Ignatius Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 For our area, can someone help me with suggestions for a ground cover in a shady area, that sees little sun light. Also, the area is under a maple tree, with lots of shale outcropping and quick drainage. Thanks in advance. T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest panurse Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Hostas survive just about everywhere. I have them in different areas. Some with lots of sun....others with very little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justjoe Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Hosta's are deer salad, vinca might be better for ground cover, stays green gets small purple flowers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilb3314 Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 The deer here don't bother my hosta, but I think the TL deer eat EVERYTHING! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 What you probably have is dry shade, which is the most difficult area to successfully plant. Here is a list of plants most of which I grow in the shade. Some of it may need more moisture than you can provide but without seeing the area I can't be certain. Lamnium (pink flowered ones grow better than the white.) brunnera (stick with Jack Frost it is the most vigerous) bugleweed (color is better in the sun) bearberry sweet woodruff ivy lungwort creeping dogwood chameleon plant pachysandra European ginger lily of the valley (takes a while to get established but then grows like crazy) vinca Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignatius Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 I'm leaning towards pachysandra, but my concern is area soil dryness. I've had no luck with vinca or hosta's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petee Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 For dry shady areas under Maples you can try the following: http://extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/maescapes/using-natives/plant-guides/shade-dry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 I find that hostas will not grow well under large trees and in dry conditions. Vinca is tricky. It either grows or it doesn't. I think it likes good drainage but some moisture. I haven't a lot of experience with pachysandra but some came in with bushes and it is happily growing and multiplying under a lilac. It isn't the driest place but there is a lot of competition for moisture as the lilac is ancient and is really dozens of plants. The only plant that I know that really thrives in dry shade is variegated Solomon's seal but it isn't really a ground cover. ps I've got tons of some of this stuff if you want to experiment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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