Plants require sunlight to grow; however, the amount of sunlight needed varies by species. To determine which species you can plant in your yard, it is important to take note of how many hours of sunlight each area of your yard receives on a sunny day. Keep in mind that building structures (e.g., fences, buildings, etc.) and even other plants can obscure the sun during different parts of the day. Once you better understand the light exposure in the different areas of your property, you can better select the species that fit those conditions.
There are three main categories of light conditions you will need to consider:
- Full Sun: the area receives at least six or more hours of sunlight per day
- Part Sun: the area receives between two to six hours of sunlight per day
- Shade: the area receives less than two hours of sunlight per day
If you have a shady area in your yard, but aren’t sure what to plant, we are here to help! Here are our top four native shrubs that thrive in lower light conditions and bring color to the darkness.
Common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus)
Snowberry is a very adaptable shrub that can tolerate a wide range of both soil and sunlight conditions. Reaching a mature height of about four feet, its rounded, bushy form makes for an excellent understory habitat and food source for overwintering birds such as thrushes, grouse, grosbeaks, and robins. The snowberry produces small, pink flowers that bloom in the early spring, providing pollen for many local pollinators. Its common name comes from the clusters of small, white berries that mature in the late summer and persist on the shrub through winter.
Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica)
This medium-growing shrub can adapt to a variety of soil and light conditions while also providing food and habitat for many pollinator and bird species throughout the seasons. Reaching a mature height of about five feet and width of about six feet, this densely spreading shrub is great for creating an understory privacy screen. In the early spring, small yellow flowers emerge before the leaves on the twig tips, which are an excellent source of pollen for carpenter, miner and sweat bees. By late summer, small clusters of fuzzy, red drupes emerge (on female shrubs only), providing a tasty treat for chickadees, bluebirds, flickers and cardinals. It’s common name comes from the spicy citrus flavour that the leaves emit when crushed and in the fall, they turn brilliant shades of orange to red!
Purple flowering raspberry (Rubus odoratus)
Purple flowering raspberry is a shorter but wider growing shrub that prefers well-drained soils and thrives in many light conditions. It is the perfect shrub to fill an open, shady space, with the added benefit of edible fruits for both you and local songbirds like cedar waxwings, orioles and woodpeckers. The large, pinkish-purple flowers emerge in late spring and are highly valued by native bee species, such as mason bees, because they bloom profusely throughout the summer season. The round, red raspberries mature in mid-to-late summer and sometimes persist into the early fall. The bright green leaves are maple-like with five lobes that turn pale to bright yellow in the fall.
Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
Pagoda dogwood is a larger growing shrub that thrives in a variety of soil and sunlight conditions. It is a prevalent understory species known for its unique horizontal branches that resemble a pagoda structure. This layered branching structure is a great habitat for many types of nesting birds. In the late spring, clusters of white flowers emerge followed by bluish-black berries that mature into the fall. The pagoda dogwood is a wonderful addition to your yard for attracting wildlife. The flowers and berries are enjoyed by various native pollinator species such as azure and admiral butterflies, and songbirds such as tanagers, bluebirds and grosbeaks.
Now that you know more about native shrubs that thrive in the shade, why not add some to the darker areas of your yard? Check out our Shrubs, Garden Kits and Pawpaws page to place an order for some shade-friendly shrubs today!
Sarah Green is the Residential Planting Programs Field Assistant at LEAF
LEAF offers a subsidized Backyard Tree Planting Program for private property. The program is supported by the City of Toronto, the Regional Municipality of York, the City of Markham, the Town of Newmarket, the Regional Municipality of Durham, the Town of Ajax, the Township of Brock, the Municipality of Clarington, the City of Oshawa, the City of Pickering, the Township of Scugog, the Town of Whitby, Ontario Power Generation and Ontario Trillium Foundation.
