Do you want GROUNDCOVERS -- or PLANTS/SHRUBS that will grow in shade?
For shade PLANTS I have astilbe, lenten rose, euonymous, nandina firepower.
I don't have this, but I've fallen in love with the look of corydalis (a bulb for shade)
My favorite groundcover right now is Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi 'Purple Ice Plant') but as you can see it's said to need "part shade." But that's just for "optimal" conditions. That doesn't mean it won't grow at all in shade. It may grown and just not flower:
Height: 2-3"
Width: 24"+
Exposure: Sun or Part Shade
Water: Low, exceptionally drought tolerant
Hardiness: USDA Zones 5-9
Pruning: Not necessary
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Those bleow, I don't know anything about these other than they were on a list.
10 Ground Covers for Shade (yahoo)
Perennial Ground Covers for Shade - Yahoo! Voices - voices.yahoo.com
Bugleweed (Ajuga): perennial ground cover, leaves grow into masses of foliage in green, variegated or bronze leaves. blooms late spring through early summer violet-blue flowers on 4 to 6 inch spires. foliage is fast-growing evergreen that reaches only 3 to 4 inches tall. It can be prevented from creeping into the lawn with an edge of stones or some other barrier. Zones 3 to 9.
Bearberry (Arctostaphylos): perennial great for sandy and rocky soils. green leaves with a tinge of gray. hardy low-growing evergreen ground cover, tolerates drought conditions. does fine in shade but near the coast it can tolerate sun. not particular about soil, does need good drainage. adds pink or white flowers in spring, red berries fall for birds. Zones 2 to 8.
Dwarf Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus): petite ornamental grass only reaches about 4 inches in height, is brilliant green. very closely related to Liriope and the two are often mistaken as the same plant. also referred to as Monkey Grass or Dwarf Lilyturf. evergreen groundcover grows in part- to full shade, average moist and well-drained soil. spreads by underground stems, has tiny purple flowers in the summer that are sometimes difficult to see. Zones 6 to 10
Ginger (Asarum): many varieties of wild ginger including deciduous and evergreen. perfect woodland ground covers, all can tolerate very low light. slow to moderate grower, sometimes requires a couple of years for the roots to get established. height from about 2 to 6 inches tall, creates a mounding ground cover once established. Zones 4 to 9
Golden Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia- Aurea): low growing groundcover, very delicate appearance, small round golden leaves. spreads slowly, hugs the ground with petite leaves that look especially nice contrasted with darker green foliage. will do fine with a small amount of partial sun and will be more golden. In deeper shade, this tiny perennial will be more chartreuse. needs moisture and must be watered during dry spells. Zones 3 to 10
Lady's Mantel (Alchemilla): popular perennial may not be thought of as a ground cover. spreads slowly and steadily in well-drained organic soil. known for velvety leaves and chartreuse flowers in late summer or early fall. If self-seeding becomes a problem, then remove the flowers before they can set seed. blooms are useful as a filler for floral arrangements so that's a good excuse for picking. leaves reach 8 to10 inches tall, flower spikes grow another 6 to 8 inches above the foliage. Zones 3 to 8
Lamium (Lamium maculatum): good ground cover for semi-dry shade, tolerates most soil conditions. attractive variegated foliage, adds a bright touch to shady areas. leaves are particularly showy, are almost entirely a silvery-white with a little green around the edges. grows 6 to 8-inches tall, white or pink flowers in the summer. Zones 4 to 8
Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis): perennial, probably one of the most popular of all the shade loving ground covers. glossy evergreen leaves grow about 10 inches tall. There's also a variegated variety with very attractive foliage, slow growing groundcover but has the benefit of tolerating deep shade. prefers a moist but well-drained rich soil. has white flowers in spring. Zones 4 to 8
Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens): evergreen groundcover, prefers acidic soil, can handle dry or moist conditions. fragrant white or pale pink flowers in summer, red berries in fall. fuzzy tubular flowers always in pairs which fuse together to become one berry. only reaches about 2-inches tall. Zones 4 to 8
Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum): delicate appearance but very hardy and does well in wooded areas. It blooms fragrant petite clusters of white flowers for several weeks beginning in spring. fragrant foliage that reaches 8 to 12 inches high and forms dense mats. grows best in moist soil of a woodland area. Sweet woodruff will go dormant if planted in a dry, sunny location in the summer. Zones 4 to 8
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Of the one's on the list below I'm familiar with Mazus Reptans, (which I like a lot) and vinca (which is very vine-like), mondo grass, and ivy.
I have a low-growing blue star juniper.
Then again, some on this list I didn't even know would be groundcover. The euonymous I have is a shrub not a ground cover. The only cotoneaster I've ever seen was a flower shrub, not a ground cover -- but maybe there are different varieties.
Groundcover List:,
Ajuga, Asian Jasmine, Blue Star Creeper, Cotoneaster, Creeping Fig, Creeping Jenny, Creeping Raspberry
Euonymus, Iceplant Ivy, Junipers, Liriope, Mazus, Mondo Grass, Rose Red Cascade, Sedums, Thyme - Creeping
Veronica, Vinca - Periwinkle
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