Trees That Grow in Shade: 9 Shade-Tolerant Trees

One of the trickier parts of starting one’s own garden or greenhouse is finding the right spot for plants to receive an adequate amount of light. Below are some of the best trees that can thrive without regular sunlight. On average, these trees grow best in USDA zones three through seven, though some can be found in hardiness zones as low as two and as high as nine.

1. 1. Magnolia trees: Magnolia is a genus of flowering trees that produce cone-like fruits in autumn and fragrant, white flowers or pink flowers in spring or early summer.
2. 2. Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida): These North American native trees are renowned for their blooms with a high rate of proliferation. Other types of shade-tolerant dogwood trees include the Kousa dogwood tree, also called the Japanese dogwood, and the Pagoda dogwood, a small garden tree.
3. 3. Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum): The Japanese maple tree is world-renowned for its lush green leaves that turn a variety of colors depending on the season. Almost all cultivars of the Japanese maple boast fall colors, and others, like 'Wilson’s Pink Dwarf', feature pink-colored foliage.
4. 4. Yew tree (Taxus spp.): The yew is a slow-growing evergreen tree. This conifer exists on nearly every continent and is a symbol of resurrection in some cultures.
5. 5. Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis): This coniferous tree is prominent in the American Northeast and is Pennsylvania’s state tree. These pyramidal trees can reach up to one hundred feet in height.
6. 6. American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana): The American hornbeam, also called a musclewood or blue-beech, is a medium-size hardwood tree with green foliage.
7. 7. Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis): Eastern redbuds are understory trees with spreading branches that bloom magenta flowers. Eastern redbuds include varieties of small trees.
8. 8. American Hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana): This deciduous tree, also called the woolly hop-hornbeam and the eastern hop-hornbeam, gets its name from hop-like fruit. This drooping tree grows best in partial to full shade.
9. 9. Red Maple (Acer rubrum): Red maples, also called swamp maples, can grow in part shade and serve as shade trees. These red-hued deciduous trees produce winged samaras, paper-thin fruits that shed in early summer.

In addition to trees, there are also numerous shade-loving plants you can add to your shade garden and landscaping. Some low-maintenance bushes and shrubs for shady areas include:

1. 1. Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana): Best known as Busy Lizzy, this annual plant sprouts white, pink, and purple flowers and can be grown as a groundcover.
2. 2. Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis): This perennial flower has heart-shaped, pink and white buds and can grow in light shade.
3. 3. Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.): This plant receives its "cherry" name from the tart red fruit that sprouts from its branches. This large shrub can grow up to twenty-five feet tall.
4. 4. Spotted deadnettle (Lamium maculatum): This species of flowering shrubs can grow in full shade and partial shade. These perennials can feature white, pink, and purple tubers.
5. 5. Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala ssp. petiolaris): This climber features white flower clusters and can grow in full sun, partial sun, and shade.
6. 6. Silky dogwood (C. amomum): Also known as a red willow, this shrub sprouts bright blue berries and white flowers in late spring and has a high shade tolerance.

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