Correa

Loropetalum, or Chinese fringe flower, is a very attractive shrub that thrives in shade.  It is fairly slow growing to six to ten feet high and wide.  Most of the varieties available have purple leaves and pink, fireworks-like flowers, but the green leaved, white flowering varieties are lovely, too.  Flowering is heaviest in the spring,…

Hydrangeas come in many sizes and forms.  The two most well-known types are mophead, the old-fashioned large flower with a rounded flower head, and lacecap, in which the small fertile flowers are surrounded by large, colorful flowers.  With some varieties, flower color is determined by the soil pH, with acidity causing blue flowers and alkalinity resulting in pink flowers.  Other varieties…

The handsome, dark green leaves of Camellias provide a great background for the lovely spring flowers as well as for other shade loving plants.  Camellia sasanqua is generally shorter with smaller leaves and flowers. It blooms earlier, usually in winter, and many of the flowers have single petals.  ‘Yuletide’ is a very eye-catching example with red single flower and…

Aucuba japonica Aucuba is a foliage plant that can be very useful in the shade.  The most widely used varieties are variegated.  One of the most handsome is ‘Mr. Goldstrike’ grown by Monrovia Growers.  This evergreen plant is a slow grower, eventually reaching four to six feet.  The green-leafed version is also a very attractive plant with very…

Sarcococca is an evergreen shrub with dark green leaves and very fragrant tiny white flowers that bloom in late winter and early spring.  It is a slow grower that will eventually reach four to six feet.  It can grow even in very deep shade and needs moderate to regular water.

Ilex is, of course, holly.  There are many species, all of which will need shade in the north county.  Some species have few spines while other are very pokey indeed.  Hollies prefer slightly acidic soil, so some soil amendment is required.  There are green leaved and variegated versions.