Plants for Full Shade

First, confirm it really is full shade

Full shade means no direct sun at any point of the day: the south side of a building, under a deck, beneath a dense evergreen canopy, or a room away from the window. It is rarer than people think. If the spot catches even two or three hours of morning light, the door opens much wider, and our partial shade collection is the better hunting ground. Also note the difference between bright shade, with plenty of reflected light, and genuinely dark corners. Everything here copes with the first; only a handful, led by the cast iron plant, tolerate the second.

The short list, by job

For shaded ground outdoors, Native Violet (Viola hederacea) is the workhorse: 15cm tall, frost hardy, spreading by runners wherever the soil stays moist, with white and purple flowers. For structure, the Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior) earns its name, thriving in deep shade, poor soil and dry spells at about 70cm tall. Indoors, mother in law's tongue gives a 1m vertical accent, the Marble Rubber Tree reaches around 2m in a pot, and red veined fittonias colour the low light shelf. The curiosity is the Black Bat Plant, with whiskered near black flowers, best potted in warmth and humidity under cover. Haworthias and gasterias, unusually for succulents, are happy without direct sun on a bright sill.

Planting and spacing in shade

Space Native Violet at 300mm for a quick carpet, Cast Iron Plant at 50cm for a dense mass planting, and mother in law's tongue at 30cm for a block. Under established trees, the real obstacle is root competition rather than darkness, so dig generous pockets of compost enriched soil, water new plants deeply once a week for the first few months, and let the cast iron plant do the frontline work there. In pots, any premium free draining mix suits the whole collection.

Care in low light

Shade cuts water use dramatically, and overwatering is the main killer of shade plants. Let the top of the soil dry before watering again, especially for the succulents, which may only need a drink every couple of weeks. Feed lightly once in spring; plants photosynthesising in low light cannot use a heavy feed. Wipe dust off indoor foliage every month or so, since in low light every bit of leaf surface counts. Ferns want the opposite of the succulents, steady moisture, and our shade ferns pair well with everything here.

Common questions

Will anything actually flower in full shade?

Native Violet flowers reliably in shade, and the Black Bat Plant produces its strange whiskered blooms in a warm humid spot. Most other survivors here are foliage plants; in deep shade, leaves are the show.

What grows under a big established tree?

Cast Iron Plant is the honest answer, handling shade, root competition and drought once established. Native Violet joins it wherever the ground stays damp.

Are these plants safe around pets?

Native Violet, Cast Iron Plant, fittonias and haworthias all carry our Pet Friendly flag. Mother in law's tongue and the rubber tree do not, so keep them out of reach of a plant chewing dog or cat. See our low light indoor plants for more options.

How does delivery work?

Everything is delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and no minimum order. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.