Tired of planting things that don’t thrive? Or even worse die ? Areas with less then 5-6 hours of sun light per day can be a major issue for a lot of homeowners wanting a pretty flower bed. On top of that the heat makes it seem impossible to create Odessa Texas flowerbeds that stand out yet thrive.. Either giving up and just rocking the area, or dealing with a thinned out version of the plant doesn’t have to the only options you have for the shade. Below are some great plant options when dealing with almost no sun.
Wintergreen boxwoods - these compact green evergreen shrubs will stay green all year long. They are very slow growing only reaching heights of up to 4 foot tall , and 4 foot wide after several years of being planted. Once established they only need minimum water. Remember the winter apocalypse in west Texas 2018? These evergreen shrubs held their ground and stayed strong through it. These shrubs are Perfect for hedges and garden borders, they can be shaped into globes, boxes, ovals, or topiaries.
Turks caps- a drought tolerant, low growing shrub with red flowers on it. You can plant this in deep shade and watch it take over the area. It can grow up to 4 foot tall and 4 foot wide. This plant can live up to 30 years with little care. To keep Turks cap from being invasive you will need to trim it back often.
Dwarf yuapon hollys- another compact evergreen shrub that performs great in deep shade. It does best In full sun, but that doesn’t stop it from being a staple in many west Texas shade beds. This shrub can grow 2-5 feet tall, and 3-6 foot wide. Only growing 2-3” per year you can get away with trimming once every 1-2 years. Mainly for shaping. It’s drought tolerant once established. And does well in a variety of soils.
Purple lirope- this Grass-like perennial with narrow, arching, dark green leaves.
can be an amazing choice for shaded gardens. It thrives in deep shade, handles any soil condition as long as it’s week draining. Has great back from cold weather. Only growing 12-16” this beautiful ground cover can be used as edging around a flower bed, or a small focal point to grab visitors attention.
Sweet potato vine is a great choice if your looking for a quick growing vines it can reach 10 foot wide in a single growing season. They have mixes of purple and green, so it can also add some color to a shaded flower bed. They can be perennials if the weather doesn’t get below 32* F, however most years you will need to replant in the spring . Once established it needs minimum water to do its things and take over a flower bed.
Holly Ferns- these ferns do great in midland Texas gardens that have a lot of shade. They reach 2 foot high, with a spread of 3 foot wide. Living up to 10 years with proper care. Another pro of these ferns is that they attract birds, and butterflies! Make sure to give ferns 1” of water weekly though as they are not as drought tolerant as some of the other plants on this lists. They will also lose their color when the temperatures dip below 40* F for too long. However a well maintained holly fern will bounce back come spring time.
Coleus - this annual plant will die back yearly but the beautiful leaves can really be a focal point in your garden. With leaves ranging from red, pink, orange, yellow, chartreuse, green, burgundy and purple there’s sure to be a color you will enjoy! Depending if you get an upright, rounded and trailing version of this beautiful plant they will grow from 6” to 2.5 foot tall and 1-3 feet wide. With a love for water you will want to water this plant 1-2” per weeks so it’s a good idea to have irrigation when planting coleus.
Now you know even in Odessa Texas with its hot summers, dry weather, even a flower bed full of shade can have a wide array of beautiful plants. You can get most of these plants from John’s corner in Odessa or Alldredge gardens in midland Texas. If you would rather leave it up to the pros to install your new flower bed call us at 432.271.8513.
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