Master Gardeners of Lubbock

Partial Shade Plants for the South Plains

This listing is not meant to be all-inclusive, but does cover the majority of plant material available in this area and should be used only as a general guide.

The following Flowers, Tubers, Shrubs, Groundcovers/Vines, and Grasses are proven plant material for the South Plains in a partial shade environment.

Flowers: Annuals

Ageratum

Great in small groupings, watch for spider mites

Alyssum

Nice in a hanging basket, also in floral border

Aster

Blooms spring and summer

Begonia

Excellent in hanging basket, green & bronze leafed varieties

Candytuft

If protected, a tender perennial, spring bloomer

Dahlberg Daisy

Small golden-yellow blooms all summer

Dianthus

Fragrant, blooms spring-fall, 6 - 15” tall

Four O’Clock

Old fashioned annual, reseeds freely

Foxglove

Blooms in summer

Gazania Daisy

Excellent, but needs good drainage, many colors

Geranium

Excellent in containers or hanging baskets

Impatiens

Morning sun okay

Mexican Heather

Water efficient, blooms summer - fall

Nasturtium

Fragrant, blooms spring - summer

Nicotiana (Flowering Tobacco)

Blooms late spring and summer

Pentas

Blooms summer, excellent pot plant

Petunia

Blooms spring to fall, excellent in hanging baskets

Poppy

Blooms spring and summer

Scarlet Sage (Salvia Splendens)

Intense flower spikes, may succumb to heat

Snapdragon

Blooms fall- spring, 6-36” tall

Stock

Fragrant, excellent for cutting

Texas Bluebell

Blooms spring-fall, native

Viola

Blooms fall-spring, excellent for cutting

Flowers: Perennials

Artemesia

Gray-green plants, very durable

Blue Plumbago

Consider as tender perennial, not invasive

Columbine

Bloom in spring, native

Coral Bells

Dainty flowers, excellent as mass planting

Coreopsis

Water efficient, heat tolerant, native

Daylily

Heat/drought tolerant, many colors

Gaillardia

Heat/drought tolerant, blooms summer, short-lived perennial, native

Gayfeather/Liatris

Grows 2-3 ft tall, upright

Gerbera Daisy

Consider tender perennial, many colors

Hibiscus (hardy)

Blooms summer, 2-5 ft tall

Lambs Ear

Nice accent plant

Louisiana Phlox

Excellent for cutting, blooms in spring

Mums

Blooms in fall

Penstemon

Blooms spring - summer, attracts hummingbirds

Pinks/Carnations

Fragrant, blooms fall - spring, short lived

Purple Coneflower

Heat/drought tolerant

Rock Rose

Water efficient, blooms spring - fall

Rosemary

Aromatic foliage

Shasta Daisy

Good for cutting, blooms in spring - early summer

Sweet Violet

Fragrant, excellent for cutting, avoid hot reflective heat

Yarrow

Heat/drought tolerant

Tubers

Elephant Ear

Blooms summer - fall

Dahlia

Excellent for cutting, blooms summer - fall

Oxalis

Can work as low border

Shrubs

Abelia (Glossy)

Delicate bell shaped flowers summer - fall

Butterfly Bush

Several varieties, uses little water

Cotoneaster

Not water efficient, fast growing, red berries

Crimson Pigmy Barberry

Bronzy blood red foliage, low maintenance

Dwarf Burning Bush

Dense, rich red fall foliage

Dwarf Nandina (Harbour Dwarf)

Good for low mass plantings

Elaeagnus

Excellent screen, heat/drought tolerant

Euonymus, Box leaf

Low growing, tolerant to heat and poor soil

Euonymus, Golden

Upright, good contrast plant

Euonymus, Manhattan

Heat/drought tolerant, watch for scale

Forsythia

Yellow spring flowers, background plant

Holly, Burford

Bushy, excellent hedge, red berries in fall

Holly, Dwarf Chinese

Compact, low growing

Holly, Dwarf Yaupon

Low spreading, compact, no berries

Holly, Nellie R. Stevens

Not water efficient, 10 ft tall, fast growing

Hydrangea

Not water efficient, flowers usually pink in alkaline soils

Indian Hawthorn

Good background plant or informal hedge, spring flowers

Italian Jasmine

Lemon-yellow flowers late winter

Littleleaf Boxwood

Excellent as clipped low hedge, try wintergreen variety

Pyracantha (Firethorn)

Fast growing, small thorns, creamy flowers, bright shade best

Red Yucca

Heat/drought tolerant, flowers in summer

Rose of Sharon (Althea)

Upright, many colors, good background plant

Spiraea

Not water tolerant, varies in form and height, watch out for iron deficiency

Turks Cap

Excellent plant, red flowers in summer

Groundcovers and Vines

Ajuga (gc)

Spikes of blue flowers in summer

Coral Honeysuckle (vine)

Coral red flowers late spring - summer

Halls Honeysuckle (both)

Fragrant white flowers in spring

Purpleleaf Honeysuckle (both)

Fast growing, dark purple leaves, fragrant

English Ivy (both)

Keep under control, clings to walls/fences

Liriope (gc)

Grows in clumps, not water efficient

Mondo Grass (Monkey Grass) (gc)

Dark green grass like, not water efficient

Vinca Minor/Major (gc)

Fast growing, blue flowers-major, variety to 18 in., needs water

Purple Wintercreeper (gc)

Fast growing, very hardy, tolerate poor soil

Virginia Creeper (both)

Native to Texas, red leaves in fall

Potentilla (gc)

Spreads quickly, tolerates heat, can be invasive

Lippia Repens (gc)

Flat, ground-hugging mat, gray-green leaves

Grasses

Turf: Fescue

Not water efficient in this part of the state. Consider more drought tolerant turf for areas that are not shaded.

Ornamental: Blue Fescue

Finely blended, 8-10” tall

Feather Reed Grass

Needs well-drained soil

Maiden Grass

Dark green leaves, drought tolerant