Shade List

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Criteria:

Native to Colorado Plateau

Partial to full shade

Commercially Available (compared to Fabulous Plant List and commercial growers)

Click on the plant's scientific name to be connected to a description of that plant at the USDA website

M = Moderate Water                                                                                  

L = Low Water                                                                                           

VL = Very Low Water                                                                               
Common Name Scientific Name Height Width Water Zone Interest/Notes
Bigtooth Maple Acer grandidentatum 50 ft  35 ft L-VL Deciduous tree; showy fall colors
Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium 0.5-4ft 0.5-1.5 ft M-L Evergreen leaves; attracts butterflies
Parry's Agave Agave parryi var. parryi 2ft  3 ft M Succulent; blooms only after plant is 20 years old
Western Pearly Everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea 1.5-3 ft 1.5-3 ft M-L Silvery and wooly foliage
Candle Anemone Anemone cylindrica 18 in 10 in L-VL Root tea is said to decrease dizziness
Whitemargin Pussytoes Antennaria marginata 6-10 in   M-L White, clustered flower heads
Nuttal's Pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia 6 in   L Very hardy, creeping evergreen
Colorado Blue Columbine Aquilegia caerulea 1-2 ft 1-2 ft M-L State flower of Colorado
Golden Columbine Aquilegia chrysantha 3 ft 1 ft L Showy yellow flowers
Desert Columbine Aquilegia desertorum 1 ft   M-L Native to Coconino County, AZ
American Spikenard Aralia racemosa 3-4 ft  4 ft L-VL Reddish to dark purple berries
Manzanita Arctostaphylos sp. 6 ft 2 ft M-L Shrub; clusters of apple-like fruits
Water Birch Betula occidentalis 20 ft 3 ft L-VL Deciduous tree; grows along riparian streambeds
Pine Dropseed Blepharoneuron tricholepis 10-13 in   M Densely tufted bunchgrass
Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis 6-12 in 8-12 in M Can be used for erosion control
Brickellbush Brickellia californica 2 ft 3-6 ft L Shrub; wonderfully fragrant
Bluebell Bellflower Campanula rotundifolia 4 in 8-20 in L Blue-purple hanging flowers
Ebony Sedge Carex ebenea 20 in   L-VL Thin and wiry stems and leaves
Western Sedge Carex occidentalis     L-VL Found in aspen groves
Buck-Brush Ceanothus fendleri 2-3 ft 3 ft M-L Shrub; numerous bright white flowers
Western White Clematis Clematis ligusticifolia 3-30 ft 4-8 in L Vine; hairy, tufted fruits
Western Dayflower Commelina dianthifolia 12 in   M-L Intense blue flowers
Clark Valley Larkspur Delphinium geraniifolium     L Native to Coconino County
Cutleaf Daisy Erigeron compositus 8 in   L Aster-like perennial
Trailing Fleabane Erigeron flagellaris 6 in   L Spreads; could be used as groundcover
Aspen Fleabane Erigeron speciosus 2 ft 2 ft M-L Purple aster-like flowers
James' Buckwheat Eriogonum jamesii 10 in 24 in M Attracts butterflies
Redroot Buckwheat Eriogonum racemosum 6 in   M-L Long lasting white/pink flowers
Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum 3 in 3 ft M Excellent small groundcover
Sanddune Wallflower Erysimum wheeleri 30 in   L-VL Deer-resistant
Arizona Fescue Festuca arizonica 2-4 ft 1 ft M High elevation bunchgrass
Idaho Fescue Festuca idahoensis 12 in 12-20 in L Bluish-green tuftgrass
Sheep Fescue Festuca ovina 10 in 8-18 in L Doesn’t tolerate foot traffic
Rocky Mountain Strawberry Fragaria ovalis 4-8 in   L-VL Everybody likes strawberries!
Pineywoods Geranium Geranium caespitosum 18-30 in   M-L Lilac to magenta flowers
Richardson's Geranium Geranium richardsonii 2 ft 2 ft L-VL White flowers with purple veining
Old Man's Whiskers Geum triflorum 6 in 6 in L Feathery pink seed heads
Hairy False Golden-Aster Heterotheca villosa 8-20 in 1-3 ft M-L Shrub; spicy sage-like aroma
Littleleaf Alum Root Heuchera parvifolia 10-18 in 6 in L Grows well in rocky areas
Common Hop Humulus americanus 25 ft   VL Vine; fruits are used as substitute in brewing
Scarlet Gilia Ipomopsis aggregata 3 ft 1 ft M Pollinated by hummingbirds
Rocky Mountain Iris Iris missouriensis 1 ft 1.5-3 ft L Pollinated by hummingbirds
Porter's Licorice Root Ligusticum porteri 2-3 ft 2 ft L-VL Not easy to grow
Manyflowered Stoneseed Lithospermum multiflorum 20 in   M-L Bright yellow tubular flowers
Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis 1-3 ft 1 ft VL Grows in marshes and stream banks
Twinberry Honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata 3-4 ft 3-5 ft L Shrub; shiny purple-black berries
Silvery Lupine Lupinus argenteus 1-2.5 ft 1.5 ft M-L Shrub; violet flowers in curved clusters
Creeping Barberry Mahonia repens 1-3 ft 3-4 ft M-L Shrub; attracts birds
Scarlet Monkeyflower Mimulus cardinalis 3 ft 2 ft VL Very aggressive seeder
Seep Monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus 1-2 ft 1-3 ft VL Grows in seeps, springs
Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus inserta 50 ft 50 ft L Vine; rich crimson autumn foliage
Beardlip Penstemon Penstemon barbatus 2-4 ft 1-2 ft M-L Beautiful border plant
Eaton's Penstemon Penstemon eatonii 1.5-3 ft 2 ft M-L Attracts hummingbirds
Toadflax Penstemon Penstemon linarioides 8-18 in   M-L Abundant blooms with good moisture
Pineneedle Beardtongue Penstemon pinifolius 10-12 in 18 in M-L Shrub; survives in winter temps down to -20°F
Bridge Penstemon Penstemon rostriflorus 3 ft 8 in M-L Shrub; orange flowers
Rydberg's Penstemon Penstemon rydbergii 4-12 in 18 ft VL Shrub; bright lavender-blue flowers in clusters
Whipple's Penstemon Penstemon whippleanus 2 ft 1 ft L-VL Shrub; deep burgundy flowers
Littleleaf Mockorange Philadelphus microphyllus 4 ft 3 ft L-VL Shrub; white fragrant flowers
Muttongrass Poa fendleriana 1.5 ft   M-L Seeds can be used in stews, bread
Towering Jacob's Ladder Polemonium foliosissimum 3 ft 1 ft VL Strong skunk odor when touched
Wooly Cinquefoil Potentilla hippiana 1 ft   L Leaves are silvery on the back
Scarlet Cinquefoil Potentilla thurberi 2 ft 1 ft L Red flower clusters with black centers
Parry's Primrose Primula parryi 12 in   VL Grows in swaths in meadows
Alpine False Springparsley Pseudocymopterus montanus 2 ft 2 ft L Parsley-like odor
Smooth Sumac Rhus glabra 9-15 ft 9-15 ft L Deciduous tree; bright red fruit
Skunkbush Sumac Rhus trilobata 2-9 ft 9 ft M-L Shrub; good for erosion control
Wax Current Ribes cereum 4 ft 3-5 ft M-L Shrub; birds are attracted by fruit
New Mexico Locust Robinia neomexicana 3-26 ft 4-8 in M Tree; many stout, spiny branches
Woods' Rose Rosa woodsii 4-6 ft 3-4 ft M Shrub; fragrant, pink roses
New Mexico Raspberry Rubus neomexicanus 6 ft   L Shrub; found in Yavapai, Coconino Counties
Cutleaf Coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata 3-10 ft  3 ft L-VL Shrub; good cut flowers
Red Elderberry Sambucus racemosa 6 ft   L-VL Tree; edible flowers
Basin Butterweed Senecio multilobatus 6-24 in 6-12 in M Common in Cottonwood groves
Cardinal Catchfly Silene laciniata 1-3 ft 1-2 ft M-L Attracts hummingbirds
Feathery False Lily of the Valley Smilacina racemosa 3 ft 1 ft L-VL Strongly perfumed white flowers, needs water in the spring
Canada Goldenrod Solidago canadensis 5 ft 3 ft M-L Regenerates easily after fire
Cascade Mountain Ash Sorbus scopulina 3-15 ft 4 in L Tree; bright orange berries, prone to problems when stressed
Fendler's Meadow Rue Thalictrum fendleri 2-5 ft 1.5-3 ft M Delicate columbine-like flowers
Golden Banner Thermopsis montana 15-18 in   M-L Tall, yellow flower stalks
Prairie Spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis 1-2 ft 1 ft L Blue-to-rose flowers
Arizona Valerian Valeriana arizonica 6 in 6 in L-VL Mats of bright green, round foliage
American Vetch Vicia americana 3 ft 3 ft L-VL Vine; young, tender shoots are edible
Canadian White Violet Viola canadensis 6-18 in 10 in L-VL Purple-streaked white flowers
Canyon Grape Vitis arizonica 8 ft 50 ft L-VL Vine; fruit attracts birds

* The plants on this list were created from The Arboretum at Flagstaff Plant Database and compared to lists forwarded from commercial native plant growers. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact The Arboretum at Flagstaff or refer to the Arboretum’s Plant Database.

 

Copyright © 2007 The Arboretum at Flagstaff
Last modified: Wednesday Septemb