Annual Flowering Shade Plants
- A variety of annual flowering shade plants can be found for your garden.colorful flowers image by Ritu Jethani from Fotolia.com
Pick annual plants compatible with the sunlight your garden gets, and you can have beautiful flowers even in shady spots. Annual flowering shade plants come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some plants will do fine in full shade. Others may need an hour or two of morning sun for the best blooms. - Begoniasbegonia image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
Begonias are popular because they can be used for hanging baskets, container gardens, flower beds as well as indoors. Flowers bloom in such colors as red, white, pink and yellow. Some of the many varieties of begonias stay low to the ground as they grow; others can send out 9-inch stems. Begonias can tolerate sun and do well in full shade. The soil should be rich, loose, fertile and drain well. Water the soil thoroughly each time and then allow the soil to completely dry out before the next watering. - Impatiensimpatiens image by palms from Fotolia.com
Impatiens are ranked among the top ten most popular annuals in the United States, according to the Yardener Web site. These hard-working plants produce colorful flowers that bloom all summer long, and the plants do well in full shade. Blossoms have many colors including maroon, purple, pink, orange, salmon, white and mauve. Some blossoms have a bicolor star pattern with a color in the center and another color on the perimeter. Most impatiens will grow 8 to 12 inches tall. Water the plants thoroughly and then let the soil dry before watering again. - Caladiumsfeuille de caladium image by Unclesam from Fotolia.com
Caladiums, often called elephant ears, do well in the shade and are known for their showy leaves. Hot-pink, white and red create eye-catching patterns on the big green leaves. Caladiums, which like warm temperatures, grow 12 to 30 inches tall and also do well in a pot or container. These annuals like rich soil, which should be kept moist but well-drained. Caladium tubers can be dug up and reused each year. - Painted Nettlecoleus image by cusrach from Fotolia.com
The leaves of coleus, also know as painted nettle, have patterns in bright colors ranging from dark purple to pale pink. The foliage comes in different shapes and textures, some with ruffled edges. These annual plants do best with a few hours of morning sun. Coleus plants should be planted at least 12 inches apart and require rich, moist and well-drained soil. If the soil dries out completely, the plant will begin to wilt but will usually recover quickly when watered.
