Botanical Name Common Name Height (feet) Evergreen

 

Shade and Acid Soil

 
Amelanchier spp. Shadbush varies w/ species
Cyrilla racemiflora American cyrilla 10 -15 +
Daphne mezereum February daphne 3 - 5
Enkianthus spp. Red-vein enkianthus varies w/species
Ilex spp. Evergreen and deciduous holly varies w/species
*
Kalmia latifolia Mountain laurel 7-15 +
*
Leucothoe fontanesiana Drooping leucothoe 3-5
*
Pieris floribunda Mountain andromeda 2-6
*
Rhododendron spp. Evergreen and deciduous azaleas varies w/species
*
Rhododendron carolinianum Carolina rhododendron 3-5
*
Rhododendron catawbiense Catawba rhododendron 6-10+
*
Rhododendron maximum Rosebay rhododendron 4-15+
*
Skimmia jaonica Skimmia 3-4+
*
Vaccinium angustifolium laevifolium Lowbush blueberry 1/2-2
Vaccinium corymbosum Highbush blueberry 6-12

 

Shade and Dry Soil

 
Acanthopanax Sieboldianus Five-leaf aralia 8-10
Berberis thunbergii Japanese barberry 3-6
Comptonia peregrina Sweet fern 2-4
Cornus racemosa Gray dogwood 10-15
Diervilla lonicera Gravelweed dwarf
Gaylussacia brachycera Box huckleberry 1/2 - 1 1/2
*
Hamamelis virginiana Common witch hazel 20-30
Hypericum caycinum St. John's wort 1 - 1 1/2
Hypericum prolificum Shrubby St. John's wort 1-5
Ligustrum spp. Privet varies w/species
Myrica pennsylvanica Bayberry 5-12
Physocarpus opulifolius Ninebark 5-9
Rhamnus cathartica Common buckthorn 18-25
Rhodotypos scandens Jetbead 3-6
Ribes alpinum Alpine currant 3-10
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus Coralberry 2-5
Vaccinium pallidum Dry blueberry 3
Viburnum lentago Nannyberry 15-18+

 

Shade and Wet Soil

 
Andromeda polifolia Bog rosemary 1-2
*
Aronia arbutifolia Chokeberry 6-10
Calycanthus floridus Carolina allspice 6-9
Clethra alnifolia Summersweet 3-8
Comptonia peregrina Sweet fern 2-4
Cornus alba Tartarian dogwood 8-10
Cornus sericea Red-osier dogwood 7--9
Cornus sericea 'Flaviramea' Golden-twig dogwood  
Cyrilla racemiflora American cyrilla 10-15+
Ilex glabra Inkberry 6-8, varies
*
Ilex verticillata Winterberry 6-10+
Kalmia latifolia Mountain laurel 7-15+
*
Leucothoe fontanesiana Drooping leucothoe 3-5
*
Lindera benzoin Spicebush 6-12
Magnolia virginiana Sweetbay magnolia 10-20
Myrica pennsylvanica Bayberry 5-12
Rhododendron arborescens Sweet azalea 8-20
Rhododendron calendulaceum Flame azalea 4-15, varies
Rhododendron canadense Mountain azalea 3-4
Rhododendron periclymenoides (R.nudiflorum) Pinxter-flower 4-6, varies
Rhododendron vaseyi Pinkshell azalea 5-10
Rhododendron viscosum Swamp azalea 1-8
Sambacus pubens Scarlet Elder 12-25
Thuja occidentalis American arborvitae 40-60
*
Vaccinium corymbosum Highbush blueberry 6-12
Viburnum dentatum Arrowwood 6-15
Xanthorhiza simplicissima Yellowroot 2-3

 

Shade and Normal Soil (Vines)

 
Akebia quinata Five-leaf akebia 20-40
Celastrus orbiculatus Oriental bittersweet 30-40
Celastrus scandens American bittersweet 20+
Clematis dioscoreifolia va. robusta Sweet autumn clematis tall
Euonymus fortunei vars. and cultivars Wintercreeper varies w/ type
*
Hedera helix English ivy 90
*
Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris Climbing hydrangea 60-80
Lonicera japonica 'Halliana' Hall's honeysuckle 15-30
Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia creeper 30-50+
Parthenocissus tricuspidata Boston ivy 30-50+

 

Shade and Normal Soil (Ground Covers)

 
Euonymus fortunei vars. and cultivars Wintercreeper varies w/type
*
Mahonia repens Creeping hollygrape 1
*
Pachysandra terminalis Japenese spurge 1/2 - 1
*
Paxistima canbyi Canby Pachistima 1
*
Sarcococca hookerana Himalayan sarcococca 4-6
*
Vinca minor Common periwinkle 1/4-1/2
*
Xanthorhiza simplicissima Yellowroot 2-3

 

Shade and Normal Soils (Shrubs)

 
Abelia x grandiflora Glossy abelia 3-6
Acanthopanax sieboldianus Five-leaf aralie 8-10
Amelanchier canadensis Downy shadblow 6-20
Aronia arbutifolia Red chokeberry 6-10
Aucuba japonica Japanese aucuba 6-10+
*
Berberis x chenaultii Chenault barberry 3-4
*
Berberis julianae Wintergreen chokeberry 6-8
*
Berberis triacanthophora Threespine barberry 3-5
*
Berberis verruculosa Warty barberry 3-6
*
Buxus microphylla var. japonica Japanese box 3-6
*
Buxus sempervirens Common box 15-20
*
Chaenomeles speciosa Flowering quince 6-10, varies
Corylopsis spp. Winterhazel varies w/species
Cotoneaster salicifolius floccosus Willowleaf cotoneaster 10-15
*
Deutzia gracilis Slender deutzia 2-6
Enkianthus campanulatus Red-vein Enkianthus 15-30
Euonymus alata Winged Euonymus 15-20
Fothergilla spp.   varies w/ species
Hamamelis vernalis Vernal witch-hazel 6-10 +
Hydrangea arborescens 'Grandiflora' Snowhill hydrangea 3-5
Hydrangea quercifolia Oakleaf hydrangea 4-6 +
Ilex cornuta Chinese holly 8-10 +
*
Ilex crenata 'Microphylla' Littleleaf Japanese holly 5-10 + or a small tree
*
Kerria japonica Kerria 3-6
Leucothoe fontanesiana Drooping leucothoe 3-5
*
Ligustrum amurense Amur privet 12-15
Ligustrum lucidum Glossy privet 20-25
Ligustrum obtusifolium regelianum Regal privet 4-5
Lonicera fragrantissima Winter honeysuckle 6-10 +
Lonicera morrowii Morrow honeysuckle 6-8
Lonicera tatarica Tatarian honeysuckle 10-12
Mahonia aquifolium Oregon hollygrape 3-6 +
*
Mahonia bealei Leatherleaf mahonia 10-12
*
Osmanthus heterophyllus Holly osmanthus 8-10 +
*
Philadelphus coronarius Sweet mockorange 10-12
Pieris floribunda Mountain andromeda 2-6
*
Pieris japonica Japanese andromeda 9-12
*
Potentilla fruticosa Shrubby cinquefoil 1-4
Prunus laurocerasus Cherry laurel 10-18
*
Pyracantha coccinea 'Lalandei' Laland firethorn 1/2 - 1 1/2
*
Sorbaria sorbifolia False spiraea 5-10
Spiraea thunbergii Spiraea, Bridal-wreath 3-5
Stephanandra incisa Cutleaf stephanandra 4-7
Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus Snowberry 6
Taxus baccata 'Repandens' Spreading English yew 2-4
*
Taxus canadensis American yew 3-6
*
Taxus cuspidata Japenese yew 10-40 + can be sheared
*
Taxus x media 'Hicksii' Hicks yew 20
*
Viburnum acerifolium Mapleleaf viburnum 4-6
Viburnum dilatatum Linden viburnum 8-10
Viburnum opulus European cranberrybush 8-12 +
Viburnum rhytidophyllum Leatherleaf viburnum 10-15
*

 

Shade and Normal Soil (Trees)

 
Acer pennsylvanicum Striped maple 15-20 +
Amerlanchier laevis Allegheny shadblow 15-25 +
Cercis canadensis American redbud 20-30
Chamaecyparis obtusa Hinoki falsecypress 50-75
*
Clethra barbinervis   18
Cornus alternifolia Pagoda dogwood 15-25
Cornus florida Flowering dogwood 20-40, varies
Cornus mas Cornelian cherry 20-25
Hamamelis mollis Chinese witchhazel 10-15 +
Ilex aquifolium English holly 30-50 +
*
Ilex opaca American holly 15-30 +
*
Magnolia virginiana Sweetbay 10-20
Oxydendrum arboreum Sourwood 25-30 +
Prunus pensylvanica Pin cherry 25-40
Thuja occidentalis American arborvitae 40-60
*
Thuja plicata Giant arborvitae 50-70 +
*
Tsuga spp. Hemlock varies w/ species
*
Viburnum prunifolium Blackhaw 12-30

 

 

Adapted from the Cornell Cooperative Extension, 2001