Gill’s Top 10 Fav Shade Bloomers

One of the most common questions we get from DIY gardeners and landscape design clients alike…”Can you recommend blooming plants for the shadier areas of my yard?” Great question! Most blooming plants want lots of sun, but there are still some great options for shade. Here are 10 of our fav shade bloomers that we have in stock and ready to plant right now!

1. Gregg’s Mist Flower

Do you have shady spots in your yard where you like to hang out and cool off? Would you like to enjoy the company of dozens of butterflies in those chill spots? Then plant a bunch of native Gregg’s Mist Flower! It can handle full sun, but it loves morning sun and afternoon shade.  

2. Shady Salvias, like ‘Black & Bloom’ and ‘Plum Crazy’

We have quite a wide selection of salvias this spring, including gorgeous varieties that prefer more shade, like Plum Crazy (pictured), the darker purple Black & Bloom, and even the native Tropical Sage (Salvia coccinea) which like dappled light under tree canopies.  

3. Celosia

The problem with doing a general web search for gardening tips is that the info rarely applies to our area specifically. Celosia is a good example – most gardening sites will recommend full sun, but they don’t mean South Texas full sun! In our area, Celosia makes a bright and fun addition to shadier spots in the garden with blooms through spring into early summer. 

4. Blue Plumbago

We like to call Plumbago the South Texas Hydrangea. We can’t grow Hydrangeas very well in our area (wish we could!), but Plumbago thrives here and gives you a similar effect in the landscape with TONS of big, gorgeous blue blooms. Think part sun/part shade spots. There’s also a white version if blue’s not for you. 

5. Begonias!

Begonias might be our fav annual flowers for shade. They’re awesome in the ground or in pots, and can even be brought indoors. And there are tons of varieties to choose from with different foliage and different blooms. 

6. Firespike

Here’s one we don’t see too often – Firespike! Excellent 4-6′ tall and wide shrub that hummingbirds and butterflies adore. We wouldn’t recommend it for deep shade, but it’ll be happy and bloom in some shade.

7. Blue Daze

It’s a bit tricky to find a low-growing, heat-loving, drought-tolerant plant that can bloom in the shade, but Blue Daze checks all those boxes. This Texas Superstar thrives in our area and makes an excellent groundcover. Great in pots too!

8. Turk’s Cap

Texas Native Turk’s Cap is one of the most versatile and easy landscape plants there is. You can plant it almost anywhere, including deep shade, and it will bloom like crazy. Plus, it’s a magnet for hummingbirds. Did you know that Turk’s Cap is part of the mallow family and that the fruit and all parts of the plant are edible? 

9. Texas Betony

Texas Betony is another native that hummingbirds and butterflies adore. And it’s an excellent shade bloomer. We don’t see it super often, so it’s a treat to have some in the garden center right now. 

10. Shrimp Plant!

How could we talk about shade bloomers without mentioning the South Texas classic, Shrimp Plant! It comes in different colors, hummingbirds love it, and grows to about 4′ tall and wide.