Shade Plant Selector
Set your hardiness zone, light level, and soil moisture to see which classic shade-garden plants are a realistic fit for your bed.
Matching plants
| Common name | Botanical name | Zones | Height | Toxicity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hosta | Hosta spp. | 3–9 | 10–36 in | Toxic to pets |
| Christmas fern | Polystichum acrostichoides | 3–9 | 12–24 in | — |
| Astilbe | Astilbe spp. | 4–8 | 12–36 in | — |
| Lenten rose | Helleborus x hybridus | 4–9 | 12–18 in | Toxic if eaten |
| Japanese painted fern | Athyrium niponicum | 5–8 | 12–18 in | — |
| Coral bells | Heuchera spp. | 4–9 | 8–18 in | — |
| Lungwort | Pulmonaria spp. | 3–8 | 8–12 in | — |
| Solomon's seal | Polygonatum biflorum | 3–8 | 18–36 in | Toxic if eaten |
| Foamflower | Tiarella cordifolia | 3–8 | 6–12 in | — |
| Bigroot geranium | Geranium macrorrhizum | 4–8 | 12–20 in | — |
| Siberian bugloss | Brunnera macrophylla | 3–8 | 12–18 in | — |
| Lily-of-the-valley | Convallaria majalis | 2–7 | 6–12 in | Highly toxic |
| Sweet woodruff | Galium odoratum | 4–8 | 6–12 in | Toxic if eaten |
| Wild ginger | Asarum canadense | 4–8 | 6–8 in | Toxic if eaten |
| Barrenwort | Epimedium spp. | 4–9 | 8–12 in | — |
Before you plant these
- Hosta: Contains saponins that make it a risk to dogs, cats and horses. Fine around people.
- Lenten rose: All parts are poisonous if eaten, and the sap can irritate skin — wear gloves when dividing, and site it away from children and pets.
- Solomon's seal: The blue-black berries are poisonous if eaten. Site away from children and pets.
- Lily-of-the-valley: Every part is seriously poisonous, and the bright red berries are exactly the kind small children pick. Keep it out of gardens used by children or pets; the water from cut stems is unsafe too.
- Sweet woodruff: Contains coumarin and is unsafe to eat in quantity despite its use as a flavouring. Site away from children and pets.
- Wild ginger: Not related to culinary ginger and not edible — it contains aristolochic acid. Site away from children and pets.
How the shortlist is built
Every plant in this selector is filtered on three independent facts at once: does your zone fall inside its published hardiness range, does your light level fall inside the range it tolerates, and does it share your soil's moisture profile? A plant only appears if all three line up, which is a much better starting shortlist than a generic "shade plants" list that ignores your actual conditions.
Once you have a shortlist, the plant spacing calculator works out how many you'll need for a bed, and the watering-in-shade calculator estimates how much water they'll need once planted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a USDA hardiness zone?
It's a band based on the average annual minimum winter temperature for your area, numbered 1 (coldest) to 13 (warmest). A plant's zone range tells you where it can survive winter outdoors — a plant rated for zones 4–8 will reliably overwinter anywhere in that range but may need protection or fail outside it.
How is the light level defined here?
Partial shade means roughly three to six hours of direct sun, or bright all-day dappled light through a thin canopy. Full shade means under three hours of direct sun but still reasonably bright the rest of the day. Deep shade means no direct sun and a consistently dim spot, such as under dense evergreens or on the north side of a tall wall.
Why does soil moisture matter so much for shade plants?
Shade beds are often under tree canopy, where thirsty tree roots compete hard with perennials for water — so a spot can look shady and moist-looking on the surface while actually draining fast underneath. Matching a plant's moisture preference to your bed's real drainage (dig a small hole after rain and see how long water sits) prevents most first-year losses.
Can I use these plants safely around children and pets?
This tool covers cultivation facts only — hardiness, light, and moisture — and doesn't cover edibility or toxicity. Always check a current, reputable source for any safety question about a specific plant before adding it to a garden used by children or animals.
Educational tool covering cultivation facts only — hardiness, light, and moisture. Confirm any safety-related question about a specific plant with a current, reputable source before planting.