Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
A shade groundcover for the woodland floor, hardy in zones 3–8, and it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Illinois · Zones 5–7
Native Plants for Shade in Illinois
Woodland wildflowers, ferns, and groundcovers that thrive in the dappled and full shade under trees and on the north side of the house. For Illinois, the right natives are shaped by Central Tallgrass Prairie and a humid continental climate. Every species below, from Wild Geranium and Arrowwood Viburnum to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Illinois and the wider flora of the Midwest and hardy through zones 5–7. Shade is an opportunity, not a problem — the eastern woodland flora is one of the richest in the world. Most shade natives evolved under a deciduous canopy, so they do their growing in cool, moist spring soil and want a yearly mulch of fallen leaves rather than bare, raked dirt. Match the depth of shade to the plant, and a bare patch under a maple becomes the loveliest part of the garden.
The plants
14 native species for Illinois
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–7 · see this collection in other states.
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
A woodland native that handles part to full shade, for clay and loam ground and it flowers in May and Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
Thrives in cool shade under a canopy, where it handles part to full shade; reaching 1–2 ft and it blooms Mar through May.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
Made for shade — it handles part to full shade, happy in clay and loam soil and it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Part shade
- Average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Made for shade — it handles part to full shade, white bracts flowers and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
A shade groundcover for the woodland floor, foamy white flowers; it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
A spreading carpet for the shaded woodland floor, hardy in zones 3–8, flowering as it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
A woodland native that handles part to full shade, happy in rocky and loam soil and it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
A woodland native that handles part to full shade, cold-hardy to zone 4 and it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Wild Ginger
Asarum canadense
Carpets the dappled ground beneath trees, spreading 12–18 in — it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
A spreading carpet for the shaded woodland floor, cold-hardy to zone 3 — it flowers in Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
A spreading carpet for the shaded woodland floor, reaching 1–2 ft.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Evergreen
Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
A shade groundcover for the woodland floor, hardy in zones 3–8.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 6–12 in
- Foliage
Cinnamon Fern
Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
A woodland native that handles part to full shade, reaching 2–4 ft.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Foliage
Sourcing
Where to find these in Illinois
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.