Shade Lovers: Top 5 Shade-Friendly Plants in the Southeast

We know how you feel when it comes to a shady landscape. You have to consider (and worry about) how you’ll find plants that will survive without enough sunlight, right? 

Don’t worry because, over the past sixteen years, we have introduced hundreds of MNI Direct customers to beautiful plants that don’t just survive but thrive in the shade. Even more important is the fact that you don’t have to limit your landscape options because uniquely beautiful shade lovers are available. 

We’ll look at five shade-friendly plants you’ll love, and so will your clients. Our list consists of four shrubs and one tree. All five plants have awesome features and superb styling options (one even has a feature that benefits the entire property).

Our Top 5 Shade Lovers
Let’s start with the list overview. Then we’ll look closer at each plant’s features and details on why shady landscapes are a problem.

Camellia japonica - shrub
Fatsia japonica - shrub
Rhododendron species - shrub
Azalea indica varieties - shrub
Cornus florida - tree

MNI Direct has all five in stock with savings you can access with our special contractor pricing.


Understanding Shady Landscape Areas 
Shade has been a thorn in the sides of landscapers and gardeners for ages. Even novice gardeners understand what gives life to plants. And with just a few core ingredients (i.e., water, nutrients, light), lacking one is a major roadblock to a top-notch landscape.

The biggest concern with this issue is that landscaping clients won’t accept excuses, or even legitimate reasons, for why newly planted trees, shrubs, or flowers aren’t looking their best. Clients simply want the eye-pleasing results they paid for. Shade is in the way of those results.

Low light levels impact growth in many plants by hindering photosynthesis and plant development. But it’s worse than that. Shade affects the microclimate around shady landscape sections. This occurs because, even though it’s not obvious, shade affects nearly everything - including:

  • Air and soil temperatures
  • Humidity
  • Carbon dioxide levels
  • Root systems

The result of these changes? Slow growth and weakened plants. And later, the worst-case outcome is having these shade-weakened plants wither away and die.  
Our top five list of shade lovers is a true life-saver. So let’s look into what makes these shade-friendly plants so adapted to low light landscapes.

Rhododendron spp.Varieties and Unique Features of These Shade Lovers

*Varieties available in parentheses.

Camellia japonica ('Kramers Supreme’, Sea Foam', 'Debutante'): These beauties can tolerate full sun and partial shade while serving as a colorful hedge or privacy screen. They can grow to 12-ft tall and 15-ft wide with flowering shades of purple, white, and pink in the spring.

Fatsia japonica (‘Fatsia’): Growing best in well-drained soil, this tropical-styled shrub can handle both morning and afternoon shade. Its size range is similar to the Camellia japonica but has the bonus of being resistant to deer, drought, disease, mildew, and heat.

Rhododendron spp. (‘Chionoides’, ‘Roseum Elegans’, ‘Nova Zembla’): This woody shrub stands out with its wide range of large blossom colors and the ability of many varieties to withstand heat. These versatile plants can be found thriving deep in shade-filled forests. Rhododendrons require humus-rich, acidic, and moist but well-drained soil.

Azalea indica (‘George L Tabor’, ‘G.G. Gerbing’, ‘Formosa’): These shade lovers draw a crowd, in the form of bees and hummingbirds, with their lovely blooms that come in an attractive array of colors. These unique shrubs, created via cross-pollination, have varieties that can handle hotter conditions as well as semi-shaded landscapes.

Cornus florida (‘Flowering Dogwood’): The sole tree on our list is a landscaping fan favorite due to its unmatched grace and beauty. It’s also popular with pollinator ecologists since it attracts a huge number of native bees, which benefit the entire property. These shade-friendly trees have adapted to a multitude of soil types and can thrive in both sunny spots and partial shade. 

Now for design suggestions and maintenance tips for our top five shade lovers.

Cornus floridaStyling those Shady Landscapes
Whether your client needs shade-friendly plants for a small corner of their yard or has larger design plans, each plant we’ve listed gives you flexibility.

The Flowering dogwood fits a well-groomed modern landscape as well as goes perfectly with the natural vibes of structured country landscape designs. Azaleas provide endless possibilities, and a tropical setting is a top pick with these plants complementing other low-light landscaping elements.

Rhododendrons can be styled to fit a forest-like setting alongside wildflowers and native grasses. If your client seeks a landscape with an organic, relaxing feel, then installing the peaceful fatsia checks that box. 

As for the Camellia japonica, it fits nicely into English-styled garden areas and blends naturally into rose-filled areas and sections of wisteria. 

Bonus suggestion: All the shrubs could be options near gazebos since structure shade isn’t an issue! 

Now, let’s finish with maintenance best practices.

Fatsia japonicaShade Lovers Maintenance and Care
Avoid planting any of the five plants too deep, and monitor the soil for proper pH levels (see below):

  1. Camellia japonica 6.0–7.0
  2. Fatsia japonica 6.0–7.5
  3. Rhododendron 4.5–6.0
  4. Azalea indica varieties 4.0–6.0
  5. Cornus florida 6.0–7.0

Adding quality compost or peat moss can help retain soil moisture, potentially saving water. Lastly, encourage your clients to have their trees strategically trimmed to raise the canopy, adding a bit more sunlight if needed.

Create an MNI Direct account to order these shade-friendly plants at exclusive wholesale prices. MNI— your plant materials partner for nearly two decades.

Shade Lovers: Top 5 Shade-Friendly Plants in the Southeast

We know how you feel when it comes to a shady landscape. You have to consider (and worry about) how you’ll find plants that will survive without enough sunlight, right? 

Don’t worry because, over the past sixteen years, we have introduced hundreds of MNI Direct customers to beautiful plants that don’t just survive but thrive in the shade. Even more important is the fact that you don’t have to limit your landscape options because uniquely beautiful shade lovers are available. 

We’ll look at five shade-friendly plants you’ll love, and so will your clients. Our list consists of four shrubs and one tree. All five plants have awesome features and superb styling options (one even has a feature that benefits the entire property).

Our Top 5 Shade Lovers
Let’s start with the list overview. Then we’ll look closer at each plant’s features and details on why shady landscapes are a problem.

Camellia japonica - shrub
Fatsia japonica - shrub
Rhododendron species - shrub
Azalea indica varieties - shrub
Cornus florida - tree

MNI Direct has all five in stock with savings you can access with our special contractor pricing.


Understanding Shady Landscape Areas 
Shade has been a thorn in the sides of landscapers and gardeners for ages. Even novice gardeners understand what gives life to plants. And with just a few core ingredients (i.e., water, nutrients, light), lacking one is a major roadblock to a top-notch landscape.

The biggest concern with this issue is that landscaping clients won’t accept excuses, or even legitimate reasons, for why newly planted trees, shrubs, or flowers aren’t looking their best. Clients simply want the eye-pleasing results they paid for. Shade is in the way of those results.

Low light levels impact growth in many plants by hindering photosynthesis and plant development. But it’s worse than that. Shade affects the microclimate around shady landscape sections. This occurs because, even though it’s not obvious, shade affects nearly everything - including:

  • Air and soil temperatures
  • Humidity
  • Carbon dioxide levels
  • Root systems

The result of these changes? Slow growth and weakened plants. And later, the worst-case outcome is having these shade-weakened plants wither away and die.  
Our top five list of shade lovers is a true life-saver. So let’s look into what makes these shade-friendly plants so adapted to low light landscapes.

Rhododendron spp.Varieties and Unique Features of These Shade Lovers

*Varieties available in parentheses.

Camellia japonica ('Kramers Supreme’, Sea Foam', 'Debutante'): These beauties can tolerate full sun and partial shade while serving as a colorful hedge or privacy screen. They can grow to 12-ft tall and 15-ft wide with flowering shades of purple, white, and pink in the spring.

Fatsia japonica (‘Fatsia’): Growing best in well-drained soil, this tropical-styled shrub can handle both morning and afternoon shade. Its size range is similar to the Camellia japonica but has the bonus of being resistant to deer, drought, disease, mildew, and heat.

Rhododendron spp. (‘Chionoides’, ‘Roseum Elegans’, ‘Nova Zembla’): This woody shrub stands out with its wide range of large blossom colors and the ability of many varieties to withstand heat. These versatile plants can be found thriving deep in shade-filled forests. Rhododendrons require humus-rich, acidic, and moist but well-drained soil.

Azalea indica (‘George L Tabor’, ‘G.G. Gerbing’, ‘Formosa’): These shade lovers draw a crowd, in the form of bees and hummingbirds, with their lovely blooms that come in an attractive array of colors. These unique shrubs, created via cross-pollination, have varieties that can handle hotter conditions as well as semi-shaded landscapes.

Cornus florida (‘Flowering Dogwood’): The sole tree on our list is a landscaping fan favorite due to its unmatched grace and beauty. It’s also popular with pollinator ecologists since it attracts a huge number of native bees, which benefit the entire property. These shade-friendly trees have adapted to a multitude of soil types and can thrive in both sunny spots and partial shade. 

Now for design suggestions and maintenance tips for our top five shade lovers.

Cornus floridaStyling those Shady Landscapes
Whether your client needs shade-friendly plants for a small corner of their yard or has larger design plans, each plant we’ve listed gives you flexibility.

The Flowering dogwood fits a well-groomed modern landscape as well as goes perfectly with the natural vibes of structured country landscape designs. Azaleas provide endless possibilities, and a tropical setting is a top pick with these plants complementing other low-light landscaping elements.

Rhododendrons can be styled to fit a forest-like setting alongside wildflowers and native grasses. If your client seeks a landscape with an organic, relaxing feel, then installing the peaceful fatsia checks that box. 

As for the Camellia japonica, it fits nicely into English-styled garden areas and blends naturally into rose-filled areas and sections of wisteria. 

Bonus suggestion: All the shrubs could be options near gazebos since structure shade isn’t an issue! 

Now, let’s finish with maintenance best practices.

Fatsia japonicaShade Lovers Maintenance and Care
Avoid planting any of the five plants too deep, and monitor the soil for proper pH levels (see below):

  1. Camellia japonica 6.0–7.0
  2. Fatsia japonica 6.0–7.5
  3. Rhododendron 4.5–6.0
  4. Azalea indica varieties 4.0–6.0
  5. Cornus florida 6.0–7.0

Adding quality compost or peat moss can help retain soil moisture, potentially saving water. Lastly, encourage your clients to have their trees strategically trimmed to raise the canopy, adding a bit more sunlight if needed.

Create an MNI Direct account to order these shade-friendly plants at exclusive wholesale prices. MNI— your plant materials partner for nearly two decades.