-15 +	*
Leucothoe fontanesiana	Drooping leucothoe	3-5	*
Pieris floribunda	Mountain andromeda	2-6	*
Rhododendron spp.	Evergreen and deciduous azaleas	varies w/species	*
Rhododendron carolinianum	Carolina rhododendron	3-5	*
Rhododendron catawbiense	Catawba rhododendron	6-10+	*
Rhododendron maximum	Rosebay rhododendron	4-15+	*
Skimmia jaonica	Skimmia	3-4+	*
Vaccinium angustifolium laevifolium	Lowbush blueberry	1/2-2
Vaccinium corymbosum	Highbush blueberry	6-12
Shade and Dry Soil
Acanthopanax Sieboldianus	Five-leaf aralia	8-10
Berberis thunbergii	Japanese barberry	3-6
Comptonia peregrina	Sweet fern	2-4
Cornus racemosa	Gray dogwood	10-15
Diervilla lonicera	Gravelweed	dwarf
Gaylussacia brachycera	Box huckleberry	1/2 - 1 1/2	*
Hamamelis virginiana	Common witch hazel	20-30
Hypericum caycinum	St. John's wort	1 - 1 1/2
Hypericum prolificum	Shrubby St. John's wort	1-5
Ligustrum spp.	Privet	varies w/species
Myrica pennsylvanica	Bayberry	5-12
Physocarpus opulifolius	Ninebark	5-9
Rhamnus cathartica	Common buckthorn	18-25
Rhodotypos scandens	Jetbead	3-6
Ribes alpinum	Alpine currant	3-10
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus	Coralberry	2-5
Vaccinium pallidum	Dry blueberry	3
Viburnum lentago	Nannyberry	15-18+
Shade and Wet Soil
Andromeda polifolia	Bog rosemary	1-2	*
Aronia arbutifolia	Chokeberry	6-10
Calycanthus floridus	Carolina allspice	6-9
Clethra alnifolia	Summersweet	3-8
Comptonia peregrina	Sweet fern	2-4
Cornus alba	Tartarian dogwood	8-10
Cornus sericea	Red-osier dogwood	7--9
Cornus sericea 'Flaviramea'	Golden-twig dogwood
Cyrilla racemiflora	American cyrilla	10-15+
Ilex glabra	Inkberry	6-8, varies	*
Ilex verticillata	Winterberry	6-10+
Kalmia latifolia	Mountain laurel	7-15+	*
Leucothoe fontanesiana	Drooping leucothoe	3-5	*
Lindera benzoin	Spicebush	6-12
Magnolia virginiana	Sweetbay magnolia	10-20
Myrica pennsylvanica	Bayberry	5-12
Rhododendron arborescens	Sweet azalea	8-20
Rhododendron calendulaceum	Flame azalea	4-15, varies
Rhododendron canadense	Mountain azalea	3-4
Rhododendron periclymenoides (R.nudiflorum)	Pinxter-flower	4-6, varies
Rhododendron vaseyi	Pinkshell azalea	5-10
Rhododendron viscosum	Swamp azalea	1-8
Sambacus pubens	Scarlet Elder	12-25
Thuja occidentalis	American arborvitae	40-60	*
Vaccinium corymbosum	Highbush blueberry	6-12
Viburnum dentatum	Arrowwood	6-15
Xanthorhiza simplicissima	Yellowroot	2-3
Shade and Normal Soil (Vines)
Akebia quinata	Five-leaf akebia	20-40
Celastrus orbiculatus	Oriental bittersweet	30-40
Celastrus scandens	American bittersweet	20+
Clematis dioscoreifolia va. robusta	Sweet autumn clematis	tall
Euonymus fortunei vars. and cultivars	Wintercreeper	varies w/ type	*
Hedera helix	English ivy	90	*
Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris	Climbing hydrangea	60-80
Lonicera japonica 'Halliana'	Hall's honeysuckle	15-30
Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Virginia creeper	30-50+
Parthenocissus tricuspidata	Boston ivy	30-50+
Shade and Normal Soil (Ground Covers)
Euonymus fortunei vars. and cultivars	Wintercreeper	varies w/type	*
Mahonia repens	Creeping hollygrape	1	*
Pachysandra terminalis	Japenese spurge	1/2 - 1	*
Paxistima canbyi	Canby Pachistima	1	*
Sarcococca hookerana	Himalayan sarcococca	4-6	*
Vinca minor	Common periwinkle	1/4-1/2	*
Xanthorhiza simplicissima	Yellowroot	2-3
Shade and Normal Soils (Shrubs)
Abelia x grandiflora	Glossy abelia	3-6
Acanthopanax sieboldianus	Five-leaf aralie	8-10
Amelanchier canadensis	Downy shadblow	6-20
Aronia arbutifolia	Red chokeberry	6-10
Aucuba japonica	Japanese aucuba	6-10+	*
Berberis x chenaultii	Chenault barberry	3-4	*
Berberis julianae	Wintergreen chokeberry	6-8	*
Berberis triacanthophora	Threespine barberry	3-5	*
Berberis verruculosa	Warty barberry	3-6	*
Buxus microphylla var. japonica	Japanese box	3-6	*
Buxus sempervirens	Common box	15-20	*
Chaenomeles speciosa	Flowering quince	6-10, varies
Corylopsis spp.	Winterhazel	varies w/species
Cotoneaster salicifolius floccosus	Willowleaf cotoneaster	10-15	*
Deutzia gracilis	Slender deutzia	2-6
Enkianthus campanulatus	Red-vein Enkianthus	15-30
Euonymus alata	Winged Euonymus	15-20
Fothergilla spp.		varies w/ species
Hamamelis vernalis	Vernal witch-hazel	6-10 +
Hydrangea arborescens 'Grandiflora'	Snowhill hydrangea	3-5
Hydrangea quercifolia	Oakleaf hydrangea	4-6 +
Ilex cornuta	Chinese holly	8-10 +	*
Ilex crenata 'Microphylla'	Littleleaf Japanese holly	5-10 + or a small tree	*
Kerria japonica	Kerria	3-6
Leucothoe fontanesiana	Drooping leucothoe	3-5	*
Ligustrum amurense	Amur privet	12-15
Ligustrum lucidum	Glossy privet	20-25
Ligustrum obtusifolium regelianum	Regal privet	4-5
Lonicera fragrantissima	Winter honeysuckle	6-10 +
Lonicera morrowii	Morrow honeysuckle	6-8
Lonicera tatarica	Tatarian honeysuckle	10-12
Mahonia aquifolium	Oregon hollygrape	3-6 +	*
Mahonia bealei	Leatherleaf mahonia	10-12	*
Osmanthus heterophyllus	Holly osmanthus	8-10 +	*
Philadelphus coronarius	Sweet mockorange	10-12
Pieris floribunda	Mountain andromeda	2-6	*
Pieris japonica	Japanese andromeda	9-12	*
Potentilla fruticosa	Shrubby cinquefoil	1-4
Prunus laurocerasus	Cherry laurel	10-18	*
Pyracantha coccinea 'Lalandei'	Laland firethorn	1/2 - 1 1/2	*
Sorbaria sorbifolia	False spiraea	5-10
Spiraea thunbergii	Spiraea, Bridal-wreath	3-5
Stephanandra incisa	Cutleaf stephanandra	4-7
Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus	Snowberry	6
Taxus baccata 'Repandens'	Spreading English yew	2-4	*
Taxus canadensis	American yew	3-6	*
Taxus cuspidata	Japenese yew	10-40 + can be sheared	*
Taxus x media 'Hicksii'	Hicks yew	20	*
Viburnum acerifolium	Mapleleaf viburnum	4-6
Viburnum dilatatum	Linden viburnum	8-10
Viburnum opulus	European cranberrybush	8-12 +
Viburnum rhytidophyllum	Leatherleaf viburnum	10-15	*
Shade and Normal Soil (Trees)
Acer pennsylvanicum	Striped maple	15-20 +
Amerlanchier laevis	Allegheny shadblow	15-25 +
Cercis canadensis	American redbud	20-30
Chamaecyparis obtusa	Hinoki falsecypress	50-75	*
Clethra barbinervis		18
Cornus alternifolia	Pagoda dogwood	15-25
Cornus florida	Flowering dogwood	20-40, varies
Cornus mas	Cornelian cherry	20-25
Hamamelis mollis	Chinese witchhazel	10-15 +
Ilex aquifolium	English holly	30-50 +	*
Ilex opaca	American holly	15-30 +	*
Magnolia virginiana	Sweetbay	10-20
Oxydendrum arboreum	Sourwood	25-30 +
Prunus pensylvanica	Pin cherry	25-40
Thuja occidentalis	American arborvitae	40-60	*
Thuja plicata	Giant arborvitae	50-70 +	*
Tsuga spp.	Hemlock	varies w/ species	*
Viburnum prunifolium	Blackhaw	12-30

Adapted from the Cornell Cooperative Extension, 2001

Woody Plants for Shady Areas

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