Shrubs for Shade - Southern Oregon
For those of you that live on the western side of the valley and more in the forest, finding shrubs that do well in the shade, and provide color and beauty can be a challenge.
Here is a top 10 list I found on in Birds & Blooms that comes with guidance from Melinda Myers. All of the following picks are listed as hardy in the Rogue Valley Zone 7 on the Climate Zone Map.
Oakleaf Hydrangea - Combines the pretty blooms of a hydrangea with the shape of the oak leaf. 4 to 6 foot shrub with purplish-pink blooms in the summer. The leaves take over after the blooms providing rich fall colors.
Serviceberry - This is one of the best low-maintenance options because it require little pruning. The Saskatoon Serviceberry in particular is known for its fruit production, along with the Running Serviceberry. This is a 4 to 6 foot shrub perfect for small gardens and those of you who enjoy edible berries. Spring blooms, summer berries, and fall color make it a good year-round choice.
Dogwood Shrub - Has year-round beauty and the birds love it. The shrub can grow as high as 8 feet and the trees up to 20 and 40 feet. Look for the Redtwig shrub variety.
Virginia Sweetspire - Fragrant summer flowers and vibrant fall color. Generally grows 4 to 5 feet high. Tends not to have disease or insect problems, making it recommended for any garden. Look for the Henry's Garnet variety especially in northern regions.
Red Chokeberry - This is a resilient shrub that grows 6 to 10 feet high, and even does well in poor soils, tolerating wet and dry conditions. It has a small white / slightly reddish blooms in the spring, and bright-red berries in the fall.
Japanese Pieris - Grows 9 to 12 feet tall with beautiful blooms and flowers! This is a personal favorite of mine for its pure Japanese essence, color, and beauty.
Shrubby St. Johnswort - Grows 1 to 4 feet high with bluish-green leaves all summer, and bright yellow flowers from late June through August. Relatively disease free, making it easier to manage.
Bottlebrush Buckeye - Abundant summer flowers formed in beautiful panicles up to 12 inches long. Grows up to 12 feet tall and spreads another 15 feet. Good addition if you have the room under a large established shade tree.
Japanese Kerria - This shrub offers year-round color with bright green leaves and bright yellow flowers. Another personal favorite for that pure Japanese essence, color, beauty, and form!
Rhododendron - These do very well in the shade in the Rogue Valley. There are over 800 hundred species and they grow up to 10 feet tall and wide. Excellent for providing colorful blooms and good foliage in the shade.
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