I've been searching the nurseries for a short (under 3 feet) dry shade perennial flower. For a spot under shrub-like trees with low limbs. Gets some sun maybe 3 hours in some spots. I settled for two different types of oxalis (triangulata and alba). Planted them yesterday. What would be some options as a companion planting. I've thought of some:
1. Dwarf foxglove---worried that my young children might eat it, could get too tall.
2. Hardy cyclamen---can't find it anywhere and some have told me it doesn't do well in Texas.
3. Corral Bells---? too much shade
4. Lamalia---Don't know if I like it
5. Carpet Bugle---could take over everything else
6. Violets-need too much water for this spot
7. Salvia-I have some growing well in a shady spot (thanks to previous help from Texas gardening forum suggestions)
The area under the shrub-like trees is even shadier.
I have no experience with bulbs. Would Lilly of the Valley or Bleeding Hearts work in our heat?
short dry shade perennial flowers
I have never tried Lily of the Valley, because I've always read so much about it being invasive and impossible to get rid of if you decide you don't like it. It's pretty but you'd better be sure you want it.
I'm not sure but I think there are some coral bells that like mostly shade. They probably won't bloom, but I think those types are grown for the their foliage.
Texas betony is a good shade plant, droubt tolerant and attracts hummers.
Scullcap needs some little sun (in my yard it gets about 3 hours of real sun).
There is a hardy violet that grows under my huge live oaks and gets no attention from me, but I don't know it's official name.
Society garlic and Autumn Joy grow in my shady front yard with very little water from the hose. I water them maybe 3 or 4 times a year.
Hope this helps, Mary Lee
Turk's cap would probably do well there. Mine, in a lot of shade, do not get over 3' tall. They are pretty drought tolerant, once established. I have them growing wild in a small wooded area and they're surviving and blooming on just rainfall. They do die back to the ground in winter, and have stalks that I usually cut back. The hummers love them, and cardinals eat the fruit. Those in more sun tend to get taller. Cedar sage might do well there, although I can't seem to keep it alive. The same goes for Texas betony. Maybe they don't live my heavy clay soil, especially when it holds water in the winter. I have salvia coccinea in an area that gets some morning sun and is shaded the rest of the day. It does well for me under a large pecan, with Mexican buckeye shrubs also in the bed. Although it is mostly an annual here, unless we have a mild winter, it reseeds itself and makes new plants throughout the year and comes back in the spring from seed. For some people it is invasive and springs up all over. Mine has never ventured out of the shady bed I have it in. Hummers love it too.
Is salvia coccinea the same thing as cardinal flower? If not, would that work? It likes lots of moisture atleast.
Mary Lee