Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
Carpets the dappled ground beneath trees, good through zone 8, flowering as it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
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- By state
- Rhode Island
- For shade
Rhode Island · Zones 6–7
Native Plants for Shade in Rhode Island
Woodland wildflowers, ferns, and groundcovers that thrive in the dappled and full shade under trees and on the north side of the house. Rhode Island sits in a landscape of Narragansett coastal lowland, and the natives that thrive here are the ones built for its cool, humid, maritime character. The list below — led by Wild Geranium and Wild Bleeding Heart — is filtered to species genuinely native to Rhode Island and the wider flora of the Northeast 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
15 native species for Rhode Island
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 6–7 · see this collection in other states.
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
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
A shade groundcover for the woodland floor, 12–18 in wide; it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
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
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
A woodland native that handles part to full shade, 3–5 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Part shade
- Average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Made for shade — it handles part to full shade, 6–10 ft tall and it flowers in May and Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
A spreading carpet for the shaded woodland floor, reaching 6–12 in — it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Thrives in cool shade under a canopy, where it handles part to full shade; spreading 15–25 ft and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Made for shade — it handles part to full shade, red & yellow flowers and it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Made for shade — 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
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
A spreading carpet for the shaded woodland floor, happy in clay, rocky, and loam soil; it flowers in Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Wild Ginger
Asarum canadense
Carpets the dappled ground beneath trees, happy in loam soil, flowering as it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Cinnamon Fern
Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
Thrives in cool shade under a canopy, where it handles part to full shade; hardy in zones 3–9.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Foliage
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
A spreading carpet for the shaded woodland floor, happy in rocky and loam soil.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Evergreen
Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
Carpets the dappled ground beneath trees, 1–2 ft wide.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 6–12 in
- Foliage
Sourcing
Where to find these in Rhode Island
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.