Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
Made for shade — it handles part to full shade, rose pink flowers and it blooms Apr through Aug.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
Kentucky · Zones 6–7
Native Plants for Shade in Kentucky
Woodland wildflowers, ferns, and groundcovers that thrive in the dappled and full shade under trees and on the north side of the house. For Kentucky, the right natives are shaped by Bluegrass, Cumberland Plateau & Pennyroyal and a humid, four-season climate. Every species below, from Wild Bleeding Heart and Arrowwood Viburnum to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Kentucky and the wider flora of the Southeast and hardy through zones 6–7. Shade is an opportunity, not a problem — the eastern woodland flora is one of the richest in the world. Most shade natives evolved under a deciduous canopy, so they do their growing in cool, moist spring soil and want a yearly mulch of fallen leaves rather than bare, raked dirt. Match the depth of shade to the plant, and a bare patch under a maple becomes the loveliest part of the garden.
The plants
17 native species for Kentucky
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 6–7 · see this collection in other states.
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Thrives in cool shade under a canopy, where it handles part to full shade; for clay and loam ground and it flowers in May and Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
A woodland native that handles part to full shade, hardy in zones 3–8 and it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
For the dappled north side and under trees, it handles part to full shade — for loam ground and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
Made for shade — it handles part to full shade, happy in clay, rocky, and loam soil and it blooms May through Oct.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 2–5 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
Carpets the dappled ground beneath trees, spreading 12–18 in, and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
A shade groundcover for the woodland floor, 1–2 ft wide — it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
A spreading carpet for the shaded woodland floor, reaching 1.5–2 ft, flowering as it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
For the dappled north side and under trees, it handles part to full shade — for clay and loam ground and it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Part shade
- Average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia
Made for shade — it handles part to full shade, good through zone 9 and it blooms May through Jul.
- Part shade
- Average
- 4–8 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
For the dappled north side and under trees, it handles part to full shade — sky blue flowers and it blooms Mar through May.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Wild Ginger
Asarum canadense
A shade groundcover for the woodland floor, 12–18 in wide — it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
A spreading carpet for the shaded woodland floor, inconspicuous green flowers; it flowers in Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Thrives in cool shade under a canopy, where it handles part to full shade; hardy in zones 4–9 and it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
A spreading carpet for the shaded woodland floor, 1.5–2.5 ft wide.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Evergreen
Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
A shade groundcover for the woodland floor, hardy in zones 3–8.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 6–12 in
- Foliage
Cinnamon Fern
Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
A woodland native that handles part to full shade, 2–3 ft wide.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Foliage
Sourcing
Where to find these in Kentucky
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.