Dry Shade

It can be difficult to find plants that will grow well in dry shade. Most shade plants prefer moisture. Plants that tolerate dry shade often grow better in part sun. Most of the plants listed below do better in light or partial shade than in deep shade.

It is always wise to plan for dry shade to limit supplemental water use. But it is more realistic to water sparingly during summer than to expect shade plants to do entirely without water. Many of the plants listed below are Washington native plants.

Gaultheria shallon, Mahonia & Vaccinium ovatum are native shrubs that do well in dry shade with no supplemental water. Helleborus x hybridus, Maianthemum dilatatum & Polystichum munitum are plants that grow well in shade with little supplemental water.

Helleborus x sternii

Plant List
Shrubs
Aucuba japonica
Arbutus unedo ‘Compacta’ (Strawberry Tree)
Berberis darwinii (Barberry)
Buxus (Box)
Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana Gracilis’ (Dwarf Hinoki Cypress)
Corylus (Hazel)
Elaeagnus pungens (Silverberry)
Euonymus fortunei
Garrya issaquahensis (Silk Tassel)
Gaultheria shallon (Salal)
Ilex cornuta (Chinese Holly)
Kalmia latifolia (Mountain Laurel)
Ligustrum japonicum (Privet)
Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grape)
Mahonia nervosa
Mahonia repens
Nandina domestica (Heavenly Bamboo)
Osmanthus delavayi
Paeonia delavayi (Tree Peony)
Paeonia lutea (Tree Peony)
Philadelphus lewisii (Mock Orange)
Prunus ilicifolia (Hollyleaf Cherry)
Rhamnus californica (Coffeeberry)
Rhaphiolepis umbellata (Yeddo Hawthorne)
Sarcococca ruscifolia (Sweet Box)
Skimmia japonica
Vaccinium ovatum (Evergreen Huckleberry)
Viburnum davidii

Achlys triphylla

Perennials
Achlys triphylla (Vanilla Leaf)
Anemone x hybrida (Japanese Anemone)
Campanula latifolia (Bellflower)
Corydalis lutea
Dicentra formosa (Bleeding Heart)
Digitalis purpurea (Foxglove)
Euphorbia amygdaloides ‘Purpurea’ (Woodspurge)
Francoa ramosa (Maiden’s Wreath)
Francoa sonchifolia
Geranium himalayense (Cranesbill)
Geranium macrorrhizum
Geranium pratense
Helleborus argutifolius (Corsican Hellebore)
Helleborus lividus
Helleborus x hybridus
Helleborus x sternii
Heuchera americana
Heuchera micrantha
Hosta sieboldiana
Iris foetidissima
Iris douglasiana
Liriope muscari (Lily Turf)
Luzula sylvatica (Woodrush)
Muscari (Grape Hyacinth)
Narcissus jonquilla (Jonquil)
Paeonia peregrina (Peony)
Polygonatum commutatum (Solomon’s Seal)
Polygonatum odoratum
Polystichum munitum (Sword Fern)
Smilacina racemosa (False Solomon’s Seal)
Smilacina stellata
Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ears)
Tellima grandiflora (Fringe Cup)
Tolmiea menziesii (Piggyback Plant)
Trillium ovatum (Wakerobin)
Vancouveria hexandra

Aegopodium podagraria 'Variegata'

Groundcovers & Trailers
Aegopodium podagraria (Bishop’s Weed)
Ajuga reptans (Carpet Bugle)
Campanula poscharskyana (Serbian Bellflower)
Fragaria vesca (Woodland Strawberry)
Galium odoratum (Sweet Woodruff)
Maianthemum dilatatum (False Lily of the Valley)
Microbiota decussata (Carpet Cypress)
Sedum forsterianum
Sedum spathulifolium
Vinca minor (Dwarf Periwinkle)