Sun or Shade? (Or Something in Between?)
By Paul James
When shopping for plants, one of the first and most important questions you’ll likely be asked is, “Will they be growing in sun or shade?” And most often, it’s one or the other. But that’s not always the case. And the whole sun and shade discussion can sometimes get rather confusing.
After all, there’s morning sun followed by afternoon shade (my favorite) and there’s the exact opposite. There’s the dappled light found beneath large trees, which might also be referred to as part or partial shade, and that may exist even on homes that face west or south, where you would ordinarily expect full blazing sun. Those that face north may actually get a lot of sun depending on the pitch of the roof. And of course there are situations in which the sun (or shade) is in and out throughout the day.
So let’s get one thing clear from the outset: Plants that require full sun won’t grow well in the shade. They may survive, but they won’t thrive, and they’ll forever lack the vigor that they would otherwise have. However, they may do just fine in dappled light, or a spot that gets some sun throughout the day. Plants that require full shade will croak in the sun. Period.
Thankfully, there are plants that will adapt to all situations. The palette of possibilities might be limited, and you may not be able to plant what you want, but a solution exists. What you need to do is actually observe how much light an area is getting throughout the day. Then and only then will you be able to figure out what plants you can and can’t have in your situation.
Finally, I should explain why I’m so fond of morning sun followed by afternoon shade. You see those are the conditions that allow me to grow my favorite plants, including Japanese maples and Japanese forest grass, Hydrangeas, Viburnums, Yews, ferns of all kinds, Hosta, Heuchera, and so many more shady characters.
4 responses to “Sun or Shade? (Or Something in Between?)”
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I often here morning sun and afternoon shade, does this mean that afternoon sun is of a greater intensity than morning? If so, if something requires say 6 hours of sun could it get by on fewer hours if it’s afternoon sun? Keep up your great work both here and also on tv with Taft, I value the knowledge you share!
Tom,
Yes, afternoon sun is much more intense than morning sun. And answering your question is tricky, because basically it depends on the plant. Let me know what plant you have in mind and I’ll give you my thoughts.
Thanks for watching me and Taft on KJRH.
I acquired a muss hardy basjoo banana. Everything I’ve read said full sun, but it arrived with a label saying part sun and shade. The bed I’m contemplating gets afternoon sun.
Tom,
Full sun is fine.