Herbaceous perennials are plants that live more than two years and do not form woody stems so that they die back to ground level each fall. Hostas, of course, are part of this group of plants as are thousands and thousands of other commonly grown landscape plants.

Fortunately, hundreds of species of plants also share the ability of hostas to grow and thrive in low light conditions. Some of these plants developed in woodland areas where they adapted to full sun in the early spring before the leaves came onto the trees. Others found their niche on the edge of the forest where they received full sunlight for at least part of each day. Still others found their fate tied to the shade at the middle of the woods where they rarely received any direct sunlight but survived on the light reflected from the nearby environment.

 


Aconitum species
Monkshood
Actaea pachypoda White Baneberry
Actaea rubra Red Baneberry
Adiantum species Maidenhair Fern
Aegopodium podagraria Goutweed (Invasive)
Ajuga reptans Bugleweed
Alchemilla vulgaris Lady's Mantle
Anchusa azurea Italian Bugloss
Anemone species Anemone
Aquilegia species  Columbine
Arisaema species Green Dragon, Cobra Lily, Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Asarum europaeum European Wild Ginger
Aspeinum platyneuron Ebony spleenwort
Asplenum trichomanes Maidenhair spleenwort
Aruncus dioicus Goatsbeard
Asarum  species Wild Ginger, European Ginger
Astilbe species  Astilbe
Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'  Japanese Painted Fern
Athyrium species  Lady Fern
Bergenia species Bergenia
Botrychium species  Grape Fern
Brunnera macrophylla Siberian Bugloss
Caltha palustris Marsh Marigold
Campanula species Bellflower
Camptosorus rhizophyllus Walking Fern
Carex morrowii var. expallida Japanese Sedge Grass
Chasmanthium latifolium Northern Sea Oats
Cheilanthes species Lip Fern , Lace Fern
Chelone lyonii Turtlehead
Chrysogonum virginianum Goldstar
Cimicifuga racemosa Black Cohosh
Cimicifuga simplex Bugbane
Convallaria majalis Lily-of-the-Valley (Invasive)
Cryptogramma crispa American Rock Brake
Cystopteris species Bladder Fern s
Darmera peltata  Umbrella Plant
Dennstaedtia punctilobula Hay-Scented Fern
Dicentra exima Bleeding Heart
Dicentra spectabilis  Old-fashioned Bleeding Heart
Digitalis species - Foxglove Foxglove
Disporum lanuginosum Fairy-Bells
Doronicum cordatum Leopard's Bane
Dryopteris species Fern s
Epimedium species - Barrenwort Barrenwort
Eupatorium rugosum White Snakeroot
Fallopia japonica variegata  Japanese Fleece Flower
Festuca ovina glauca  Blue Fescue
Filipendula species Dropwort
Galium odoratum sweet Woodruff
Geranium species Cranesbill
Hedera helix English Ivy
Helleborus niger  Christmas Rose
Helleborus orientalis  Lenten Rose
Heuchera species Alumroot, Coralbells
Ligularia species Ragwort
Liriope spicata Creeping Lilyturf 
Lobelia cardinalis Cardinal Flower
Lysimachia punctata Loosestrife
Marsilea quadrifolia Water Clover Fern
Matteuccia struthiopteris Ostrich Fern
Mertensia virginica Virginia Bluebells
Onoclea sensibilis Sensitive Fern
Osmunda cinnamomea Cinnamon Fern
Petasites giganteum Giant Butterbur
Petasites  'Variegatus'  Variegated Butterbur
Phalaris arundinacea var picta Ribbon Grass
Phyllitis scolopendrium Hart's-tongue 
Physostegia virginiana Obedience Plant
Polemorium caeruleum Jacob's-ladder
Polygonatum  'Variegatum'  Variegated Solomon's Seal
Polygonatum biflorum Small Solomon's Seal
Polygonatum commutatum  Giant Solomon's Seal
Polypodium glycyrrhiza Licorice Fern
Polypodium vulgare Common Polypody
Polystichum acrostichoides Christmas Fern
Primula species Primrose
Pteridium aquilinum Bracken Fern
Pulmonaria species Lungwort
Rodgersia aesculifolia  
Rodgersia pinnata  
Rodgersia tabularis  
Sanguinaria canadensis  Bloodroot
Smilacina racemosa False Solomon's Seal
Thalictrum species Meadow Rue 
Tiarella cordifolia  Foam Flower
Tricyrtis hirta   Toad Lily
Viola species  Violet
Woodsia species - Woodsia - I (moist to wet soils)
Many cultivars of ferns, grasses, ground covers, and woodland plants are excellent companion plants.

 

 

 
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