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18 Shrubs That Grow in Shade

Lack of sun getting your yard down? It can be so hard to fill those cozy, shady strips near walls or the bare expanses beneath your fullest trees. The shrubs on this list are here to save the day! All of these species thrive in indirect sunlight and are ready to fill in all your blank spaces.

Japanese pieris

Japanese pieris (Pieris japonica) is an evergreen shrub that produces chains of small flowers. But be careful, it can cause seizures and temporary blindness if consumed by animals or people. Even so, is sometimes grown in the foundation portion of gardens along with other shrubs.

Winter daphne

Winter daphne, or Daphne odora, is an evergreen shrub grown for its strongly fragrant flowers. This shrub is toxic to humans and animals. Winter daphne grows 3 to 4 feet tall and is highly susceptible to root rot from soggy soil.

Japanese laurel

The Japanese laurel is a hardy green shrub native to Asia. It is a popular garden plant that grows best in moist soil, in places near water or rocks. The yellow flecks on its leaves have sparked the nickname, “gold dust plant.” Japanese laurel is mildly toxic – birds even avoid eating its fruit.

Tea

The leaves of the Tea (Camellia sinensis) are used to make black, green and oolong tea. A small, evergreen shrub whose small, fragrant, white flowers bloom in fall. Prefers full sun, in well-drained, slightly acidic, sandy soil. Tea leaves can be harvested after the third year.

Arrowwood viburnum

Arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) is a small perennial woody shrub native to the eastern United States and Canada. This shrub is not typically used for ornamental purposes aside from shrub hedges. It has the potential to attract songbirds and whiteflies.

Japanese holly

Japanese holly (Ilex crenata) is an evergreen shrub native to China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Japanese holly is a flowering plant, and its flowers transition into berries during the summer season. This plant is popularly planted as an ornamental shrub and can be grown as a Bonsai tree.

Fringe flower

This evergreen shrub is used in outdoor landscaping. It flowers in early spring. Some varieties of Fringe flower grow green leaves and white flowers. A more popular maroon-leafed variety hit the US market in the 1980s, which flowers in eye-catching pinks or reds.

Red buckeye

Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) is a flowering plant native to the midwestern and southern United States. Red buckeye is also called the firecracker plant. This plant attracts bees, and its seeds are poisonous. The Red buckeye can be used to make soap.

Japanese rose

Japanese rose (Kerria japonica) is a plant species native to China, Japan and Korea. The Japanese rose is known as yamabuki in Japan. Both the Golden Guinea and Bachelors Buttons cultivars have received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Bunchberry dogwood

Bunchberry dogwood (Cornus canadensis) is a herbaceous, flowering perennial plant that grows along the ground and spreads by underground rhizomes. Bunchberry dogwood flowers bloom in the spring, followed by clusters of red berries that ripen in summer. This plant attracts birds, deer and other wildlife. It is commonly planted in gardens.

Catawba rosebay

The Catawba rosebay is usually cultivated in North America and Europe as an ornamental plant. The Rhododendron catawbiense generally grows up to 3m tall, but can occasionally reach heights of 5m. In the United States, the Catawba rosebay is often found in the Appalachian Mountains.

Witch hazel

Witch hazel was used quite commonly in the 20th century for locating water sources. The practice, called dowsing or water witching, is still occasionally used. In dowsing, a forked stick of Witch hazel is held perpendicular to the ground and moved slowly over it. The belief is that when a water source is directly under the stick, it will dip or jump.

Japanese skimmia

Japanese skimmia (Skimmia japonica) is a rounded evergreen shrub that is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in gardens and parks. Japanese skimmia is often planted in Chinese gardens and grown as a bonsai tree. This species has a variety of small cultivars for ornamental purposes.

Canada yew

Canada yew (Taxus canadensis) is a conifer tree native to northeastern North America. Canada yew produces poisonous toxins called taxanes. All parts of this plant are toxic.

Mountain laurel

The Mountain laurel is most known for its reproductive methods, in which it creates tension on its stamens and flings its pollen onto insects. It is possible for the Mountain laurel to release pollen in a range of up to 15cm.

Western sweetshrub

Western sweetshrub is a large, easy-to-grow deciduous shrub that produces showy flowers with a spicy, fruity fragrance. Despite a proliferation of common names referring to its sweet and spicy scent, this plant is toxic to humans and livestock and should not be eaten.

Eastern hemlock

Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) really takes its time to mature. In fact, it may take up to 300 years to reach what’s considered adulthood among evergreen trees. It can even live for another 100 years if conditions are right. Other names for this majestic species include hemlock spruce and Canada hemlock.

Toyon

Toyon produces a berry that has multiple culinary uses. The berries can be cooked and eaten by themselves, or made in multiple preparations. Some of the most common of these are jellies, custards, and teas. The berries can also be dried and stored for later consumption. These berries have been a food staple for Native American tribes for generations.

错过浇水

当你没有给你的植物充分浇水时，它们最终会枯萎和死亡。植物需要水才能生长和茁壮成长。它们通过根部吸收水分，从而进行光合作用。这为植物提供了生长所需的能量和营养。植物还利用水将土壤中的营养物质通过植物茎向上移动到叶子、花朵和果实中。

如果没有适当的水，植物就无法参与光合作用或获得保持健康所需的营养。即使是最轻微的缺水也应立即纠正，以保持植物茁壮成长。

轻度缺水

症状

植物没有得到足够水的第一个迹象是它的生长会受到阻碍。新的增长将低于正常水平。叶子也可能有点枯萎。

解决方案

为了纠正这个问题，通过在根部浇水给你的植物喝一杯好水。植物应在 1 至 2 天内恢复正常。然后，继续遵循建议的浇水时间表。

中度缺水

症状

您将开始看到植物的叶子枯萎并垂下，因为细胞没有获得足够的水分

解决方案

让你的植物在根部充分浸泡。这应该在太阳的热量消散的清晨或下午晚些时候进行。当您的植物处于充足的阳光下时，请避免在头顶浇水，因为这会灼伤叶子。随着根部吸水，您的植物应该在几个小时内开始恢复。

对于室内植物或容器中的植物，给它们水浴是个好主意。把你的花盆带进浴室，在浴缸里放几英寸厚的水。将你的植物放在浴缸里一两个小时。一旦叶子恢复膨胀，将植物从浴缸中取出，让它们排干。

严重缺水

症状

如果您的植物有一段时间没有喝水，叶子会开始完全干燥，变成棕色，然后从植物上掉下来。最终，树枝也会像植物的其余部分一样死亡。

解决方案

您可以尝试通过切断所有枯木并减少一些顶部生长来使遭受严重缺水的植物恢复活力。然后，给你的植物一个很好的浸泡。密切注意植物，看看它是否正在恢复，并确保不要让土壤变干。

Penyiraman yang Dirindukan

Ketika Anda gagal menyirami tanaman Anda secara memadai, mereka akhirnya akan layu dan mati. Tanaman membutuhkan air untuk tumbuh dan berkembang. Mereka mengambil air melalui akar mereka yang memungkinkan mereka untuk terlibat dalam fotosintesis. Ini memberi tanaman energi dan nutrisi untuk tumbuh. Tanaman juga menggunakan air untuk memindahkan nutrisi dari tanah ke atas melalui batang tanaman dan ke daun, bunga, dan buah.

Tanpa air yang tepat, tanaman tidak dapat mengambil bagian dalam fotosintesis atau mendapatkan nutrisi yang mereka butuhkan untuk tetap sehat. Bahkan defisit air sekecil apa pun harus segera diperbaiki agar tanaman Anda tetap tumbuh subur.

Defisit Air Ringan

Gejala

Tanda pertama bahwa tanaman tidak mendapat cukup air adalah pertumbuhannya akan terhambat. Pertumbuhan baru akan lebih kecil dari biasanya. Mungkin juga ada sedikit layu daun.

Larutan

Untuk memperbaikinya, beri tanaman Anda minuman yang baik dengan mengoleskan air di tingkat akar. Tanaman akan kembali normal dalam 1 hingga 2 hari. Kemudian, terus ikuti jadwal penyiraman yang disarankan.

Defisit Air Sedang

Gejala

Anda akan mulai melihat daun tanaman layu dan menggantung karena sel tidak mendapatkan cukup kelembaban

Larutan

Berikan tanaman Anda perendaman yang baik di tingkat akar. Ini harus dilakukan di pagi hari atau sore hari ketika panas matahari telah hilang. Hindari penyiraman di atas kepala saat tanaman Anda berada di bawah sinar matahari penuh karena ini dapat membakar daun. Tanaman Anda akan mulai pulih dalam beberapa jam karena akarnya menyerap air.

Untuk tanaman hias atau yang di dalam wadah, ada baiknya untuk memberi mereka mandi air. Bawa pot Anda ke kamar mandi dan masukkan beberapa inci air ke dalam bak mandi. Letakkan tanaman Anda di bak mandi selama satu atau dua jam. Setelah daun mendapatkan kembali turgornya, keluarkan tanaman dari bak dan biarkan mengering.

Defisit Air yang parah

Gejala

Jika tanaman Anda tidak menerima air selama beberapa waktu, daunnya akan mulai benar-benar kering, berubah warna menjadi coklat, dan rontok dari tanaman. Akhirnya, cabang-cabang juga akan mati seperti halnya sisa tanaman.

Solusi

Anda dapat mencoba dan menghidupkan kembali tanaman yang mengalami defisit air yang parah, dengan memotong semua kayu mati dan mengurangi beberapa bagian atas pertumbuhan. Kemudian, rendam tanaman Anda dengan sangat baik. Awasi tanaman untuk melihat apakah tanaman itu hidup kembali dan pastikan Anda tidak membiarkan tanah mengering.

Kegagalan Menerapkan Pupuk

Pupuk memberi tanaman nutrisi yang mungkin kurang di tanah. Namun, melewatkan satu dosis pupuk tidak akan berpengaruh signifikan kecuali sedikit memperlambat pertumbuhan tanaman. Jika Anda melewatkan satu dosis, jangan panik, karena ini dapat dengan mudah diperbaiki.

Gejala

Tanda-tanda tanaman tidak menerima nutrisi yang cukup dari waktu ke waktu termasuk kurangnya pertumbuhan dan produksi bunga dan buah yang lebih rendah. Anda mungkin juga melihat hilangnya warna pada daun, yang merupakan tanda yang jelas dari kekurangan nutrisi.

Solusi

Jika Anda tidak melihat tanda-tanda kekurangan unsur hara yang terlihat, seperti perubahan warna daun, langsung saja gunakan dosis pupuk normal dan kembali ke jadwal pemupukan yang disarankan.

Jika ada gejala kekurangan unsur hara, kali ini Anda dapat menambahkan sedikit lebih banyak dari biasanya, tetapi lanjutkan jadwal pemupukan yang disarankan setelahnya.

施肥失败

肥料为植物提供土壤中可能缺乏的养分。但是，缺少一剂肥料不会产生任何显着影响，只会稍微减缓植物的生长。如果您错过了剂量，请不要惊慌，因为这很容易补救。

症状

随着时间的推移，植物没有获得足够营养的迹象包括缺乏生长以及花朵和果实的产量降低。您可能还会注意到叶子颜色变淡，这是营养缺乏的明显迹象。

解决方案

如果您没有看到任何明显的营养缺乏迹象，例如叶子变色，只需立即施用正常剂量的肥料，然后返回建议的施肥时间表。

如果出现营养缺乏的症状，您可以比平时多加一点肥料，但之后继续建议的施肥时间表。

Common Garden Questions

Question 1: How do I know when to water my plants?

The best tool you have for gauging plants’ need for water is your own observations. Most plants will droop slightly when they are thirsty. A finger inserted an inch or so into the soil will also tell you whether a plant needs water. Ideally, you should give water at the very first indication that a plant needs it. Succulents will not droop, but the leaves may become less glossy, dull, or wrinkled, and worst they can turn yellow and begin to fall off. Any yellowing of leaves is an indication that there is a water problem: yellow leaf tips indicate overwatering, overall yellowing is often a sign of under-watering. Generally, before watering you should wait until soil has mostly dried out, but it should never be allowed to dry out completely. If you can, water using rainwater whenever possible, because it has the perfect PH for plants.

Question 2: Where should I put a houseplant for the most natural light?

A good guide to light levels is the orientation of your windows.

North-facing windows offer weak, diffuse light that is unsuitable for most plants, but perfect for orchids and other low-light-loving plants.
South-facing windows provide consistent, direct sunlight for most of the day, which is good for Mediterranean plants, cacti, and succulents.
East-facing windows give plants excellent morning sun and then moderate light levels for most of the day.
West-facing windows are appropriate for most sun-loving plants, as they give strong light for the latter half of the day.

Question 3: When and how often do I need to fertilize plants?

There are very specific rules for fertilizing houseplants, beginning with when is the best time to do it. Never fertilize a sick plant, a new arrival, or a plant that has recently been re-potted. Furthermore, refrain from fertilizing a plant anytime it is not actively growing, namely in the cooler months. At the first sign of spring growth, you can start supporting plants with some appropriate fertilizer. Follow the instructions for liquid and granular fertilizers, and never add more than is recommended. Some people fertilize every few weeks, others do so every week during the growing season. Find a frequency that works for you and your plants.

Question 4: How should I design my garden?

Look at lots of other people’s gardens — go on garden tours, check out books, explore online galleries — to gain an understanding of the style of garden that you like. Then, create a design that uses the same principles. Don’t just plant things at random, use a design that repeats colors, textures, and shapes, and create visual patterns.

Question 5: Is it really necessary to have holes in my planting containers?

Yes, even though it is a hassle, containers without holes will collect water in the bottom, eventually causing root rot and premature plant death. Filling the bottom of a pot with rocks will not perform the same function as holes that allow water to drain out, either. Salts also build up from minerals in the water as well as fertilizer residues. Drain holes help excess water move through the soil to effectively “flush out” these buildups that can eventually harm plants if allowed to remain.

Planting Seasonally

When planning out a garden, most people are thinking about spring and summer — the warm months when the garden is most inviting. Once autumn has come and gone, what’s left is uninspiring. The most thrilling gardens are planted for all four seasons, with careful consideration given to creating visual interest and color all year round. These five steps will show you how to think about each season when planning out a garden.

Step 1: Have Perennial Color

As you select species for the garden, think beyond flowers, fruit, and summer foliage. Make a plant chart with four columns, one for each season, and try to incorporate plants that offer some color during the times other plants are dormant. Consider shrubs like red stemmed dogwood, whose crimson branches offer a splash of color in the snow or against the grayest winter skies. Select evergreen plants whose needles are unusually yellow or bluish, and always think about how fall foliage will enrich the landscape with yellows, oranges, and reds.

Step 2: Grow in Layers

In nature, plants grow in layers, each adapted to different strata of light. By mimicking this in a garden design, you can create year-round seasonal interest. Planting a variety of forms, with varying heights, volumes, bark, and texture will ensure that every season is visually interesting. Filling in gaps in the garden can prevent it from having large bare spots during winter and fall.

Step 3: Think Beyond the Bloom

Many plants have exceptionally beautiful features that remain after the blooms have long since fallen away. Teasels, ornamental grasses, and shrubs with unusual profiles can lend rich character to a garden as it moves through the coldest and most austere months of the year. Plan for texture as you plant your garden, imagining what the bare stems and branches of plants will look like in fall and winter.

Step 4: Build Evergreen Architectures

From the needlelike points of Italian cypress trees to the splayed out arms of a Douglas fir, evergreen trees and shrubs can give structure to gardens in all seasons. A well-manicured laurel hedge or a boxwood border serve the same purpose: directing the eye and ushering visitors along pathways, 12 months a year. Well thought-out evergreen plantings can create the illusion of outdoor rooms so that gardens inspire a sense of wonder and discovery even when they are blanketed in snow.

Step 5: Push Petals into Off-Seasons

There are few sights more welcome than the first crocuses of spring, snowdrops announcing longer days, and the brilliance of the earliest daffodils. The relief of early blooms is matched only by the nostalgia of those lingering blooms of late autumn: the graceful roses, purple asters, and glorious dahlias that continue until the first hard freeze. Planting a profusion of bulbs promises an early spring surprise, and a collection of late fall flowers helps to shorten the period of time between the final bud of fall and the first bloom of spring.

With a little creativity and foresight, you can create a garden that delights year-round.

Selecting for Suitability

Gardeners often blame themselves when their plants fail to thrive, perishing during the hot summer months or never coming back after a cold winter. Too often, the problem is with the plant, not the gardener. It isn’t possible to grow a Mediterranean garden in New England. Successful gardening begins with selecting species that are suited to your location, soil type, and geography. Follow these five steps to select plants that will thrive in your garden.

Step 1: Know Your Hardiness Zone

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is one of the most reliable predictors of what varieties of plants will thrive in your region. This map uses the average annual minimum winter temperature as a guide, and most plant varieties sold in the USA are assigned a hardiness zone. Choosing varieties that are appropriate for your hardiness zone makes it more likely that they will perform well in your garden.

Step 2: Understand Soil Composition

The type of soil on a property can vary dramatically from one area to another. A simple DIY test can tell you what your soil composition is. Using a jar, a scoop of soil, and some water, you can see how much loam, sand, and clay make up your soil — which will help you determine what plants are best suited for your site.

Step 3: Amend with Soil Nutrients

When planning a garden, before you make any plant selections you should take a few soil samples from every area you want to plant in. Contact your local extension office to see about soil testing, and after a week or two they can tell you the mineral content and PH of your soil. This can guide your plant selections as well as tell you which amendments you should add to planting beds to achieve a better composition for the plants you want to grow.

Step 4: Consider Site Conditions

Understanding the wind, sun, shade, and hydrology patterns of your site is important, as well as knowing how different plants interact. No matter how suitable your soil and hardiness zone are, if you are planting on a north-facing slope that receives heavy morning shade and leaf litter from a black walnut tree, you will have challenges growing anything successfully. Walnuts contain a compound that inhibits the growth of other plants, and many plants require morning sun to thrive. Analyze your desired growing areas and find plants that are more likely to work with the existing conditions.

Step 5: Plant Native Varieties

Native plants often get overlooked in favor of more exciting, exotic hybrid varieties. While unusual hybrids may promise stunning visual variation, if they fail to thrive they are more work than they’re worth. Native species generally offer unmatched hardiness, as they are adapted to your region’s soil, climate, and topography. They also offer more value to native wildlife, due to the species having evolved together in the region over thousands of years. Providing food and habitat to wildlife increases biodiversity and helps to sustain a natural balance where non-native plants offer little besides aesthetic value.

With so many varieties available, plant selection for the garden can be a challenge. But using these five steps can narrow down the list and help you choose plants that are best suited to your site.

Container and Soil Selection

Two of the decisions you make with your potted plants will affect their future more than almost anything else: the container and soil you plant them into. This five-part guide will lead you through the process of how to select soil and containers that will help your plants thrive.

Step 1: Pick a Container Size

The first thing to consider when choosing a plant container is the plant’s needs in terms of root volume and growth pattern. Will it send out deep roots, or does it root more superficially? Are you planting only one plant in a container or making a planting arrangement? Base the container size on the size of a plant’s roots. For multiple plants in one container, choose something that is wide and deep enough for them all.

Step 2: Choose a Container Material

From traditional terra cotta to repurposed decorative metal boxes, almost anything that holds soil can be used as a plant container. But different materials have different properties. Terra cotta is very porous, and soil will dry out more quickly in these pots than in glazed ceramics. It also doesn’t hold up well to weather and is better for indoor plants. Plastic and resin are light, durable, retain moisture well and come in many shapes and sizes. Metal containers are chic, but may be prone to rust and often lack drainage. For aesthetics, you can place one container inside another, such as a wicker basket or a vintage hatbox.

Step 3: Select a Container Type

Containers come in every shape and size, from tall and cylindrical to wide and bowl-like. You can find collections of succulents or cacti sold in wide, shallow containers — ideal for these shallow-rooted, drought-tolerant plants. Deeper containers are good for plants that need to stay moist, and self-watering pots are even better. Hanging pots are stylish but dry out quickly.

Step 4: Ensure Drainage

Good drainage is critical to plant health, because roots need access to oxygen. Any repurposed container that lacks drain holes needs to be either drilled, or the bottom needs to be filled with several inches of activated charcoal beneath the soil to assist with drainage. Ideally, plant roots will get the oxygen they need through a combination of well-drained soil, sensible watering techniques, and adequate bottom-of-the-container drainage.

Step 5: Decide on a Soil Type

Plants need soil that can hold high levels of nutrients in the root zone, retaining sufficient moisture while allowing roots to breathe. There are many different commercial mixes designed for specific types of plants; using a soil mix that is suited to the plant you are potting is important. Pay attention to a plant’s ideal PH range and specific drainage needs when choosing soil. You can also make your own tailored soil blend, using a combination of peat moss, perlite, sand, vermiculite, and an organic compost. Coconut coir can also be used instead of peat moss. It might seem like a lot of fuss, but taking the time to select or create the right type of soil for your plant will pay off in the end.

These five simple steps are an easy way to give potted plants the best start in life. A little work in the beginning can ensure a long, beautiful relationship with your plants.

Basic Indoor Plant Care

Indoor plants can change the look and feel of a home, from elevating the mood to adding style and beauty. But a dead or dying plant can have the opposite effect. Take these five steps to ensure your houseplants remain lush, green, and thriving.

Step 1: Select a Location

Most plants have very specific light needs for optimal growth and health. When shopping for an indoor plant, pick a spot inside and then look for a suitable species. You may want to purchase supplemental lighting to keep plants healthy during the winter, as light tends to be dimmer and days are shorter.

Indoor plants are also at the mercy of heating and cooling systems. Plants too close to a radiator or in the draft of a vent will dry out quickly. Pay attention to how plants respond to seasonal changes and be prepared to move them if needed.

Step 2: Choose a Container

An indoor plant’s container will have a huge impact on both how it looks and how it thrives. There are many factors involved in selecting a container, but the most important is the plant’s needs. Is it shallow- or deep-rooted? Does it prefer lots of root space or does it like to be a bit cramped?

Step 3: Adjust Watering & Humidity

Watering is one of the easiest things to get wrong with houseplants. Too much water is almost always worse than not enough. A plant’s watering needs will vary based on location, container, and the season. Most plants need to be watered two to three times a week during the summer and only once a week in winter. Small, shallow containers dry out more quickly than large, deep ones. Containers in full sun need more water than those in part shade, and climate control will affect how frequently plants need to be watered. Heating and air conditioning dry out indoor air.

Most plants will droop slightly when they are thirsty. A finger inserted an inch or so into the soil will also tell you whether a plant needs water. Generally, before watering you should wait until soil has mostly dried out, but it should never be allowed to dry out completely.

Step 4: Determine Feeding Needs

New plants have usually been pampered inside a greenhouse. If initially healthy, these plants shouldn’t need more than water for several months or longer. When plants first show signs of growth in spring, it is time to fertilize, using a liquid fertilizer that contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. Continue to fertilize through spring and summer, and when in doubt, give less rather than more fertilizer.

Step 5: Maintain the Plant’s Health

No matter how healthy a plant is, it still needs a little regular maintenance beyond watering and feeding. Dust leaves with a damp sponge or soft cloth to help them absorb the light they need. Remove fallen flowers or leaves. Plants that have grown too large for their pots should be shaped or transplanted periodically. Pruning and transplanting offer excellent opportunities for propagation.

Insect pests are the enemy of indoor plants, but early detection can save them. Check the undersides of leaves and the joints where leaves meet the stem. Move infested plants to a separate room to protect the others. Aphids, mealy bugs, and mites are the most common pests and can be treated with horticultural oil or a soft soap solution. Most insect infestations can be eradicated with a little effort if detected early.

Houseplants breathe life and color into the home, and give much more than they take. With a little know-how, you can ensure that your houseplants live long, healthy lives.