Spring in Minnesota = Planting season! Several of our customers have shady ponds and were wondering which plants need sunlight. So, here are a few shady-pond-plant tips!
Plant early spring blooming perennials.
The plants come up and flower before the trees have their full leaf canopy.
– Marsh Marigolds, Caltha palustris- The bright gold of marsh marigolds is so cheerful after the brown of early spring!
–Blue flag iris, Iris versicolor- also an early bloomer, gorgeous flowers in varying shades of purple. (I would steer away from the yellow iris though- it is invasive in MN.)
Use plants with variegated foliage to brighten darker ponds.
–Sweet flag, Acorus calamus variegatus is the go-to plant for hardiness. Golden Japanese sweet flag, Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’ is the smaller version of sweet flag and has more yellow and green striped leaves. Probably best to use it as a tender perennial in MN.
–Taro, Taro Colocasia esculenta- From deep purple ‘Black Coral’ to bright green and white, taros offer a lush, tropical foliage plant to pond owners. Foliage plant- Sun to part sun. These can get 3 ft tall!
–Creeping Jenny, Lysimachia, a trailing, chartreuse green plant that looks lovely cascading over rocks or covering unsightly parts of the pond.
Other plants that work in light shade:
-Blue eyed grass, stout Sisyrinchium angustifolium- has pretty purple flowers with yellow centers.
-Obedient plant, Physostegia virginiana- a member of the mint family which has pink flowers all summer.
–Hardy Water lilies– Water lilies will bloom best in full sun but can offer flowers even with as little as 6 hrs. of sunlight. Fertilize them well! Our varieties ‘Joey Tomocik’ and ‘Marilac Albida’ tolerate shade.
–Water lettuce, Pistia stratiotes- Floating plant with a rosette of fuzzy green leaves.
Part shade to full shade plants:
-Lizard’s tail, Saururus cernuus- has many, tiny fragrant white flowers. Known for blooming even in shady locations!
-Golden Bowles Sedge, Carex elata ‘Bowles Golden’- Spectacular chartreuse grass like leaves! Sun to shade.
–Fairy Moss, Azolla caroliniana- Tiny floating fern about 1/2 centimeter in size! Frilly, rich green color. Turns purple with cooler weather. Sun to shade.
–Umbrella Palm, Cyperus alternifolius, medium or dwarf; Tropical plant with fun whorls of leaves topping sturdy green stems. Gives an “Egyptian” look to your pond! (bonus- these never seem to be bothered by bugs or disease that I’ve noticed.)
–Floating Island Planters– Planters come pre-planted with mixed shade tolerant flowering annuals giving you color even in shady spots! Plus, they are super easy to use- drop in, anchor in place, and enjoy!
Happy Gardening!
– Becky
