If you just want a ground cover that you can occasionally walk on then maybe you plant sunshine mimosa or perennial peanut. As ground covers go they grow fast, can be mowed on the (4") setting without harm, but they both bloom better in sun. Just a thought. Is that what type of cover you were thinking.
Zoozue

That might work as long as they will grow in shade; that has been the problem with grass.

Rocks, bromeliads, stepping stones, and then various accent plants that grow in the shade: ZZ Plant is a good one, various Calathea and Aroids.

Billbrandi,

What about ferns. Don't know how cold you get. I really like macho or fishtail ferns under my oaks. They grow fast, but are pretty easy to pull up if they get too out of control and won't hurt the tree. Aspidistra is great for deep shade and drought too, but it grows very slowly until it gets established. Bromeliads of course, and pots with shade-loving things. Palm grass also does well. Please take into account zones, because some of this stuff might not take your cold. I know aspidistra will, though. Sounds like a great tree.

Anna

Will hosta grow in Florida? I always had many different hosta plants around my shade trees up north. I've just never tried them here yet.

Lou

I second fawnridge and anna. Where exactly are you?

Forget hostas. We all wish!

The variegated Sunhosta will grow in all of Florida.

Southern growers in Zones 10a and 10b can grow SunHosta year around.
Plants will bloom in April if planted in the fall.
Hardiness: Zones 4-10.
Light: Full sun to partial sun.

Lou

I'm in the Seminole/St. Pete area. Thanks all for commenting and the help. I'll post pictures once I decide.

Oh, SunHosta, I like it! Now if only we could get the big box stores and local nurseries to carry it.

Bromeliads, ferns, peace lily, anthuriums, Chamaedorea metallica, cast iron plants, peacock ginger, dancing lady ginger..you are near me & I grow all these successfully.

Good luck on your project. I yearn for more shade! You are blessed actually.

Asiatic Jasmine is a beautiful groundcover and it grows in the shade.

Darlene

Sounds exactly like my backyard

I have:
Around the trunk of the oak:
1. Begonias..all kinds
2. Yellow walking iris
3. Peace lilies
4. Gingers
5. Caladiums

I have a number of walkways and further away from the trunk:
1. Camelias
2. Ferns - Boston ferns, etc
3. Two big Tree Ferns, underplanted with more caladiums and begonias
4. A few hydrangeas
5. More gingers
6. Elephant ears, underplanted with caladiums (oh yes, I love caladiums)
7. My cymbidiums (orchids) in clay pots

Here and there - great color for shade:
1. Tradescantia zebrina
2. Setcreasea pallida
3. Oyster plants - love these!

Lots of possibilities!

A few random older pictures from my backyard

My big Oak

Under the oak - old pictures

Sunnier spots with diffused light are pefect for amaryllis

and giant crinum. You can see treefern in the back, and an elephant ear plant {{gwi:986759}}From Our Yard Fall 2008

Part shade, right outside the perimiter of the oak's shade
Forgot impatients! They are wonderful for shady spots...Crinums can take some shade and will still bloom

Hard to see what is going on here - oak trunk is actually pretty close to the walkway (bricks are one side of the walkway) Our oak is huge and there are plenty of areas of diffused light under it. There is a begonia,and ginger along the walkway

Olya - the moss in the oak tree reminds me of the Florida I grew up in. As a kid, I learned that you can use moss, water and sand to clean dishes when camping.

Some great ideas.....now if only this chilly weather would go away I could get started.

WOW!!! Olya, I am keeping your wonderful ideas for the future, when my oaks trees in the front yard grow a little bit, I can aspire to have some of the beauty that you have.

Bill, when you do your landscape, I want to see the results! A little piece of history in my neighborhood is that is called Oakland because the giant oaks covered with moss, when we saw it for the first time we fell in love with it, they had an article in the local paper that the original people living here stood out of their houses and did not let the developers cut their trees and now thanks to them we all all enjoy their beauty.

Silvia

Olya, your list was so much more complete than mine- and illustrated to boot! Beautiful photos.

One more that I thought of that I feel are such underused plants are cycads- in particular, dioon spinulosum. I just love these and they do well under oaks. They are getting a little easier to find- especially in spring.

Billbrandi do please show us when you finish!

Silvia, I like your story.

Anna

After looking at the pictures I just couldn't stand it any longer... I just had to buy some Caladiums for spring planting.

Toasted Bronze

Thai Red

Purple Majesty

Candy Cane

Dark Chocolate

Lou