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14 Beautiful Native Plants for Shade Gardens
These hardworking perennials thrive in areas with dappled light to full shade and create a lovely woodland garden look
If you’re looking for planting inspiration for a shaded area of your garden, look no farther than the natural woodlands of your region. There, native plants such as lush ferns, delicate foamflower and wild strawberries thrive under tree canopies and in shaded canyons. If you choose to plant native perennials in your garden, you’ll be rewarded with plants that come back year after year and are perfectly adapted to your area.
Perennials native to your area can require much less water and fertilizer, and often less maintenance than garden plants that have been introduced to the area. Plus, you may notice that natives often bring life to your garden — attracting bees, butterflies, birds and other beneficial creatures. As with choosing any plant, select native plants from your region (the more local, the better), considering light exposure and water needs.
Perennials native to your area can require much less water and fertilizer, and often less maintenance than garden plants that have been introduced to the area. Plus, you may notice that natives often bring life to your garden — attracting bees, butterflies, birds and other beneficial creatures. As with choosing any plant, select native plants from your region (the more local, the better), considering light exposure and water needs.
2. Calico Aster
(Symphyotrichum lateriflorum)
Native from Minnesota to eastern Texas and further east
This fall-blooming perennial has smaller flowers than other asters, but what it lacks in bloom size it makes up for in interest, as flower centers change from yellow to purple-pink through the season. “This perennial is a critical food source for early-fall insects,” says landscape designer Benjamin Vogt of Monarch Gardens. “In fact, it is known to support more than a hundred species of adult insects. Several moth species use it as a host plant, as do silvery checkerspot and pearl crescent butterflies.” Plant calico aster with other fall-blooming perennials such as goldenrod (Solidago spp.) and coneflower (Echinacea spp.).
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun (in moist soil) to full shade (in medium to dry soil)
Mature size: 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide
Learn more about growing calico aster
(Symphyotrichum lateriflorum)
Native from Minnesota to eastern Texas and further east
This fall-blooming perennial has smaller flowers than other asters, but what it lacks in bloom size it makes up for in interest, as flower centers change from yellow to purple-pink through the season. “This perennial is a critical food source for early-fall insects,” says landscape designer Benjamin Vogt of Monarch Gardens. “In fact, it is known to support more than a hundred species of adult insects. Several moth species use it as a host plant, as do silvery checkerspot and pearl crescent butterflies.” Plant calico aster with other fall-blooming perennials such as goldenrod (Solidago spp.) and coneflower (Echinacea spp.).
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun (in moist soil) to full shade (in medium to dry soil)
Mature size: 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide
Learn more about growing calico aster
3. Christmas Fern
(Polystichum acrostichoides)
Native to the eastern U.S. and Canada, south to northern Florida and west to Texas
Don’t be deceived by the delicate fronds of this native fern — it’s tougher than it looks. The plant’s ability to withstand cold temperatures throughout winter while staying green earned it its common name. The plants are drought tolerant but look more lush when grown in moist soils. Accent a shaded border with groupings of three to five ferns or plant them in swaths below trees or down a rocky slope.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate; grows best in consistently moist soil but can tolerate dry soil for periods of drought
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
Mature size: Up to 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide
Learn more about growing Christmas fern
(Polystichum acrostichoides)
Native to the eastern U.S. and Canada, south to northern Florida and west to Texas
Don’t be deceived by the delicate fronds of this native fern — it’s tougher than it looks. The plant’s ability to withstand cold temperatures throughout winter while staying green earned it its common name. The plants are drought tolerant but look more lush when grown in moist soils. Accent a shaded border with groupings of three to five ferns or plant them in swaths below trees or down a rocky slope.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate; grows best in consistently moist soil but can tolerate dry soil for periods of drought
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
Mature size: Up to 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide
Learn more about growing Christmas fern
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4. Downy Yellow Violet
(Viola pubescens)
Native to eastern and midwestern North American woodlands, from North Dakota eastward to Maine and southward to Texas in the west and Georgia in the east; in Canada it occurs from Saskatchewan eastward to Nova Scotia
Add a splash of color to the shade garden floor with downy yellow violet. Leaves emerge in late winter followed by yellow blooms in early spring. “Violets are an important source of nectar for bee species that emerge in spring, including small carpenter bees and mining bees,” says Heather Holm, author of Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide and Pollinators of Native Plants. Plant downy yellow violet alongside woodland strawberries and native alumroot.
Looking for a native violet with the classic blue-purple petal hues? Try common blue violet (Viola sororia), also native to woodlands of North America.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 42.8 degrees Celsius (zones 2 to 7)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
Mature size: 4 to 6 inches tall and 8 inches wide
Learn more about growing downy yellow violet
(Viola pubescens)
Native to eastern and midwestern North American woodlands, from North Dakota eastward to Maine and southward to Texas in the west and Georgia in the east; in Canada it occurs from Saskatchewan eastward to Nova Scotia
Add a splash of color to the shade garden floor with downy yellow violet. Leaves emerge in late winter followed by yellow blooms in early spring. “Violets are an important source of nectar for bee species that emerge in spring, including small carpenter bees and mining bees,” says Heather Holm, author of Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide and Pollinators of Native Plants. Plant downy yellow violet alongside woodland strawberries and native alumroot.
Looking for a native violet with the classic blue-purple petal hues? Try common blue violet (Viola sororia), also native to woodlands of North America.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 42.8 degrees Celsius (zones 2 to 7)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
Mature size: 4 to 6 inches tall and 8 inches wide
Learn more about growing downy yellow violet
5. Foamflower
(Tiarella cordifolia)
Native to New Brunswick in Canada, south to Georgia and west to Michigan
With cloud-like blossoms from white to light pink in late spring, this woodland ground cover forms a bright carpet in shaded garden settings. Plant foamflower where you don’t mind a natural carpet. Plant heartleaf foamflower (T. cordifolia var. collina) where spreading is not desired, as it stays put in a clump. Also plant colorful Tiarella hybrids in beds for more interest once the blooms of the natives fade.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 34.4 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate to regular; keep soil consistently moist
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
Mature size: 8 to 15 inches tall and 1 to 2 feet wide; some selections are more aggressive spreaders
Learn more about growing foamflower
(Tiarella cordifolia)
Native to New Brunswick in Canada, south to Georgia and west to Michigan
With cloud-like blossoms from white to light pink in late spring, this woodland ground cover forms a bright carpet in shaded garden settings. Plant foamflower where you don’t mind a natural carpet. Plant heartleaf foamflower (T. cordifolia var. collina) where spreading is not desired, as it stays put in a clump. Also plant colorful Tiarella hybrids in beds for more interest once the blooms of the natives fade.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 34.4 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate to regular; keep soil consistently moist
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
Mature size: 8 to 15 inches tall and 1 to 2 feet wide; some selections are more aggressive spreaders
Learn more about growing foamflower
6. Goat’s Beard
(Aruncus dioicus)
Native to temperate forests throughout the Northern Hemisphere, including North America, Europe and parts of Asia
This showy perennial features a firework-like display of cream-colored bloom spikes in spring. The nectar-rich blooms attract pollinators, such as moths and mourning cloak butterflies, and plants are hosts to the dusky azure butterfly caterpillar. Plants have both female and male forms: male ones have showier blooms and female ones have decorative seed heads that follow the blooms. Use goat’s beard, also called bride’s feathers, as a foundation plant, in swaths in wooded areas or as the tallest plant in a mixed perennial border.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 28 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 7)
Water requirement: Moderate to regular; grows best in rich, consistently moist soil
Light requirement: Partial shade
Mature size: 2 to 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide
Note: Goat’s Beard can reseed in open soil. Plant in an area where this is desired.
Learn more about growing goat’s beard
(Aruncus dioicus)
Native to temperate forests throughout the Northern Hemisphere, including North America, Europe and parts of Asia
This showy perennial features a firework-like display of cream-colored bloom spikes in spring. The nectar-rich blooms attract pollinators, such as moths and mourning cloak butterflies, and plants are hosts to the dusky azure butterfly caterpillar. Plants have both female and male forms: male ones have showier blooms and female ones have decorative seed heads that follow the blooms. Use goat’s beard, also called bride’s feathers, as a foundation plant, in swaths in wooded areas or as the tallest plant in a mixed perennial border.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 28 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 7)
Water requirement: Moderate to regular; grows best in rich, consistently moist soil
Light requirement: Partial shade
Mature size: 2 to 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide
Note: Goat’s Beard can reseed in open soil. Plant in an area where this is desired.
Learn more about growing goat’s beard
7. Lady Fern
(Athyrium filix-femina)
Found throughout the United States, northern Europe and Asia
Elegant Lady Fern can stand alone as a specimen plant in a container or be used in groupings to create a lush ground cover of oversized fronds. In spring the deciduous ferns send up curling fronds that unfurl to reach 2 to 3 feet long. Try lady fern in mixed borders with autumn ferns (Dryopteris erythrosora), hellebores and Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) or planted on the north side of a stone wall.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 34.4 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 8)
Water requirement: Regular; grows best in consistently moist soil rich in organic matter
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
Mature size: Up to 3 feet tall and 2½ feet wide
Learn more about growing lady fern
(Athyrium filix-femina)
Found throughout the United States, northern Europe and Asia
Elegant Lady Fern can stand alone as a specimen plant in a container or be used in groupings to create a lush ground cover of oversized fronds. In spring the deciduous ferns send up curling fronds that unfurl to reach 2 to 3 feet long. Try lady fern in mixed borders with autumn ferns (Dryopteris erythrosora), hellebores and Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) or planted on the north side of a stone wall.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 34.4 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 8)
Water requirement: Regular; grows best in consistently moist soil rich in organic matter
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
Mature size: Up to 3 feet tall and 2½ feet wide
Learn more about growing lady fern
8. Pennsylvania Sedge
(Carex pensylvanica)
Native to eastern North America from the Dakotas eastward to Maine in the north, and Arkansas eastward to Georgia in the south; in Canada it is native to Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec
Tufty, mounding Pennsylvania sedge is a popular low-water lawn substitute for yards in partial shade. To create a meadow-like effect, broadcast seeds over the desired area or plant in plugs in fall or spring. In a few seasons the sedge will naturalize to form a fine-textured sea of green. Try mixing the sedge with native wildflower seeds — best done at the same planting time — to establish a native wildflower meadow. The grass does not need to be mowed, but you can run a mower over it if you desire a more traditional lawn look.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 7)
Water requirement: Low once established
Light requirement: Partial sun to full shade
Mature size: 6 inches to 1 foot tall and 6 inches wide
Learn more about growing Pennsylvania sedge
(Carex pensylvanica)
Native to eastern North America from the Dakotas eastward to Maine in the north, and Arkansas eastward to Georgia in the south; in Canada it is native to Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec
Tufty, mounding Pennsylvania sedge is a popular low-water lawn substitute for yards in partial shade. To create a meadow-like effect, broadcast seeds over the desired area or plant in plugs in fall or spring. In a few seasons the sedge will naturalize to form a fine-textured sea of green. Try mixing the sedge with native wildflower seeds — best done at the same planting time — to establish a native wildflower meadow. The grass does not need to be mowed, but you can run a mower over it if you desire a more traditional lawn look.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 7)
Water requirement: Low once established
Light requirement: Partial sun to full shade
Mature size: 6 inches to 1 foot tall and 6 inches wide
Learn more about growing Pennsylvania sedge
9. Pink Alumroot
(Heuchera rubescens)
Native to western North America, from the Sierra Nevada mountains of California north to Oregon and south to northern Mexico
Heuchera of all types are shade garden workhorses, offering interest for months, if not year-round, in the form of beautiful, vibrant foliage and pretty bloom spikes. If you’ve grown heuchera, why not try a native variety? Pink alumroot has a large native range on the West Coast and looks as decorative in a garden setting as many heuchera hybrids do, while also attracting pollinators with showy, long-blooming pink blossoms. It’s perfect for planting in tricky spots, such as semi-dry shade under native oak trees.
Also try island alumroot (Heuchera maxima), native to California’s Channel Islands, and hairy alumroot (H. villosa) for East Coast regions.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 10)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established and can withstand periods of drought
Light requirement: Partial shade
Mature size: 6 inches to 1 foot tall and wide with flower spikes up to 2 feet tall
(Heuchera rubescens)
Native to western North America, from the Sierra Nevada mountains of California north to Oregon and south to northern Mexico
Heuchera of all types are shade garden workhorses, offering interest for months, if not year-round, in the form of beautiful, vibrant foliage and pretty bloom spikes. If you’ve grown heuchera, why not try a native variety? Pink alumroot has a large native range on the West Coast and looks as decorative in a garden setting as many heuchera hybrids do, while also attracting pollinators with showy, long-blooming pink blossoms. It’s perfect for planting in tricky spots, such as semi-dry shade under native oak trees.
Also try island alumroot (Heuchera maxima), native to California’s Channel Islands, and hairy alumroot (H. villosa) for East Coast regions.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 10)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established and can withstand periods of drought
Light requirement: Partial shade
Mature size: 6 inches to 1 foot tall and wide with flower spikes up to 2 feet tall
10. Pink Muhly Grass
(Muhlenbergia capillaris)
Native to prairies, pine barrens and open woodlands from Massachusetts to Kansas south to Florida and Texas
It’s difficult to find a native grass that puts on a show as dramatic as pink muhly. In fall the medium-green, fine-textured grasses explode with clouds of pale magenta blooms, best appreciated when planted in drifts and masses. Despite their delicate appearance, the plants are tough — able to withstand high summer temperatures (particularly in partial shade) and grow in poor soil. Try pairing pink muhly with blue-green agaves for dramatic form and color contrast.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 20.5 degrees Celsius (zones 6 to 9)
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide
Learn more about growing pink muhly grass
(Muhlenbergia capillaris)
Native to prairies, pine barrens and open woodlands from Massachusetts to Kansas south to Florida and Texas
It’s difficult to find a native grass that puts on a show as dramatic as pink muhly. In fall the medium-green, fine-textured grasses explode with clouds of pale magenta blooms, best appreciated when planted in drifts and masses. Despite their delicate appearance, the plants are tough — able to withstand high summer temperatures (particularly in partial shade) and grow in poor soil. Try pairing pink muhly with blue-green agaves for dramatic form and color contrast.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 20.5 degrees Celsius (zones 6 to 9)
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide
Learn more about growing pink muhly grass
11. Virginia Bluebells
(Mertensia virginica)
Native to the eastern U.S., primarily from New York south through Virginia to northwestern Georgia and west to Kansas
Blanketing woodlands in early spring with swaths of blue, the blooms of Virginia bluebells (also called Virginia cowslip) celebrate the end of winter. Try planting them with narcissus and other spring-flowering bulbs (the Virginia bluebells will extend the bloom season after the bulbs fade) and alongside ferns and hostas, which will come into their own as the Virginia bluebells die back post-flowering. The flowers are a significant early food source for bumblebees and other native pollinators.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zone 3 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate; grows best in moist, well-drained soils
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
Mature size: 1 to 2 feet tall and 1 to 1½ feet wide
Learn more about growing Virginia bluebells
(Mertensia virginica)
Native to the eastern U.S., primarily from New York south through Virginia to northwestern Georgia and west to Kansas
Blanketing woodlands in early spring with swaths of blue, the blooms of Virginia bluebells (also called Virginia cowslip) celebrate the end of winter. Try planting them with narcissus and other spring-flowering bulbs (the Virginia bluebells will extend the bloom season after the bulbs fade) and alongside ferns and hostas, which will come into their own as the Virginia bluebells die back post-flowering. The flowers are a significant early food source for bumblebees and other native pollinators.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zone 3 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate; grows best in moist, well-drained soils
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
Mature size: 1 to 2 feet tall and 1 to 1½ feet wide
Learn more about growing Virginia bluebells
12. Western Bleeding Heart
(Dicentra formosa)
Native to moist woodlands of the Pacific Northwest, from British Columbia to California
A beautiful addition to any woodland garden, western bleeding heart delights with pink heart-shaped flowers held on delicately curved stems above fern-like foliage. The plants thrive in consistently moist soil rich in organic material; where they’re happy, they’ll begin to naturalize. Plant with other delicate flowers, such as forget-me-nots (Myosotis spp.) or meadow-rue (Thalictrum spp.), in areas with dappled light and watch them return year after year.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 34.4 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate to regular; grows best in moist, fertile soil
Light requirement: Partial shade
Mature size: 1 foot tall and wide
Learn more about growing western bleeding heart
(Dicentra formosa)
Native to moist woodlands of the Pacific Northwest, from British Columbia to California
A beautiful addition to any woodland garden, western bleeding heart delights with pink heart-shaped flowers held on delicately curved stems above fern-like foliage. The plants thrive in consistently moist soil rich in organic material; where they’re happy, they’ll begin to naturalize. Plant with other delicate flowers, such as forget-me-nots (Myosotis spp.) or meadow-rue (Thalictrum spp.), in areas with dappled light and watch them return year after year.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 34.4 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate to regular; grows best in moist, fertile soil
Light requirement: Partial shade
Mature size: 1 foot tall and wide
Learn more about growing western bleeding heart
13. Wild Geranium
(Geranium maculatum)
Native from Manitoba, Canada, south to Oklahoma and eastward to Quebec in the north and Georgia in the south
A perfect border plant for areas with dappled light, easygoing wild geranium has long-lasting purple blooms with a tidy mounding plant form. Wild geranium’s leaves take on a reddish hue in fall in areas where it receives more sun. “Wild geranium provides both nectar and pollen to visiting pollinators,” Holm says. “The flowers are visited by many bees, including bumblebees, sweat bees, mining bees and honey bees, as well as several flies.” Try planting with hellebore, ferns and coral bells (Heuchera spp.).
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 42 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 41.1 degrees Celsius (zones 2 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Partial sun to shade
Mature size: 1 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide
Learn more about growing wild geranium
(Geranium maculatum)
Native from Manitoba, Canada, south to Oklahoma and eastward to Quebec in the north and Georgia in the south
A perfect border plant for areas with dappled light, easygoing wild geranium has long-lasting purple blooms with a tidy mounding plant form. Wild geranium’s leaves take on a reddish hue in fall in areas where it receives more sun. “Wild geranium provides both nectar and pollen to visiting pollinators,” Holm says. “The flowers are visited by many bees, including bumblebees, sweat bees, mining bees and honey bees, as well as several flies.” Try planting with hellebore, ferns and coral bells (Heuchera spp.).
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 42 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 41.1 degrees Celsius (zones 2 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Partial sun to shade
Mature size: 1 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide
Learn more about growing wild geranium
14. Wild Ginger
(Asarum canadense)
Native to deciduous woodlands of Eastern North America from Canada to North Carolina
Palm-sized, heart-shaped leaves distinguish this attractive ground cover, native to Eastern woodlands from Canada to North Carolina. Plant along pathway borders where the mounding plant can soften edges and on shaded slopes in woodland gardens. Plants spread by rhizomes, not overly aggressively, but it is still best to plant in a garden bed where you don’t mind it naturalizing. Triangular-shaped maroon flowers emerge in spring at the plant base.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 34.4 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 6)
Water requirement: Moderate to regular; thrives in consistently moist, well-drained soil
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
Mature size: 6 inches to 1 foot tall and 1 to 1½ feet wide
Learn more about growing wild ginger
(Asarum canadense)
Native to deciduous woodlands of Eastern North America from Canada to North Carolina
Palm-sized, heart-shaped leaves distinguish this attractive ground cover, native to Eastern woodlands from Canada to North Carolina. Plant along pathway borders where the mounding plant can soften edges and on shaded slopes in woodland gardens. Plants spread by rhizomes, not overly aggressively, but it is still best to plant in a garden bed where you don’t mind it naturalizing. Triangular-shaped maroon flowers emerge in spring at the plant base.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 34.4 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 6)
Water requirement: Moderate to regular; thrives in consistently moist, well-drained soil
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
Mature size: 6 inches to 1 foot tall and 1 to 1½ feet wide
Learn more about growing wild ginger
Pink Alumroot (Heuchera rubescens)
Tell us: Do you have any favorite native plants for shade gardens? Share your gardens in the Comments.
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Tell us: Do you have any favorite native plants for shade gardens? Share your gardens in the Comments.
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(Waldsteinia fragarioides)
Native from Minnesota east to Maine in the north and south to Arkansas and South Carolina
Appalachian barren strawberry, a native alternative to Japanese pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis), grows well along garden edges, under canopy trees or in other spots with light shade. The perennial fills in to form a lush carpet of three-leaf foliage — similar in appearance to edible strawberries — dotted with yellow flowers. In areas with higher heat and humidity, consider planting related native species Piedmont barren strawberry (W. lobata).
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 4 to 7; find your zone)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Part shade to full sun
Mature size: 3 to 6 inches tall and 6 inches to 1 foot wide
Choose native plants with the help of a local landscape designer