Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_00.gif)
Thursday - December 31, 2009
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Turf
Title: Evergreen plants for shaded lawn in Austin, Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I want to replace three scrawny ligustrums on the shady north front of my house with native plants. I'd like evergreen plants that don't need much maintenance. I'm not looking for a hedge, but some plants of different sizes and textures, ideally with flowers or other interest at different times of the year. Plants that are fast growing up to a maximum of 6-9 feet high would be great because I'll probably need to buy small young plants. There's very little sun in this area - it's shaded by the house and there's a large tree (Chinese Tallow maybe?) in the middle of the smallish front yard. I know I'm asking for the world! Any recommendations you have would really help. Thanks.ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants hopes your area can be classified as "part shade" because we're not going to be very successful in finding many evergreen plants of larger size that do well in the shade. In our database, shade = less than 2 hours of sunlight per day, part shade = 2 to 6 hours of shade per day, and sun = more than 6 hours of sun per day. Many of the plants listed below will grow in shade, but growth tends to be slower or the plants tend to be leggy when in complete shade.
First of all, here are some shrubs/small trees that could work. All have flowers and/or berries that are attractive. Please realize that with judicious pruning you can keep these shrubs to reasonable size even though they potentially will grow taller than you want.
Sabal minor (dwarf palmetto) sun, part shade, shade to 5 feet. Here is more information.
Morella cerifera [syn. Myrica cerifera](wax myrtle) sun, part shade to 20 feet and moderate growth rate. There are also dwarf varieties that grow to only 5 or 6 feet.
Ilex vomitoria (yaupon) part shade and moderate to fast growing up to 25 feet
Malpighia glabra (wild crapemyrtle) part shade to 6 feet.
Garrya ovata ssp. lindheimeri (Lindheimer's silktassel) part shade and fast growth to 11 feet. Here is more information.
Prunus caroliniana (Carolina laurelcherry) part shade and fast growing to 15 to 20 feetRhus virens (evergreen sumac) sun, part shade and moderate to fast growth to 8 feet. Here is more information.
Sophora secundiflora (Texas mountain-laurel) sun, part shade and slow to moderate growth to 35 feet and has beautiful flowers in the spring. Here is more information.
Mahonia trifoliolata (agarita) sun, part shade up to 8 feet. Here is more information.
Leucophyllum frutescens (Texas barometer bush) sun, part shade, 5 to 8 feet, and here is more information.
Here are some smaller evergreen plants.
Nolina texana (Texas sacahuista) part shade moderate growth to 3 feet. Here is more information.
Salvia penstemonoides (big red sage) sun, part shade to 6 feet.
Yucca rupicola (Texas yucca) sun, part shade with foliage up to 2 feet and with the blossom to 5 feet.
Here are photos of the above plants from our Image Gallery:
More Turf Questions
Lawn Grass for North Georgia
February 19, 2009 - I would like to know which type of grass would be best to plant in my yard? I have two dogs so there is a lot of traffic. The yard is on a slope so some of it stays dry while the rest is almost always...
view the full question and answer
Native turf grass for Arlington, VA.
September 10, 2015 - Hi, could you please provide me with a recommendation for a native turf grass to plant in a large commercial area in Arlington, Virginia. Currently Kentucky 31 is being used, but we would like to iden...
view the full question and answer
Drought tolerant grass with little need for mowing for Hill Country of Texas
November 17, 2011 - What grass would you recommend for the hill country of Texas that is drought tolerant and does not need frequent mowing?
view the full question and answer
Calyptocarpus vialis, Horseherb, for shady, mowable lawn
April 06, 2007 - Graham, Texas, Heavily wooded. Too shady for St. Augustine grass. Need mowable ground cover near house. Have heard of something called horsewort, but not able to find anything about it.
view the full question and answer
Erosion control in lawn in Tulsa, Oklahoma
April 03, 2008 - Hello Mr. Smarty Plants! I have an erosion control question. I have a growing problem with erosion on one side of my house. The soil from the side of my house slopes down about 8" in about 3 feet to ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |