Aucuba japonica by heathervhogg
TheGardenLady received this question from Kelly.
I live in Georgia where it can get really hot and dry at times. I have a space in back against my house which gets little or no sun during the day. I would like a shrub or two which may live in these conditions. Can you help?
This is a good but difficult question because most plants want some sun and some water. But I think gardeners will be looking for more plants that will thrive in this heat and drought.
One suggestion is Japanese Aucuba – Aucuba Japonica which does best in little sun and will live in semi-arid conditions. See here. This plant NEEDS shade in the south. There are a few different Aucuba japonica plants to choose from including a Variegata form that would really brighten a shady area. See here.
Rhodotypos scandens flower by tmoertel
Another shrub that seems to be able to thrive under any condition, (it is considered an invasive in many states) is the Black Jetbead shrub Rhodotypos scandens.
When I was a little girl, my neighbor had them growing in her front yard. They seemed spooky because it seemed so dark where they grew. I liked it best when the small white flowers were in bloom. I thought the seeds looked pretty; but as a child, I didn’t know they were poisonous. Anyway, for nostalgia’s sake, I wanted to own this shrub. The owner’s 93 year old daughter recently gave me a rooted stem to grow. It is happy as a lark this summer even with the extensive drought; it is happy when all the plants around it are drooping.
Camellia Sinensis Rosea is supposed to do well in shady, dry conditions.
A last suggestion is a Burfordii Chinese holly- Ilex cornuta ‘Burfordii” which also tolerates shady dry conditions.
A great website for shrubs that can grow in shady sites is this. But when checking the plants, be aware that many of these shrubs do need moisture. You might consider running drip hoses around the area where you plant the shrubs.
Let us hear what you chose to plant and your success with the shrub.