Vibrant Annuals That Thrive in Shade, Offering a Spectacular Show of Colors
Rewritten Article
Hey there, green thumb! Let's explore some badass annuals that'll brighten up your dark corners without throwing a hissy fit over the lack of sunlight. These bad boys thrive in dappled shade, especially when they get a quick peek at the morning sun. So, let's delve into the world of shade-loving flora for container gardens!
Caladium: Angel Wings
Check out this rad plant with arrowhead-shaped leaves that come in a plethora of colors - white, pink, red, green, and bicolor. Known as angel wings, it grows from a summer flowering tuber and prefers organic loam soil in an acidic environment. This beauty hails from the tropical rainforests, so keep her well-watered and regularly fertilized during her growth phase. You can dig her up in winter and store her to reuse next year.
- Botanical Name: Caladium bicolor
- Preferred Light: Dappled shade
- Soil Type: Organic loam
- Soil pH: Acidic
Coleus: Low-Maintenance Stunner
Say hello to Coleus, a plant that thrills in warm temperatures and high humidity. It's known for its vibrant foliage, even in the shade. Find varieties with muted foliage in bronze and burgundy, neon green, or variegated yellow, pink, and white. While some cultivars are bred to withstand full sun, make sure to check the care label for those that prefer more shade, such as Pinata, Trusty Rusty, Versa Lime, Versa Watermelon, and Indian Summer.
- Botanical Name: Coleus scutellarioides
- Preferred Light: Deep to partial shade
- Soil Type: Loam
- Soil pH: Neutral
Edging Lobelia: Play it Cool in Blue
If you're into the color blue, Lobelia should be your go-to. There's a wide variety of cultivars available in every shade imaginable. For example, 'Blue Moon' offers dark blue flowers, while 'Cambridge Blue' showcases clear, soft blue flowers. Cut back the plant after each flush of flowering to encourage new blossoms.
- Botanical Name: Lobelia erinus
- Preferred Light: Dappled shade
- Soil Type: Organic loam
- Soil pH: Slightly acidic
Forget-Me-Not: Old-School Charm
Forget-Me-Not is a classic flower that adorned Victorian valentines. It's an annual that thrives in cooler zones, and it grows to about 12 inches with small, light blue flowers with yellow or white eyes. Cultivars are available in pink, white, or dark blue. Sow seeds indoors about 8 to 10 weeks before the last spring frost for blooms the same year.
- Botanical Name: Myosotis sylvatica
- Preferred Light: Partial shade
- Soil Type: Clay, loam
- Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral
Hardy Begonia: Shade-Loving Performance
Hardy begonias are one of the most often seen shade-loving flowering plants. They put on a show of loose, floppy clusters of pink, fragrant blooms visited by bees and butterflies from summer to early fall. Plant in mass, along borders, or in containers. The beauties will add color to shady perennials such as ferns and hostas.
- Botanical Name: Begonia grandis
- Preferred Light: Full to partial shade
- Soil Type: Clay, loam, or sand
- Soil pH: Acidic to neutral
Impatiens: Shade Queen
Although there are now SunPatiens that tolerate full sun, old-fashioned garden impatiens prefer part to full shade. Prolific bloomers in white, peach, apricot, pink, and red, the plants perform from late spring until the first frost of fall. They require moist, well-drained soils, supplemented with organic material, and a slightly acidic pH. Impatiens tolerate humidity but wilt in hot, dry spells and will require extra watering. If they become leggy in late summer, prune off the top one-third of each plant to encourage new growth and blooms.
- Botanical Name: Impatiens walleriana
- Preferred Light: Part to deep shade
- Soil Type: Organic loam
- Soil pH: Acidic
Johnny-Jump-Up: Winter Charmer
Johnny-jump-ups are a cheerful addition to winter gardens as they belong to the violet family and are the parent plant to modern pansy hybrids. The flowers all have three colors per bloom in a combination of blue, purple, white, or yellow. They bloom in cooler weather and will often self-seed in all but the hottest climates.
- Botanical Name: Viola tricolor
- Preferred Light: Partial shade
- Soil Type: Loam, sand
- Soil pH: Acidic to neutral
Larkspur: Short-Lived Perennial, Long-Lasting Blooms
Most larkspur is grown from seed as an annual. It prefers partial shade from afternoon sun and fertile, moist, well-drained soils. Taller varieties may require staking for protection from strong winds. Cut back spent flower stalks for additional late summer and fall blooms.
- Botanical Name: Delphinium carolinianum
- Preferred Light: Partial shade
- Soil Type: Organic loam
- Soil pH: Alkaline
Monkey Flower: For the Cooler Climates
Although technically a short-lived perennial, Monkey flowers are grown as annuals in the warmest Southern climates. A low-growing, mound-forming plant, the showy, velvety, funnel-shaped flowers can be yellow, white, and pink colors.
- Botanical Name: Mimulus x hybridus
- Preferred Light: Partial shade
- Soil Type: Clay, loam, or sand
- Soil pH: Neutral
White Tobacco: Showy Blooms and Dramatic Leaves
White tobacco is a tall plant reaching a height of 3-5 feet, perfect for the back row of a shady flower bed. It features large, dramatic leaves and showy, fragrant clusters of pendent white flowers that resemble a burst of shooting stars. Considered an annual in most gardens, it is indeed a striking addition to your shade garden.
- Botanical Name: Nicotiana sylvestris
- Preferred Light: Dappled shade
- Soil Type: Organic loam
- Soil pH: Slightly acidic
Wishbone Flower: Two-Toned Pleasure
Wishbone flower is a low-growing annual with lovely two-toned, two-lipped, tubular purple or pink flowers. Plant it in rich, moist soils in a shade border and mulch to help keep the roots cool. Some cultivars work well in hanging baskets.
- Botanical Name: Torenia fourienieri
- Preferred Light: Deep to partial shade
- Soil Type: Organic loam
- Soil pH: Neutral
- Discover some annual flowers perfect for dark corners, such as Caladium, Coleus, Edging Lobelia, Forget-Me-Not, Hardy Begonia, Impatiens, Johnny-Jump-Up, Larkspur, Monkey Flower, White Tobacco, and Wishbone Flower, all of which thrive in dappled shade or partial shade.
- Caladium, known as Angel Wings, boasts arrowhead-shaped leaves of various colors and prefers organic loam soil in an acidic environment.
- Coleus, with its vibrant foliage, is a low-maintenance stunner that thrives in warm temperatures and high humidity, even in the shade.
- Edging Lobelia, popular for its blue flowers, requires dappled shade and slightly acidic soil. Gardeners can find numerous cultivars with different shades of blue, such as 'Blue Moon' and 'Cambridge Blue'.