When you plant according to the 'micro-climates' within your unique property, plants live longer, healthier lives.
CSU Extension recommends you take a good look at the sun that hits the ground around your property. Look at each area separately to determine if it gets any direct sunlight at any part of the day, especially in spring and summer. Also consider how much moisture or precipitation each area gets.
What if an area gets no sunlight?
If an area gets no direct light, that is “deep shade,” as you would find on the north side of a building, or under an evergreen. There are a few plants that will grow in deep shade, and those will do better if they have extra water. With low light and no water, you will often find bare ground.
What is “filtered shade”?
If light gets to the ground between branches and leaves, that is “filtered shade.” Many full-shade shrubs, like Mahonia – Colorado Grape Holly, and wax flower will do better if they get a bit of this gentle light.
What trees are suited for “part shade”?
If the area gets some light, that is “part shade.” Trees well suited for part-shade are Gambel oak and junipers.
What do I do if my property doesn’t get full sun?
Because of our intense sunlight, some plants that prefer full sun can survive in Colorado if they get 3-4 hours of direct sunlight, like viburnums, and burning bushes, but will not bloom well or be as bushy as if they had full sun. If they are given more light and water, the same shrubs will be bushier, taller, and bloom better.
Does having native plants matter?
In challenging settings, native shrubs and trees will fare better than those from other areas. For example, Gambel oak will grow better in the foothills than boxwood shrubs, tolerating our alkaline soil, desiccating wind and sub-zero temperatures.
Do different plants do well in dry versus wet shade?
Trees that do well in moist shade are serviceberry and redbud. Shrubs for dry shade areas include buckthorn, privet and Japanese barberry; moist shade shrubs include redtwig dogwood, gray dogwood, viburnums and daphne.
For more information, see the following Colorado State University Extension fact sheet(s):
Credit: Plant Talk, CSU Extension
CSU Extension recommends you take a good look at the sun that hits the ground around your property. Look at each area separately to determine if it gets any direct sunlight at any part of the day, especially in spring and summer. Also consider how much moisture or precipitation each area gets.
- Full shade is considered two hours or less of sun per day.
- Partial shade is four to six hours daily
- Dappled or filtered shade areas have light filtered through trees for most of the day.
What if an area gets no sunlight?
If an area gets no direct light, that is “deep shade,” as you would find on the north side of a building, or under an evergreen. There are a few plants that will grow in deep shade, and those will do better if they have extra water. With low light and no water, you will often find bare ground.
What is “filtered shade”?
If light gets to the ground between branches and leaves, that is “filtered shade.” Many full-shade shrubs, like Mahonia – Colorado Grape Holly, and wax flower will do better if they get a bit of this gentle light.
What trees are suited for “part shade”?
If the area gets some light, that is “part shade.” Trees well suited for part-shade are Gambel oak and junipers.
What do I do if my property doesn’t get full sun?
Because of our intense sunlight, some plants that prefer full sun can survive in Colorado if they get 3-4 hours of direct sunlight, like viburnums, and burning bushes, but will not bloom well or be as bushy as if they had full sun. If they are given more light and water, the same shrubs will be bushier, taller, and bloom better.
Does having native plants matter?
In challenging settings, native shrubs and trees will fare better than those from other areas. For example, Gambel oak will grow better in the foothills than boxwood shrubs, tolerating our alkaline soil, desiccating wind and sub-zero temperatures.
Do different plants do well in dry versus wet shade?
Trees that do well in moist shade are serviceberry and redbud. Shrubs for dry shade areas include buckthorn, privet and Japanese barberry; moist shade shrubs include redtwig dogwood, gray dogwood, viburnums and daphne.
For more information, see the following Colorado State University Extension fact sheet(s):
Credit: Plant Talk, CSU Extension