Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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Sunday - September 14, 2008
From: Plum Grove, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Shade Tolerant
Title: Plants for shade in Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I am looking for shade tolerant shrubs to plant near our carport. We live in Plum Grove, near Splendora, Texas. I don't want anything with thorns that will scratch the paint or me while getting in and out of the car. We have a lot of shade but need something to soften the hardscape.ANSWER:
You can search for plants yourself by choosing the East Texas section of the map on our Recommended Species page. This will give you a list of more than 130 native species that are commercially available for landscaping in East Texas. You can then pick the Narrow Your Search option and choose 'Shade - Less than 2 hours of sun per day' and/or 'Part shade - 2-6 hours of sun per day' from the Light requirement option. You can also choose 'Shrub' from the Habit (general appearance) option. Here are a few recommendations from the 'Shade - ...' option. If you have more than 2 hours of sun per day ('Part shade' option), there are many more recommended species to choose from.Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey tea)
Hydrangea quercifolia (oakleaf hydrangea)
Rhododendron oblongifolium (Texas azalea)
More Shade Tolerant Questions
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What to plant between patio flagstones in Austin, TX?
May 16, 2011 - I would like to plant something between my flagstones on the patio. Something that doesn't require a lot of water, low growing, and can stand a little to moderate traffic. It is in a shade to partly...
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Privacy screening from Phoenix AZ
April 14, 2013 - I live in the center of Phoenix, Az. On the eastern side of my house we have some 2 story condos next door. The width of the side yard is about 12'-15' and it gets lots of shade. I also have my powe...
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Native grasses for shade for Austin
September 21, 2009 - I just read with interest your article on multi-species native lawns. However, I believe the suggested grasses don't grow well in the shade, is this true. Are there any suggestions for native (mult...
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Wildflowers for a shady yard in Orange City, FL
June 21, 2009 - Hello,
I am trying to plant wildflowers in my tree-shaded backyard that will not only kill the existing grass, but will also withstand the winter freezes in central Florida.
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