Native Plants
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Sunday - July 18, 2010
From: Grand Blanc, MI
Region: Midwest
Topic: Shade Tolerant
Title: Screen and shade for pool in Michigan
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
We recently moved to a new home that has a pool. There is no shade nor privacy. What types of trees, plants would you recommend for our small backyard?ANSWER:
You can look at our Michigan Recommended list of native plants that are commercially available for landscaping in Michigan. Using the NARROW YOUR SEARCH option in the sidebar you can select various criteria for your plant. For instance, under GENERAL APPEARANCE, select 'Tree' or 'Shrub' and under LIGHT REQUIREMENT select 'Sun - 6 or more hours'. You can also make selections from other categories. Here are a few recommendations from that list, but you can make your own choices:
SMALL TREES/SHRUBS
Crataegus mollis (downy hawthorn)
Ilex verticillata (common winterberry)
Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood)
Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda (shrubby cinquefoil)
Physocarpus opulifolius (common ninebark)
HERBACEOUS PLANTS
Lilium philadelphicum (wood lily)
Lupinus perennis (sundial lupine)
Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)
FERNS (these ferns will grow in full sun)
Dryopteris cristata (crested woodfern)
Osmunda cinnamomea (cinnamon fern)
Since I don't know all the characteristics of your site (e.g., soil moisture and type), you should check the GROWING CONDITIONS on each species page to be sure they are compatible with your site.
Here are photos from our Image Gallery:
More Shade Tolerant Questions
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May 12, 2009 - I live on the north fork of Long Island (Zone 7) I would like to find a grass or low ground cover that will grow in shaded sandy soil. The yard has quite a few trees. It also has to stand up to modera...
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Plants for narrow moist shade in Dallas
October 05, 2009 - We are looking for plants in a narrow strip next to our house. It is a shady area that holds a lot of water. We would love plants that would help take water out of the soil. Do you have any suggest...
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Austin Shade Plants for Pots
March 28, 2010 - I live in a condo in Austin Texas so I don't have any flower beds or yard space. I would like to put a few large pots of plants and flowers on my front patio but it's mostly shaded during the day. W...
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Plant for total shade in Austin Texas
November 18, 2013 - Most of north wall of my house is in total shade. Is there a native that will grow there? The nonnative Cast Iron Plant is thriving and the soil is good. Your list of plants requiring 2 hours or less ...
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Plants for shade
August 19, 2008 - I live in hot, humid Houston and the tree coverage of my yard is nearly 100 percent (so, little sunlight reaches the ground). Can you suggest a plant or two that would thrive in these conditions?
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