)What's best for the Shadiest spot?
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FreakyCola
- Posts: 1397
- Joined: Feb 20, 2002 8:00 pm
- USDA Zone: 5
- Location: Indiana
What's best for the Shadiest spot?
Which hostas grow best for you guys in a lot of shade? It will get a few hours morning sun then is shaded by a couple trees and the new fence the neighbor put up. I dug everything out of there last year but somehow some ferns, a bunch of bulbs the squirrels must have planted and some wild phlox have decided it's their bed. Little do they know it's Prime Hosta Land and their days are numbered! (diabolical )
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There are conflicting theories on this. I'm by nature a contrarian, so...
The usual advice is that the blues are the prime candidates... but I think that is more about the plant than about the planting conditions - because the blue ones need to avoid direct sun to keep their best blue colors. In general, the blue ones, especially the sieboldiana-heritage ones, tend to be slow growers. Eventually Blue Angel, Blue Mammoth, Elegans will be spectacular... but you will have to wait for a slow grower growing slowly.
Since you can expect things to grow slower in deep shade, a contrarian point of view would be to plant the fastest growing hostas you have in the deepest shade - which are usually not the blues.
Usually the suggestion is not to plant yellows in the shade - but again that is more about the plant than the light conditions. Yellows planted in the shade won't usually develop their brightest colors. I, on the other hand, like the subtler colors so I wouldn't hesitate to plant a fast growing yellow in deep shade.
So a contrarian would say you should plant the fastest growing hostas you have in the shade, whatever their shade. Squash Casserole won't get a bright yellow in deep shade... but it will make an immense low-growing clump of very attractive chartreuse foliage.
So, though not often mentioned for deep shade, two plants that can have very bright colors in brighter spots... Abba Dabba Do and Paradigm... have subtler variegation in shade. But they are both vigorous growers and I have very nice specimens in an area that never receives any direct light... north side of house under a mature spruce, additionally shaded by an oak tree. That's dark! Good old Fortunei Aureomarginata also does well there.
Among the blues, Krossa Regal has done OK there... Elvis Lives has proven to be an easy, good grower.
Willing to wait a few years? The big blues with white margins... Northern Exposure, American Halo, etc. can be stunning in deep shade. Frances Williams in deep shade in my Minnesota garden goes through some years with no burn at all... only looks bad about one year in five.
The usual advice is that the blues are the prime candidates... but I think that is more about the plant than about the planting conditions - because the blue ones need to avoid direct sun to keep their best blue colors. In general, the blue ones, especially the sieboldiana-heritage ones, tend to be slow growers. Eventually Blue Angel, Blue Mammoth, Elegans will be spectacular... but you will have to wait for a slow grower growing slowly.
Since you can expect things to grow slower in deep shade, a contrarian point of view would be to plant the fastest growing hostas you have in the deepest shade - which are usually not the blues.
Usually the suggestion is not to plant yellows in the shade - but again that is more about the plant than the light conditions. Yellows planted in the shade won't usually develop their brightest colors. I, on the other hand, like the subtler colors so I wouldn't hesitate to plant a fast growing yellow in deep shade.
So a contrarian would say you should plant the fastest growing hostas you have in the shade, whatever their shade. Squash Casserole won't get a bright yellow in deep shade... but it will make an immense low-growing clump of very attractive chartreuse foliage.
So, though not often mentioned for deep shade, two plants that can have very bright colors in brighter spots... Abba Dabba Do and Paradigm... have subtler variegation in shade. But they are both vigorous growers and I have very nice specimens in an area that never receives any direct light... north side of house under a mature spruce, additionally shaded by an oak tree. That's dark! Good old Fortunei Aureomarginata also does well there.
Among the blues, Krossa Regal has done OK there... Elvis Lives has proven to be an easy, good grower.
Willing to wait a few years? The big blues with white margins... Northern Exposure, American Halo, etc. can be stunning in deep shade. Frances Williams in deep shade in my Minnesota garden goes through some years with no burn at all... only looks bad about one year in five.
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Ginger
- Posts: 3097
- Joined: Jun 15, 2004 12:13 pm
- USDA Zone: Zone 7
- Location: Luther Oklahoma, Lat: 35* 35' 23.5284
Jim, I keep my blues in the shade to retain the deep blue, but even the morning sun is getting hot enough to melt the wax coating 
If I leave anything with alot of white in more than an hour of afternoon sun, it will melt out in a couple of days. Fire Island is in moderate sun (about 3 hours in the morning) and it is turning chartruese color, but it is also showing some burn on leaves.
The good thing, they are all in pots so I can move them around as the sun changes through the summer
My Hosta are the only reason I sometimes (like once in a blue moon) wish I lived up north
Ginger
If I leave anything with alot of white in more than an hour of afternoon sun, it will melt out in a couple of days. Fire Island is in moderate sun (about 3 hours in the morning) and it is turning chartruese color, but it is also showing some burn on leaves.The good thing, they are all in pots so I can move them around as the sun changes through the summer
My Hosta are the only reason I sometimes (like once in a blue moon) wish I lived up north
Ginger
Thanks for asking this question, Freaky. I was going to ask myself. I have a bed along the north side of the house, under hold trees. Not even moss grows. The hosta in the front of the bed will grow, just not fast. The ones in the back will die off. Can't figure out if it is lack of sun or lack of rain. And I am only talking about 1 1/2 to 2 foot difference in placement.
Tami
Tami
My Hosta List
It is always something
It is always something
I've got blues mostly in my shady corner. I do have a War Paint that looks cool in spring, then goes green/bluey later. There is also a nice Golden Friendship, a Thai Brass and Mings Treasure that bring in some color. The blues are huge, the yellows grow slower, but still are putting on weight finally.
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FreakyCola
- Posts: 1397
- Joined: Feb 20, 2002 8:00 pm
- USDA Zone: 5
- Location: Indiana
Jim writes 
I just figured out Squash Casserole is a fast grower. Oops, contrary to what I just thought, I guess it's not as fast as I thought. I was thinking Jamie sent me a little piece a couple years ago, but I was just glancing though my trade book & see it was in 2003. But it was a little thing when he sent it. Today it is the biggest and I mean biggest thing in the land! Last night I came home in the dark & it looked like it was squashed, I thought, hmmm, that's how it gets it's name! Think the rain beat it down. Hope it's ok today. (Sorry folks, just go with my ramblings! I promise I'm not dangerous.)
Arlene, I agree Gold Standard is a cool hosta. Thanks for reminding me of that! I used to have a bunch but am down to 3 or 4. One got some virus that the Minnesota Dr. X guy can't identify. He told me to get rid of it, but it looks so cool.
At work we have some sitting in the sun & it's funny. They're all GS but some have turned this beautiful golden yellow & just glow! The others are kinda pukey charteusey.
I am so tempted to buy this particular one that is really glowing. Maybe they have a mutant glow gene!
So Jim, are you saying plant anything the heck I want & see what happens! Sorta what happens in my garden anyway! Sometimes it turns out great, other times, well, you can always move it!
I'm glad you mentioned Elvis Lives. I have one & a Permanent Wave in places you can't see very well, so think I'll get those two for this bed. I have so many in pots I haven't planted and think I'll just move pots around till I find a combo I like.
Thanks to all for your words of wisdom!
Oh, one more question. The reason I brought this up is cause I have one bed that doesn't get much sun & it's darker than this bed. Stuff grows very slowly there.
There's a japanese maple over the bed & the neighbor gave me permission to cut any limbs I want. Do you cut the ones at the bottom of the tree or some from the top to let in more light?
Jim--Contrary? NO! Well, maybe yes. See, we're so much alike Jim!I'm by nature a contrarian
I just figured out Squash Casserole is a fast grower. Oops, contrary to what I just thought, I guess it's not as fast as I thought. I was thinking Jamie sent me a little piece a couple years ago, but I was just glancing though my trade book & see it was in 2003. But it was a little thing when he sent it. Today it is the biggest and I mean biggest thing in the land! Last night I came home in the dark & it looked like it was squashed, I thought, hmmm, that's how it gets it's name! Think the rain beat it down. Hope it's ok today. (Sorry folks, just go with my ramblings! I promise I'm not dangerous.)
Arlene, I agree Gold Standard is a cool hosta. Thanks for reminding me of that! I used to have a bunch but am down to 3 or 4. One got some virus that the Minnesota Dr. X guy can't identify. He told me to get rid of it, but it looks so cool.
At work we have some sitting in the sun & it's funny. They're all GS but some have turned this beautiful golden yellow & just glow! The others are kinda pukey charteusey.
I am so tempted to buy this particular one that is really glowing. Maybe they have a mutant glow gene!
So Jim, are you saying plant anything the heck I want & see what happens! Sorta what happens in my garden anyway! Sometimes it turns out great, other times, well, you can always move it!
I'm glad you mentioned Elvis Lives. I have one & a Permanent Wave in places you can't see very well, so think I'll get those two for this bed. I have so many in pots I haven't planted and think I'll just move pots around till I find a combo I like.
Thanks to all for your words of wisdom!
Oh, one more question. The reason I brought this up is cause I have one bed that doesn't get much sun & it's darker than this bed. Stuff grows very slowly there.
There's a japanese maple over the bed & the neighbor gave me permission to cut any limbs I want. Do you cut the ones at the bottom of the tree or some from the top to let in more light?