What Kinds of Flowers Grow in Shade?

If you have a shady section in your backyard you would like to fill up with flowers, do not despair--there are a wide variety of shade-tolerant flowers available. Not all types of shade are the same, so make sure to identify your shade before purchasing your flowers.

Hellebore or Lenten Rose

The hellebore flower thrives in partial shade. It requires shelter from the hot afternoon sun. The flowers are white, rose or burgundy, and bloom between January and March.

Wild Blue Phlox

The Wild Blue Phlox prefers light shade and moist soil. It is a perennial that grows best in mid-spring; it grows up to 2 eet tall. The flowers are spheres of white and lilac.

Astilbe

The Astilbe flower prefers deep shade and grows best in moist, nutrient-rich soil. The plant reaches 2 feet tall and produces beautiful feathery wands of peach, white, pink, lavender and red flowers.

Foxglove

Foxglove is an annual that thrives best in light shade or afternoon shade only. The flowers are speckled purple, white and pink. This plant grows to 4 feet tall. Best results are found in the late summer.

Primrose

Primrose is a low-growing annual that thrives in full shade. The plant grows well in very moist soil and peat moss. This beautiful spring flower comes in many different colors and sizes.

Trillium

Trillium is available in 30 different species, all shade-tolerant. This woodland plant has lily-like flowers in shades of purple, yellow, red, pink and green.

Celandine Poppy

The Celandine Poppy grows to 18 inches along slopes and banks. It's a cluster plant that produces lemon-yellow blossoms. This shade-tolerant plant grows from the spring through the summer.