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 - July 03, 2014
From: Apex, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Plant Lists, Wildlife Gardens, Shade Tolerant, Herbs/Forbs, Shrubs
Title: Wildlife Attracting Plants for a Shady Patio
Answered by: Anne Van Nest
QUESTION:
We have a concrete patio that receives 2-3 hours of sunlight a day, so the only plants we will be able to grow will be in container. We are looking for plants that do well in shade, and containers and will not grow too large. Plants that attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, birds, etc. are preferrable.ANSWER:
The first place to go to find a list of potential shade plants attractive to wildlife for your patio is our Native Plant Database. Use the Combination Search feature instead of Recommended Species. This will provide a bigger selection with much more choice to narrow down. The volunteers and staff at the Wildflower Center who maintain the database have partners in different regions to help with these recommended species lists based on what is easy to access in local nurseries.
Under Combination Search, select the following categories: NC, Habit – shrub (and then herb), Duration – Perennial, Light Requirement – Shade, Soil Moisture – Dry, and Size – 1-3 feet.
Surprisingly, more shrubs tolerant of shade and with benefits for wildlife appeared as a result of the search. The shrubs to consider are:
Running serviceberry (Amelanchier stolonifera), white spring flowers and edible fruit. Fruit attracts birds.
Limber honeysuckle (Lonicera dioica), a shrub-like vine, fragrant red and yellow blooms, red berries in the fall, attracts hummingbirds and bees.
Coralberry (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus), a small mounding shrub growing to 4 feet, small greenish-white flowers and clusters of attractive coral-pink berries from fall into the winter. Wildlife use this plant for food, cover and nesting sites.
And a herbaceous plant to consider:
Bowman’s root (Gillenia trifoliata), an informal perennial growing to 2-3 feet tall with white or pinkish flowers in the spring. Tolerant of dry shade. Low wildlife value.
From the Image Gallery
More Herbs/Forbs Questions
Perennial Suggestions for Under Ash Trees in Minnesota
June 12, 2013 - With our house we have inherited 2 ash trees in our front yard with a large amount landscaping underneath. I'm replacing the landscaping but there are tree roots at the surface preventing me from bei...
view the full question and answer
mixed species privacy hedge in Central Texas
March 24, 2016 - I need to plant a privacy hedge along a fence line. I am in east Austin, blackland prairie soil. The soil is rich, usually at least moist but not soggy, and I find lots of worms when I dig. The fen...
view the full question and answer
Need plants for steep slope in Knoxville, TN.
January 10, 2013 - I have several steep banks that have to be weed-eated each year every week. Do you know if there are any kinds of ground cover that would take over the weeds on these steep dangerous banks. I live in ...
view the full question and answer
Plants for southwest Louisiana courtyard
December 29, 2009 - Hi,
I live in southwest Louisiana,very close to Texas. I would like to remove the grass in my townhome backyard (east sun exposure) and create a courtyard by adding pavers. However I am planning on...
view the full question and answer
Landscaping for a wedding in Memphis MO
October 13, 2009 - I am pretty new at this landscaping flower thing, but I love it. We just moved out to the country in NE Missouri from Colorado (Huge difference, but love it). We have decided to have our wedding at o...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |