foliage plants which keep their colour in deep shade

[Sandy Loam]

What are some colourful plants which both tolerate deep shade and also keep their vibrant foliage colour in deep shade?  So many of my plants have died in the deeply shaded areas of my garden.  Many of those which have survived gradually reverted back to their green foliage colour, unfortunately. 

I am trying to add colour to the drab greenness of my garden's shady parts, and your advice would be much appreciated. 

Off the fop of my head, Canna Intrigue comes to mind as one of the plants which has retained its foliage colour in deep shade without perishing.  It hasn't exactly thrived in shade, but it hasn't died either.

Can contributors to this forum think of any other plants?  Since other gardeners may find this post on the web and use it as a future resource, please don't hesitate to be exhaustive and detailed in your responses. Again, I am interested in colourful foliage only, not blooms.  Thank you for your contributions.         

[Botanicus]

* Aspidistra - many varieties with spotted or striped variegation

* Calathea - I have been surprised how cold tolerant some of them are

* Kaempferia - dormant for a few months, but many beautiful ones that love shade

* Trillium - short season, but can make for some great color early in the year

* Hosta - there seem to be some varieties that do well in NC Florida

[Umbrae]

crotons, hawaiian ti, variegated ginger,  

Edited February 14, 2017 by Umbrae

[Sandy Loam]

My crotons (except for Croton Mammie) have lost a lot of their colour in deep shade for me.  My variegated ginger remains vibrant in deep shade, though.  

[Really full garden]

There are some nice variegated ivy cultivars that do well in shade. Eventually forming a nice thick ground cover that can be used to hide pots of seasonal plants like neo bromeliads.

[Tropicgardener]

Aglaonemas do very well in deep shade and don't mind being on the dry side either.

[Umbrae]

10 hours ago, Sandy Loam said:

My crotons (except for Croton Mammie) have lost a lot of their colour in deep shade for me.  My variegated ginger remains vibrant in deep shade, though.  

look for some of the old school varieties , stop light, FDR, I have had good luck with those also the yellow mammey is good too

[Sandy Loam]

Ok. Thanks.  I will look into those.

By the way, Umbrae, were you saying earlier that your Ti plant cordylines keep their colour in deep shade?  Mine revert back to green in shade, unfortunately, but they do seem to tolerate very dark shade.   

[Sandy Loam]

6 hours ago, Tropicgardener said:

Aglaonemas do very well in deep shade and don't mind being on the dry side either.

Thanks, but do they revert back to green in deep shade?  There are some red-and-green varieties, but I just wonder if the red colouring would fade out once the plant was no longer in the sun. 

Many thanks again for all the responses. 

[Tropicgardener]

16 hours ago, Sandy Loam said:

Thanks, but do they revert back to green in deep shade?  There are some red-and-green varieties, but I just wonder if the red colouring would fade out once the plant was no longer in the sun. 

Many thanks again for all the responses. 

No, not in my experience they don't revert. The good hybrids retain their colour in deep shade but depending on how cool it gets where you are I would stick to the green/grey/white cultivars such as the ones bred by Dr. Frank Brown in Florida. I grow the coloured 'Thai' hybrids here but have been told that they can sulk in cooler climates.

 

[annafl]

Sandy loam, what zone are you in Gainesville?  Is it 9a or 8b where you are?  I'm having more trouble with the cold factor than the shade.  What about some variegated fatsia japonicas?  Do aralias do well with your cold?  There are some beautiful variegated ones that are hardy for me here and I think some may be hardy for you.  As far as crotons, one that tolerated deep shade for me and stays nice and colorful is King of Siam.  Don't know if it will tolerate Gainesville, though, I'm surprised you can have mammeys and others.  Also, some variegated or yellow-spotted farfugiums (leopard plant).  Maybe a variegated alocasia macrorhiza may be worth a try?  At least in a pot.  Good luck!

[Eric in Orlando]

There are 3 nice variegated Fatsia japonica cultivars; 'Spider's Web', 'Variegata' and 'Murakumo Nishiki'. Also some variegated X Fatshedera lizei. There are dozens of cultivars of Aucuba japonica. It surprisingly does well this far south in shaded areas here at Leu Gardens so they will grow well for you, just keep them watered. As mentioned before, Aspidistra is great. There are so many cultivars of A. elatior and now many other species are available too.

Pseuderanthemum alatum is nice but can become "vigorous". It goes dormant in winter but returns in late spring. After it gets established it can seed heavily but stray seedlings are easy to remove. 

[Sandy Loam]

Thanks for all the great suggestions for shade, everyone.

Hello AnnaFL.  Yes, Gainesville is in USDA Zone 9a, although our winters since 2010 have been more like Zone 9b.  Yet we will surely have another Zone 9a winter in the next few years, so some people plant things here for only a few years of enjoyment. 

I am looking at many of the suggestions above and invite anyone who wants to contribute more to please do so.

Thanks.

[Palm crazy]

 I know a few things about shade gardening. My advise is to limp up the trees to let more light hit the garden. 

 Here are a few pic from my garden today in the rain, with some of the choices mention above.

Aucuba shurb. 

Variegated jasmine there are several varieties and colors. 

Fatsia spider web is probably the best. 

Fatsia variegated.

Fatsia Murakumo Nishiki

Daphne variegated there are several types.

Good luck with the shade gardening. 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2017 by Palm crazy

[Matt in OC]

How about irisine?

[Palm crazy]

Also if you can grow these two plants they are awesome in shade… Abutilon and Fuchsia.  Clumping bamboo can also be very colourful in shade. 

Edited February 16, 2017 by Palm crazy

[Sandy Loam]

1 hour ago, Matt in OC said:

How about irisine?

Hi Matt-in-OC.  I have Iresine Herbstii and Iresine Blazin' Rose.  They did not do well in the deeply shaded parts of my yard, although they do fine in a partially shaded area. 

 

[Sandy Loam]

1 hour ago, Palm crazy said:

Also if you can grow these two plants they are awesome in shade… Abutilon and Fuchsia.  Clumping bamboo can also be very colourful in shade. 

Hello PalmCrazy.  I once tried a Fuchsia or two in my climate, but they hated the humidity and died. I had even planted them in shade, but that wasn't enough.  They don't seem to like heat and humidity, but I would imagine that they do wonderfully up there in the PNW, don't they? 

As for Abutilon, I have seen those around Orlando, so I might give them a try.  Aren't those the ones with little round blooms that looks like red/pink Japanese paper lanterns?  Do Abutilon do fine up in Washington State? 

By the way, I would love to plant a cordyline australis like yours in my deep shade, but they don't do well for me in the extremely shaded areas of my yard.  They don't do well here in full sun either.  It has to be a perfect balance of semi-sun/semi-shade and in elevated positions for good drainage.      

[Palm crazy]

Yeah I thought fuchsia might be a long shot for you. We grow about 600 types here in PNW.

I’m really impressed with abutilon, they are hardy here and grow all over the west coast and even in HI. Come in all sorts of colors and flower styles. Here a few of mine. 

This one is growing in deep shade.

Yeah cordyline australis don’t grow good in deep shade. They are very tropical looking. 

There lots or cool shade tolerant plants here but they won’t grow in your climate I am afraid…have you try mohonia they like shade and look exotic and bloom in winter here for the hummers.

Edited February 16, 2017 by Palm crazy

[SouthSeaNate]

Sansevieria (Mother In Law's Tongue/Snake Plant) come in a few different varieties & grow well in deep shade for me. Epipremnum aureum too, though obviously these plants are not very colourful, but do provide a bit of contrast to green foliage.