Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Thrives in cool shade under a canopy, where it handles part to full shade; reaching 6–10 ft and it flowers in May and Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Vermont · Zones 3–5
Native Plants for Shade in Vermont
Woodland wildflowers, ferns, and groundcovers that thrive in the dappled and full shade under trees and on the north side of the house. For Vermont, the right natives are shaped by Green Mountains & Champlain Valley and a cold, humid continental climate. Every species below, from Arrowwood Viburnum and Wild Bleeding Heart to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Vermont and the wider flora of the Northeast and hardy through zones 3–5. 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
15 native species for Vermont
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 3–5 · see this collection in other states.
Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
Made for shade — it handles part to full shade, 12–18 in wide and it blooms Apr through Aug.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
A woodland native that handles part to full shade, 15–25 ft tall and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
Made for shade — it handles part to full shade, spreading 3–5 ft and it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Part shade
- Average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
Carpets the dappled ground beneath trees, good through zone 8, flowering as it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
Carpets the dappled ground beneath trees, happy in loam soil, flowering as it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Thrives in cool shade under a canopy, where it handles part to full shade; good through zone 8 and it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
A shade groundcover for the woodland floor, for loam ground; it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
For the dappled north side and under trees, it handles part to full shade — cold-hardy to zone 3 and it blooms Mar through May.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
A shade groundcover for the woodland floor, happy in clay, rocky, and loam soil; it flowers in Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
For the dappled north side and under trees, it handles part to full shade — reaching 6–12 ft 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, for loam ground — it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
A spreading carpet for the shaded woodland floor, cold-hardy to zone 3.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 6–12 in
- Foliage
Cinnamon Fern
Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
Made for shade — it handles part to full shade, 2–3 ft wide.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Foliage
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
Carpets the dappled ground beneath trees, cold-hardy to zone 3.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Evergreen
Sourcing
Where to find these in Vermont
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.