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Great North American Plants for Shade in New England

Regional Gardening, Native Shrubs, Native Trees, New England Gardening, Native Plants Gardening

Hardy native North American plants are important elements in New England gardens. They add depth and character to any garden and not only provide lovely blooms, but also attractive berries, showy fall color, and food for the birds.

Here is a list of native North American plants that cope better than most with part shade to full shade conditions. 

Great North American Plants for Shade in New England

Aesculus Parviflora, Bottlebrush Buckeye, Dwarf Buckeye, Dwarf Horse Chestnut, White Flowers, Shade Plant, Plants for Shade, Royal Horticultural Society - Award of Garden Merit

Aesculus parviflora (Bottlebrush Buckeye)

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Aesculus Parviflora, Bottlebrush Buckeye, Dwarf Buckeye, Dwarf Horse Chestnut, White Flowers, Shade Plant, Plants for Shade,

Aesculus pavia (Red Buckeye)

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Betula pendula, Silver Birch, Bed Wen, Birk Tree, Common Birch, European White Birch, Lady Birch, Lady of the Woods, Warty Birch, Weeping Birch, Tree with fall color, Fall color, Attractive bark Tree, white Birch,

Carpinus caroliniana (American Hornbeam)

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Cercis canadensis, Eastern Redbud, Shrub, Small Tree, Pink Flowers,

Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud)

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Chionanthus virginicus, Fringe Tree, Fragrant tree, White flowers, Fragrant flowers, berries, black berries Award - General

Chionanthus virginicus (Fringe Tree)

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Clethra Alnifolia 'Hummingbird', Sweet Pepper Bush 'Hummingbird', Sweet Pepperbush 'Hummingbird', Summer Sweet 'Hummingbird', Summersweet 'Hummingbird'

Clethra alnifolia (Summersweet)

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Cornus controversa 'Variegata', Wedding Cake Tree, Giant Dogwood, Variegated Giant Dogwood, Deciduous Shrubs, Foliage, Fall color, Winter color, shrub with berries, Flowering tree, Blue fruits

Cornus alternifolia (Pagoda Dogwood)

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Cornus Sericea, Red Osier Dogwood, Red-Osier Dogwood, RedOsier Dogwood, Red Willow, Redstem Dogwood, Redtwig Dogwood, Red-Rood, American Dogwood, Creek Dogwood, Western Dogwood, Cornus stolonifera, Swida sericea, Deciduous Shrubs, Foliage, Fall color, Winter color, shrub with berries

Cornus amomum (Silky Dogwood)

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Cornus controversa 'Variegata', Wedding Cake Tree, Giant Dogwood, Variegated Giant Dogwood, Deciduous Shrubs, Foliage, Fall color, Winter color, shrub with berries, Flowering tree, Blue fruits

Cornus racemosa (Gray Dogwood)

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Viburnum Lentago, Nannyberry, Sheepberry, Sweet Viburnum, Fragrant Shrub, Shrub with fall color, fall color, shrub with berries

Franklinia alatamaha (Franklin Tree)

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Clethra Alnifolia 'Hummingbird', Sweet Pepper Bush 'Hummingbird', Sweet Pepperbush 'Hummingbird', Summer Sweet 'Hummingbird', Summersweet 'Hummingbird' Royal Horticultural Society - Award of Garden Merit

Gaultheria procumbens (Wintergreen)

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Hamamelis Brevipetala, Witch Hazel 'Brevipetala', Chinese Witch Hazel 'Brevipetala', flowering shrub, winter flowering shrub

Hamamelis vernalis (Ozark Witch Hazel)

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Hamamelis virginiana, Virginian Witch Hazel, American Witch Hazel, Snapping Hazel Nut, Spotted Alder, Winter Bloom, Yellow Flowers, Yellow Witch Hazel,

Hamamelis virginiana (Virginian Witch Hazel)

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Hydrangea Quercifolia 'Snowflake',Oakleaf Hydrangea 'Snowflake', Hydrangea Quercifolia 'Brido', Hydrangea Quercifolia 'Flore Pleno', Hydrangea Quercifolia 'Snow Flake', white flowers, white hydrangea

Hydrangea quercifolia (Oak Leaf Hydrangea)

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Ilex x Meserveae 'Blue Princess', Blue Holly 'Blue Princess', red berries, evergreen shrub, Aquifoliaceae, Berry, holly, Ilex, winter shrub

Ilex opaca (American Holly)

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Kalmia Latifolia, Mountain Laurel, Calico Bush, Spoonwood Tree, Flowering shrub, evergreen shrub, pink flowers Royal Horticultural Society - Award of Garden Merit

Kalmia angustifolia (Sheep Laurel)

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Kalmia Latifolia, Mountain Laurel, Calico Bush, Spoonwood Tree, Flowering shrub, evergreen shrub, pink flowers Award - General

Kalmia latifolia (Mountain Laurel)

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Aucuba japonica, Spotted Laurel, Japanese Laurel, Japanese Aucuba, Gold-Leaf Plant, Variegated Laurel, Evergreen Shrub, Fragrant Shrub, Red Berries, shrub with berries

Leucothoe fontanesiana (Dog Hobble)

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Magnolia virginiana, Sweet Bay Magnolia, Sweetbay, Sweetbay Magnolia, Southern Sweetbay, Swampbay, Swamp Magnolia, Sweet Magnolia, Small Magnolia, Laurel Magnolia, White Bay, White Laurel, Swamp Laurel, Beaver Tree, White magnolia, White flowers, Fragrant tree, semi-evergreen tree, evergreen tree

Magnolia virginiana (Sweet Bay Magnolia)

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Pieris ‘Brouwer’s Beauty’, Japanese Andromeda ‘Brouwer’s Beauty’, Hybrid Andromeda ‘Brouwer’s Beauty’, Lily of the Valley Shrub

Pieris floribunda (Mountain Andromeda)

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Quercus robur, English Oak, Common Oak, Black Oak, French Oak, Pedunculate Oak, Polish Oak, Slavonian Oak, Quercus pedunculata, Tree with fall color, Fall color, Attractive bark Tree

Ptelea trifoliata (Hop Tree)

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Rhododendron Arborescens, Sweet Azalea, Smooth Azalea, Azalea arborescens, Rhododendron 'Arborescens', Deciduous Azalea, Late Season Rhododendron, Very Late Season Rhododendron, Fragrant Rhododendron, White Rhododendron, White Flowering Shrub Royal Horticultural Society - Award of Garden Merit

Rhododendron arborescens (Sweet Azalea)

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Rhododendron Vaseyi, Pink-Shell Azalea, pink flowers, pink rhododendron, pink flowering shrub

Rhododendron maximum (Great Laurel)

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Stewartia pseudocamellia, Deciduous Camellia, Japanese Stewartia, Deciduous Stewartia, Pelling Bark, Exfoliating Bark, White flowers, fall color, red leaves

Stewartia ovata (Mountain Camellia)

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Symphoricarpos × Chenaultii 'Hancock', Snowberry 'Hancock', Chenault Coralberry, shrubs, fall color, shrub with berries

Symphoricarpos orbiculatus (Coralberry)

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Vaccinium corymbosum Bluecrop, Highbush Blueberry 'Blue Crop', Blueberry 'Blue Crop', Berries, Blue Berries

Vaccinium corymbosum (Highbush Blueberry)

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Viburnum Carlesii 'Spice Baby',Korean Spice Viburnum 'Spice Baby', KoreanSpice Viburnum 'Spice Baby', Arrowwood 'Spice Baby', Fragrant Shrub, Shrub with fall color, fall color, shrub with berries, White Flowers, Red berries

Viburnum acerifolium (Mapleleaf Viburnum)

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Viburnum Carlesii 'Spice Baby',Korean Spice Viburnum 'Spice Baby', KoreanSpice Viburnum 'Spice Baby', Arrowwood 'Spice Baby', Fragrant Shrub, Shrub with fall color, fall color, shrub with berries, White Flowers, Red berries

Viburnum dentatum (Southern Arrow Wood)

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Viburnum Lentago, Nannyberry, Sheepberry, Sweet Viburnum, Fragrant Shrub, Shrub with fall color, fall color, shrub with berries

Viburnum lentago (Nannyberry)

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Blackhaw, Smooth Blackhaw, Blackhaw Viburnum, Smooth Blackhaw Viburnum, Stagbush, Viburnum bushii, Viburnum prunifolium var. bushii, Viburnum prunifolium var. globosum Award - General

Viburnum prunifolium (Blackhaw)

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Selecting the right shrub can be daunting for New England gardeners. If you are looking for beautiful, low-maintenance and hardy plants that thrive in the New England region, you may want to review the guides below. They will assist you in finding the top performing shrubs that are perfectly suited to your garden.​

<p><span style="font-size:11px"><em>likelike / 123RF Stock Photo</em></span></p>

Award-Winning Shrubs for Gardeners in New England

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<p><span style="font-size:11px"><em>micalz86 / 123RF Banque d&#39;images</em></span></p>

Great Shrubs for Shady Gardens in New England

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<p><span style="font-size:11px"><em>johnson175 / 123RF Banque d&#39;images</em></span></p>

Great Shrubs for Sunny Slopes in New England Gardens

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<p><span style="font-size:11px"><em>paylessimages / 123RF Stock Photo</em></span></p>

Great Shrubs with Berries for Winter Interest for New England

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<p><span style="font-size:11px"><em>mch67 / 123RF Stock Photo</em></span></p>

Great Shrubs with Brilliant Fall Color for New England Gardens

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<p><span style="font-size:11px"><em>susazoom / 123RF Banque d&#39;images</em></span></p>

Overlooked Flowering Shrubs for New England Gardens

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Garden Examples

public/images/1l20iGljPNkZasZ9GhXxCqNM9ZQ0dmNYCXnPKwoz.webp

A Glowing Fall Border with Asters, Dogwood and Grasses

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public/images/aZx70VFrOVMh3Q95EFnPj0Nkm8LGw4TLhdproDSH.webp

A Cheerful Border Idea with Monarda, Agastache and Echinacea

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public/images/SNndjRzv549AaIul4JRIU1tHD8SUbmXaDvltzZHB.webp

A Spring Border Idea with Lilac, Columbine and Meadow Rue

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public/images/HPkCsfAjvZmPAqHwe9Hm4drgJG9tzUEUVnXp8NJc.webp

A Prairie Style Garden Idea with Echinacea, Veronicastrum and Sedum

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Guide Information

Hardiness 3 - 7
Heat Zones 1 - 3
Exposure Partial Sun, Shade
New England Plant Combination Ideas New England Guides

Shutterstock

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Hardiness 3 - 7
Heat Zones 1 - 3
Exposure Partial Sun, Shade
New England Plant Combination Ideas New England Guides

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