5 Shade-Loving Native Plants for Your Backyard

From zinnias and roses to daylilies and coneflowers, sometimes it seems like sun-loving plants get all of the praise! So, what do you grow if you have a shaded yard? Thankfully, there are tons of gorgeous plants that are native to Wisconsin and thrive the shade

You can find all of the plants on this list in the Johnson Woodland Garden, which was newly improved for wedding ceremony, alongside tons of other native woodland plants to discover! Stop by for more shade garden inspiration. In the meantime, check out five of our top picks!

Wild Columbine

Wild columbine’s (Aquilegia canadensis) unique shape and fiery colors make it a standout among woodland flowers. Its blooms droop down from stems that reach up to three feet tall. Easy to grow, it’s known to increase in numbers year after year by self-seeding.¹ Wild columbine attracts a variety of local pollinators including uncommon critters like ruby throated hummingbirds and hawk moths.³

Black Raspberries

While easily mistaken for each other, the sweetness of black raspberries (Rubus occidentalis) starkly contrasts the tartness of blackberries. The biggest visual giveaway is the interior of the fruit. While blackberries have a light green or white center, black raspberries are hollow like red raspberries are.⁹

Black raspberries grow well in partial sun, like under the canopy of a tree. If you’re willing to share, birds and small mammals love black raspberry bushes for their delicious berries and the habitat they provide.⁸

Lady Fern

Lady ferns (Athyrium filix-femina) are a stunning option for woodland garden greenery. Stretching 2-5 feet upwards, they bring texture and rich green color to any landscape.⁶ Their lacey silhouette beautifully captures the dappled sunlight of a forest canopy. They prefer moist and shady environments, and can reproduce by spore.²

Solomon’s Seal

Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum) is a stunning spring bloomer with showy foliage and small white flowers that follow the stem like a string of pearls. It grows well in moist and mostly shaded environments, and isn’t prone to being eaten by forest friends.  Even long after Solomon’s seal blooms, it brings voluminous green foliage to any shaded garden or yard. It can also be used in succession with daffodils and tulips, showcasing them in early spring and hiding their foliage as they die off.⁴

Wild Ginger

Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) is a great groundcover plant that can span large spaces with ease once established. It thrives in moist, well shaded areas, but is damaged if too much sunlight reaches it. While often overlooked, wild ginger produces unique flowers in spring.

Hiding at the base of the plant are small maroon blooms that are low enough to be pollinated by ants and other small insects.⁵ Wild ginger is not related to culinary ginger⁵ and consumption is not advised.⁷

Sources

1.  “Aquilegia Canadensis.” Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Accessed July 31, 2024. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=aqca.
2. Fagerstrom, Mindy. “Athyrium Filix-Femina – Lady Fern.” Northwest Oregon Wetland Plants Project, August 1999. https://web.pdx.edu/~maserj/ESR410/Athyriumfelix.html.
3. Mahr, Susan. “Eastern Red Columbine, Aquilegia Canadensis.” Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension. Accessed July 31, 2024. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/eastern-red-columbine-aquilegia-canadensis/.
4. Mahr, Susan. “Solomon’s Seal, Polygonatum Spp.” Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension. Accessed July 31, 2024. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/solomons-seal-polygonatum-spp/.
5. Mahr, Susan. “Wild Ginger, Asarum Spp.” Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension. Accessed July 31, 2024. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/wild-ginger-asarum-spp/.
6. Stewart, Rhonda. “Lady Fern.” U.S. Forest Service. Accessed July 31, 2024. https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/athyrium_filix-femina.shtml.
7. Stritch, Larry. “Wild Ginger.” U.S. Forest Service. Accessed July 31, 2024. https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/asarum_canadense.shtml.
8. Swenson, Mack. “Species spotlight: Black raspberry.” Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation,  June 1, 2024. https://www.inhf.org/blog/blog/spotlight-black-raspberry/.
9. Zelman, Kathleen M. “Difference Between Black Raspberry and Blackberry.” WebMD, February 12, 2024. https://www.webmd.com/diet/difference-between-black-raspberry-and-blackberry.