19 Shade Friendly Perennials For Zone 7 Shade Gardens

Finding the right shade perennials for USDA hardiness zone 7 can be a challenge, with so many different options available to choose from! Not to mention, zone 7 covers a wide range of geographic areas, even if the general temperatures are in a similar range. So, if you have a shaded area of your garden you need to fill, or you’ve decided to plant a shade garden, where do you start?

Perennials will come back each season at least a few years after being planted, provided they receive proper care. Shade perennials typically only require four hours of full sunlight. They thrive in partial sunlight or full shade the rest of the time. Some standard shade perennials that you might recognize include hostas, astilbe, and Japanese painted ferns.

But will each of these popular shade perennials grow well in hardiness zone 7? Or will other types of plants be a little bit easier to grow? Let’s take a deeper look at understanding zone 7, along with some of our favorite perennials you can plant in your shade garden this season!

Understanding Hardiness Zone 7

According to the USDA Plant Hardiness map, zone 7 stretches in a crescent across parts of the Pacific Northwest, through most of the mid-south, and into the Eastern Seaboard.

Starting in the middle of Washington, it runs down through Oregon, northeastern California, and parts of the western corner of Nevada. Then, it traces through northern Arizona and New Mexico, the panhandle of Texas, and much of Oklahoma.

It touches the northern parts of Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. It covers most of Tennessee and Kentucky, parts of the Carolinas, and a good portion of Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware.

According to the USDA, parts of Massachusetts and Long Island are also included in zone 7, making it one of the most extensive hardiness zones. Obviously, the amount of moisture you receive will also play a part, but critical features of zone 7 include:

• Average minimum temperature of zero to 10 degrees Fahrenheit
• Thriving vegetable plants
• Nut trees do very well
• Berries thrive in zone 7

Other key features include growing lovely shade perennial plants, like the ones we will discuss in this article. Let’s take a deeper look!

Bird-in-a-Bush

	botanical name Corydalis solida (Northern Europe and Asia)
	plant type Perennial flowering plant
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 10 inches tall
	hardiness zones 4-8

Commonly flowering in the spring, bird-in-a-bush is a colorful perennial that grows best in shady habitats. With heart-shaped green leaves and bell-like perennial purple buds, the flower was discovered sometime in the mid-1700s.

The plant usually has clusters of bell or tube-shaped flowers, and the green foliage tends to look like a fern. The plant needs a good amount of water. It tends to dry up and go dormant in extreme heat and dry conditions.

When combined with other shade perennials, the bird-in-a-bush makes an excellent addition to rock gardens or shaded perimeters. While they can grow up to one foot, they typically only reach 10 inches.

Coral Bells

	botanical name Heuchera sanguinea (Arizona, New Mexico, and northern Mexico)
	plant type Perennial flowering herb
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-20 inches tall
	hardiness zones 3-8

Coral bells are beautiful flowering plants with pale green leaves and flowers that are typically blood-red in color. The bell-shaped flowers give this plant its colloquial name, one of many plants in the genus Heuchera.

Coral bells are sometimes known as alumroot. Although some foliage colors exist, they typically have evergreen leaves, like purple, bronze, pink, and more.

The plants typically bloom in late spring and early summer. The flower colors range from white to deep red, with pink and even light coral. Like other plants on this list, they make an excellent border perennial.

False Goat’s Beard

	botanical name Astilbe biternata (mountain ravines and woodlands in southeast North America)
	plant type Herbaceous perennial
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1-6 feet tall
	hardiness zones 5-8

One of the most beautiful shade perennials that you can find has large, fern-like leaves and tall flowers that are typically white with a feather texture. It is the only member of the Astilbe genus native to North America.

The plant is sometimes known as the Appalachian false goatsbeard because it grows in the mountains. It has a vibrant color for a shade plant and operates perfectly as a background option in your flower garden.

False goat’s beard grows best in at least partial shade. It ought to be well-drained for optimal plant health. You should have moist soil, but be careful not to flood the plant.

Fern-Leaf Bleeding Heart

	botanical name Dicentra ‘Luxuriant’ (garden origin)
	plant type Perennial plant
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12-24 inches tall
	hardiness zones 3-9

Also known as a western bleeding heart, this particular perennial produces heart-shaped blooms that appear in a dark red or pink color. These plants tend to flower in the spring and live well into the summer and fall, depending on the temperature.

These plants make an excellent selection for borders or decoration for the edges of your garden. They’re resistant to deer and rabbits, which might help protect your other plants from the prowling creatures.

A thin layer of compost will help these plants thrive without the interruption of weeds. While they thrive in the shade, these plants are more heat-resistant than other shade perennials.

Foxglove

	botanical name Digitalis purpurea (Europe, western Asia, and northwestern Africa)
	plant type Perennial flowering plant
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-5 feet tall
	hardiness zones 4-9

The common foxglove is the most popular variation of this flowering shade perennial. The flowers of the foxglove plant grow in a tubular, bell-shaped form. They grow up on the plant’s stem and may appear in pink, yellow, or white.

Foxglove is easy to grow and care for, and it makes an excellent background for your garden area. They can grow quite tall, so make sure they aren’t hiding any of your favorite plants.

Hellebore

	botanical name Helleborus spp. (The Balkans, Europe, and Asia)
	plant type Herbaceous perennial
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 18-36 inches tall
	hardiness zones 5-9

Thriving in partial shade or sunlight, hellebore is a shade gardener’s friend. It’s a member of the buttercup family, although it does bear a striking resemblance to the popular wild rose.

Hellebore tends to thrive in mountainous regions, particularly in Europe around the Balkans. The flower color can range from white to pink, and the foliage is always evergreen. Hellebore hybrids can flower in darker colors and are quite popular.

You will find that hellebore thrives in moist but well-drained soil. It buds in the early spring, often earlier than other plants of a similar kind.

Hostas

	botanical name Hosta spp. (northeast Asia)
	plant type Herbaceous perennial
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1-36 inches
	hardiness zones 3-9

If you want to incorporate one of the easiest plants to grow in your garden, you need to consider growing hostas. These popular shade darlings are big, green, and leafy.

They thrive in the shade and will grow nearly anywhere. They add a certain attractiveness to your garden that other big, leafy plants don’t provide.

Hostas come in all shapes and sizes, making them the perfect addition to your shade garden. They grow almost anywhere and in any kind of soil, so you don’t need to worry about taking extensive care of them.

Hydrangea

	botanical name Hydrangea macrophylla (Japan, China, Korea and Southeast Asia)
	plant type Perennial flowering shrub
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 3-6 feet tall
	hardiness zones 6-11

The hydrangea is one of the most popular flowering shrubs, and for good reason. Not only do they produce beautiful bulbous flowers, but they’re easy to grow and care for, no matter where you live.

There are many different names and types of hydrangeas, but the most common is the bigleaf hydrangea. These large shrubs make excellent backgrounds for your garden, or they can exist on their own apart from your other flowers.

While hydrangeas can survive in some sunshine, they prefer a mostly shady environment. However, they grow well in varying climates all around the world.

Japanese Anemone

	botanical name Eriocapitella hupehensis (China and Japan)
	plant type Perennial herbaceous plant
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 1.5-2.5 feet tall
	hardiness zones 4-8

The Japanese anemone is a member of the buttercup family. Although it’s called Japanese anemone, it is native to China. However, it has been cultivated in Japan for centuries.

If you have many woody areas around your house, you have the perfect spot to put some Japanese anemone plants. They thrive under the shade of trees and love dry soil. You can also start them in pots with great success.

One of the best things about the Japanese anemone is that it spreads rapidly. It’s not difficult to care for and prevent it from choking out other plants. But if you want lots of Japanese anemone, you only have to wait a year or two.

Japanese Painted Fern

	botanical name Athyrium niponicum (Eastern Asia)
	plant type Perennial fern
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 18-24 inches tall
	hardiness zones 4-9

The Japanese painted fern is a creeping rhizome and a winner of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. Many grow very long, with a deep reddish color to the midrib. The fronds are a gray-green shade, adding a unique variation of color to garden plots. If you prefer a brighter green, lacy look, try elegant and easy-to-grow lady ferns.

If you’re looking for a bushy fern to add to your habitat, the Japanese painted fern provides a unique option. It grows best in at least partial shade, although it does exceptionally well in full shade conditions.

As long as you have fertile soil, these ferns are easy to grow. They look great in rock gardens and flower beds alike. And when you need to prune them, you simply trim the fronds to your taste.

Leopard Plant

	botanical name Ligularia sibirica (central and eastern Asia, Europe)
	plant type Herbaceous perennial plant
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-4 feet tall
	hardiness zones 3-8

Closely related to the sunflower, the leopard plant is a perennial that loves the full sun in the morning and full shade around the middle of the day. They thrive in damp habitats with fertile soil.

The leopard plant grows a tall stalk, with multiple flowering yellow petals springing from it. There are many different species of leopard plants, but almost all of them have yellow flowers and fairly large leaves.

The leopard plant is easy to grow in the shade and makes a beautiful backdrop for other colorful plants in your garden.

Lungwort

	botanical name Pulmonaria officinalis (Europe)
	plant type Herbaceous perennials
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 6-12 inches tall
	hardiness zones 3-8

Lungwort doesn’t sound like an attractive plant, but these herbaceous, rhizomatous perennials are a beautiful addition to your garden or fenceline. They also work remarkably well if you don’t have lots of space.

The plant typically grows fairly low to the ground and flowers in early spring. At one time, herb specialists thought the plant’s flower looked like a lung. So they named it lungwort and didn’t think twice about it.

The flower color varies between blue, pink, and white. They grow best in partial or full shade in fertile, moist soil. But make sure it’s well-drained soil; these plants are easy to over-water.

Alpenrose

	botanical name Rhododendron ferrugineum (Europe)
	plant type Perennial flowering shrubs
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 5 feet
	hardiness zones 4-8

The rhododendron, or alpenrose, is a fascinating plant. It describes numerous species within the same family and might apply to a large flowering shrub or a small tree.

Depending on what part of the world you live in, you could have a tree in your yard with the same name as someone else’s favorite shrubbery.

Regardless of the kind of rhododendron you have, they all like plenty of water. They typically bloom in late winter through early summer, making them a great lively option for your shade garden.

Siberian Bugloss

	botanical name Brunnera macrophylla (the Caucasus)
	plant type Perennial groundcover plant
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 12-18 inches tall
	hardiness zones 3-8

Otherwise known as heartleaf or great forget-me-not, the Siberian bugloss is an adorable little perennial flower that’s almost cornflower-blue. It looks remarkably similar to the forget-me-not, and it blooms in the middle of spring for about ten weeks.

The plants grow in clumps, with large heart-shaped leaves with light-colored markings. Siberian bugloss is an excellent groundcover for your shade garden. It will help add a pop of blue that will accentuate the other flowers in the garden.

This particular shade perennial is a great option because it’s not too stingy, and it’s fairly easy to grow. It can also be easily divided in the fall, so any of your buddies who want to add it to their gardens can benefit from your supply.

Spiderwort

	botanical name Tradescantia ohiensis (Ontario to Central and Eastern United States)
	plant type Herbaceous perennials
	sun requirements Full sun to full shade
	height 1-3 feet tall
	hardiness zones 4-9

The spiderwort plant is another shade perennial that has an unattractive name for such a charming little flower. It’s sometimes known as the bluejacket or Ohio spiderwort. It tends to grow all over ports of eastern and central North America.

The plant is so prominent that it grows along roadsides like wildflowers. It’s also prominent in fields and shaded glens, with many variations in different habitats.

The spiderwort plant is easy to grow and take care of, making it a great addition to your shade garden.

Toad Lily

	botanical name Tricyrtis hirta (Central & S. Japan)
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 2-3 feet tall
	hardiness zones 4-9

The toad lily is an interesting shade perennial that exists primarily in fully shaded areas. They bloom with various spotted colors and are typically somewhat bell-shaped.

Unlike other plants with “lily” in the name, the toad lily is a member of the lily family, making it a true lily. It requires minimal care and attention if properly placed in the shade with the right amount of moisture.

Virginia Sweetspire

	botanical name Itea virginica (Southeastern United States)
	plant type Perennial flowering shrub
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height up to 8 feet tall
	hardiness zones 5-9

Otherwise known as the Virginia willow, the Virginia sweetspire is a shrub that produces low-growing flowers.

These plants typically bloom in the late spring or early summer months. They thrive in soils rich in moisture, but they are fairly durable plants.

The one downside of the Virginia sweetspire is how difficult it is to get rid of if you decide you don’t want it around anymore.

Winter Begonia

	botanical name Bergenia ciliata (Central Asia)
	plant type Herbaceous perennial
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1 foot to 18 inches tall
	hardiness zones 5-8

Also known as the winter begonia, Bergenia ciliata is a herbaceous perennial with broad green leaves and blooms in shades of pink or white. It can live in full shade, and will actually need more shade in hotter areas of zone 7.

The plant thrives in rich and moist soil. While they can be grown in full sun, they prefer having at least partial shade. They are easy to grow as long as you don’t over-water them.

Woodland Stonecrop

	botanical name Sedum ternatum (Eastern and Midwest United States)
	plant type Succulent perennial herb
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height up to 6 inches tall
	hardiness zones 4-8

The woodland stonecrop from the sedum family grows beautifully in shady areas with plenty of moisture. It has dainty white flowers that bloom in the early spring and can thrive on rocks and boulders.

Thanks to its succulent leaves, the woodland stonecrop can help retain moisture in shallow soil. This helps make your shade garden even more productive.

The woodland stonecrop makes an excellent addition as groundcover for gardens, though it tends to survive best in the shade.