Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Made for shade — it handles part to full shade, 15–25 ft tall and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Maryland · Zones 6–8
Native Plants for Shade in Maryland
Woodland wildflowers, ferns, and groundcovers that thrive in the dappled and full shade under trees and on the north side of the house. Every species here is genuinely native to Maryland and the wider flora of the Mid-Atlantic and hardy through zones 6–8 — proven performers for Maryland's humid, four-season climate across Piedmont & Chesapeake Coastal Plain, not a generic list. Local standouts include Flowering Dogwood and Oakleaf Hydrangea. 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 Maryland
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 6–8 · see this collection in other states.
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia
Thrives in cool shade under a canopy, where it handles part to full shade; hardy in zones 5–9 and it blooms May through Jul.
- Part shade
- Average
- 4–8 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Made for shade — it handles part to full shade, reaching 1–2.5 ft and it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
Carpets the dappled ground beneath trees, good through zone 8, flowering as it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
Made for shade — it handles part to full shade, happy in clay and loam soil and it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Part shade
- Average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
A woodland native that handles part to full shade, spreading 3–5 ft and it blooms May through Oct.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 2–5 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
A spreading carpet for the shaded woodland floor, spreading 12–18 in — it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
A woodland native that handles part to full shade, spreading 6–10 ft and it flowers in May and Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
A woodland native that handles part to full shade, 12–18 in tall and it blooms Apr through Aug.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
A spreading carpet for the shaded woodland floor, 1.5–2 ft wide, and it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
Made for shade — it handles part to full shade, 12–18 in wide 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, spreading 12–18 in, and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
A shade groundcover for the woodland floor, 30–50 ft tall, and 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; spreading 6–12 ft 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, good through zone 9.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Evergreen
Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
A shade groundcover for the woodland floor, spreading 1–2 ft.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 6–12 in
- Foliage
Cinnamon Fern
Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
A woodland native that handles part to full shade, good through zone 9.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Foliage
Sourcing
Where to find these in Maryland
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.