13 Colorful Shrubs That Thrive in the Shade

Hydrangea

One of the most popular garden shrubs in the U.S., hydrangeas produce dramatic, long-lasting blooms in shades of pink, blue, white, and green, depending on the variety and the acidity of the soil. Most hydrangea varieties will thrive in partial shade—especially if they’re in the shade in the afternoon. For a hydrangea that works in full shade, consider the oakleaf varieties.

• Soil: Rich, well-draining soil, prefers acidic soil
• Zones: 3 to 9

Sarcococca

Need a shrub that thrives on a little neglect? Sarcococca may be your jam. “Sarcococca is a great workhorse plant for dry shade gardens,” says Kevin Lenhart, Yardzen’s design director. “It’s evergreen, it smells wonderful, and it grows with little fuss in places where other plants struggle for lack of light. The glossiness of the leaves also adds a little pizazz to darker areas.” Sarcococca produces tiny white flowers in the early spring.

• Soil: Rich, well-draining soil
• Zones: 4 to 7

Rhododendron

If you’re looking to add dramatic flowers to brighten up your spring landscape, look no further than this shade-loving shrub. “Broadleaf evergreens like laurels, rhododendrons, azaleas all do well in shade because they have more surface area to catch sunlight on their leaves than needles would,” says Tamara Hogan, plant expert at Fast Growing Trees. They’ll bloom in shades of pink, white, purple, and red, and some species are evergreen, so you continue to have foliage all through the winter.

• Soil: Rich, well-draining soil, prefers acidic soil
• Zones: 4 to 9

Azalea

It can be easy to mistake azaleas for rhododendron, as they come from the same family of plants—and both produce vibrant spring flowers and thrive in the shade. But most azaleas have leaves that fall (and often, turn vibrant colors) in the autumn.

• Soil: Rich, well-draining soil, prefers acidic soil
• Zones: 3 to 8

Roses

Roses may seem like an unexpected addition to this list—as they’re famously big fans of sunshine. “Most roses love full sun, but a few can handle partial shade—about four to six hours of indirect or filtered light,” Lenhart says.

A few of the best options if you want roses in your shade garden:

• ‘Ballerina’ Rose – A hybrid musk rose with small, pink, single flowers and good shade tolerance.
• ‘Darlow’s Enigma’ – A tough, fragrant, disease-resistant rambler that can handle some shade.
• ‘Zephirine Drouhin’ – A nearly thornless, pink Bourbon rose that can bloom in dappled shade.
• ‘Iceberg’ – A floribunda rose that can perform decently in partial shade.

• Soil: Loamy, well-draining soil
• Zones: 3 to 9

Camellia

Camellias offer long-lasting, rose-like blooms in the fall—and all the way through to spring in some of the warmer growing zones. “While everything else is sleeping, camellia love to pop with color,” Hogan says. “Their unique bloom time and range of colors gives lots of flexibility for landscape design.” The flowers come in shades of lavender, pink, red, white, and yellow, and add a pop of color against the deep green foliage.

• Soil: Rich, well-draining soil
• Zones: 7 to 9

Mahonia

Add color to your drab winter landscape with one of the 70 different varieties of this shrub, which thrives in both partial and full shade. “Mahonia ‘Soft Caress’ is particularly useful in that it offers both evergreen foliage for shaded areas and winter interest via bold yellow winter-blooming flowers,” Lenhart says. “Its bamboo-esque leaves look particularly at home in tropical or Asian gardens.” It also produces berries later in the year.

• Soil: Rich, well-draining soil
• Zones: 5 to 9

Holly

Most holly varieties can handle at least some shade, while varieties like Yaupon holly can handle deep shade. Holly plants are a popular evergreen, with those holiday-perfect red berries appearing in late fall and winter.

• Soil: Loamy, well-draining soil
• Zones: 3 to 10

Beautyberry

This hardy shrub is aptly named for the vibrant (and edible) berries it produces. “Beautyberry is a great shade-tolerant shrub, native throughout the Southeast,” Lenhart says. “It produces vibrant magenta berries that are a hit with local wildlife. I have it at my home in Houston, and it’s doing great with virtually zero attention.”

• Soil: Moist, well-draining soil
• Zones: 6 to 10

Forsythia

Many shade-loving shrubs are on the slow-growing side, but forsythia can quickly provide privacy and a burst of color with those springtime yellow blossoms.

• Soil: Moist but well-draining
• Zones: 5 to 8

Mountain Laurel

“Laurels come in such different shapes and sizes; there’s a good chance you will find something that works with your space,” Hogan says. The mountain laurel offers you gorgeous evergreen foliage and pink or white blooms in the late spring. It actually prefers partial shade, rather than just tolerating it.

• Soil: Moist but well-draining
• Zones: 4 to 9

Yew

You’ll find many different varieties of evergreen yew shrubs, which can handle all types of growing conditions, from full sun to deepest shade. Be sure to check into the variety before you plant—some can grow up to 60 feet tall!

• Soil: Loamy, well drained
• Zones: 2 to 10

Gunnera Tinctoria

If you have a soggier shady spot or rain garden, gunnera tinctoria will add a bit of wow to a shady area. “Gunnera tinctoria, aka ‘Dinosaur Food,’ is a dramatic shade tolerant plant, best for boggier locations,” Lenhart says. In fact, weather that is too sunny or hot is likely to kill off this shrub, with its larger-than-life giant leaves.

• Soil: Moist but well-draining
• Zones: 7 to 10