Shrubs for Shade: Zone 5 Options That Are Beautiful for Any Garden or Landscape

Planting shrubs shade in zone 5 is a bit of a balancing act. The shrubs need to be able to withstand very cold temperatures in the winter and also survive in low light conditions. Before you head to the garden store to buy a shrub, look carefully at the type of shade your garden offers. Shade is generally classified as light, moderate or heavy. The zone 5 shade shrubs that will thrive in your yard vary depending on the type of shade involved.

The key to planting a beautiful shade garden is finding attractive shrubs that thrive in shade in your hardiness zone. If you live in zone 5, your climate is on the cool side. However, you’ll find lots of options for bushes for zone 5 shade.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s plant hardiness zone system runs from icy zone 1 to sweltering zone 12, with the zones defined by a region’s coldest winter temperature. Zone 5 is somewhere in the cool middle, with lows between -20 and -10 degrees Fahrenheit (-29 and -23 C.). Read on for information about zone 5 shade shrubs.

Shrubs for Shade - Zone 5

Most plants need some sunlight to survive. You’ll find more options for bushes for zone 5 shade if you have “light shade” areas – those getting filtered sunshine – than for those shade areas receiving only reflected sunlight. Even fewer zone 5 bushes for shade grow in “deep shade” areas. Deep shade is found under dense evergreen trees or anywhere that sunlight is blocked.

Flowering Shrubs for Shade - Zone 5

• Bigleaf Hydrangea - Bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) are great flowering shrubs for partial shade. They have big, beautiful blooms in the summer and you can actually change their bloom color by changing the pH of your soil. Choose a variety of bigleaf hydrangea that is hardy to zone 5 like ‘Midnight Rider’ or ‘Endless Summer’ or ensure your shrub gets winter protection. ‘Midnight Rider’ hydrangea, available from Fast Growing Trees, is a heavy bloomer with unique dark foliage. ‘Endless Summer’ hydrangeas, also available from Fast Growing Trees, are easy to care for and thrive in partial to full shade.
• Rhododendron - Rhododendron are zone 4-8 champions and love partial shade. Plant rhododendron shrubs in moist, slightly acidic soil and watch them thrive. There are many different colors of blooms available so you can really choose the best one for your garden personality. ‘Holden’s Peach’ hybrid rhododendron, available from Fast Growing Trees, has peachy pink and yellow blooms and glossy evergreen foliage. And the lavender rhododendron shrub, also from Fast Growing Trees, has clusters of vibrant purple blossoms.
• Mountain Laurel - Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is a native broadleaf evergreen shrub that grows well in partial shade. It favors cool, well-draining, acidic soil. Mountain laurel has gorgeous, showy flowers that attract native pollinators from late spring through early summer. It is also deer resistant. Find ‘Pink Charm’ mountain laurel shrubs from Plant Addicts nursery.

Evergreen Shrubs for Shade - Zone 5

• Sweet Box - Sweet box (Sarcococca hookeriana) is a broadleaf evergreen shrub that is perfect for shady spots in zone 5 gardens. It does well in part shade to full shade and prefers well-drained soil. Sweet box has delicate flowers that bloom in late winter to early spring and add beautiful fragrance wherever planted. Plant ‘Sweet & Lo’ sweet box shrubs from Fast Growing Trees to add year-round interest to even the shadiest spots.
• Hybrid Yew - Hybrid yews like Taxus x media ‘Stonehenge Dark Druid’ are tolerant of most lighting conditions and do well in zone 5. Hybrid yew shrubs prefer loam soil and don’t tolerate wet conditions so be sure to plant in an area with good drainage. These easy-care evergreens attract birds with their berries and are drought-resistant to boot. ‘Stonehenge Dark Druid’ yews, available from Plant Addicts nursery, are compact, naturally round shrubs that do well in most home gardens including in urban areas.
• Boxwood - Boxwood shrubs (Buxus sempervirens) are steady workhorses in landscape gardening. They add structure and greenery and make good foundation plantings, hedges, or specimen plantings. Varieties like ‘Green Mountain’, available from Garden Goods Direct, will work in your zone 5 garden with partial shade and well-drained soil.

Shrubs for Light Shade

You are in luck if your backyard garden gets sunlight filtered through the branches of open-canopied trees like birch. If this is the case, you’ll find many more options for zone 5 shade shrubs than you might think. Select among:

• Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)
• Cornelian cherry dogwood (Cornus mas)
• Hazelnut (Corylus species)
• Dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenia)
• Mock orange (Philadelphus coronaries)

Shrubs for Moderate Shade

When you are growing bushes in zone 5 shade in an area that gets some reflected sunshine, you’ll find options as well. Quite a few varieties thrive in this type of shade in zone 5. These include:

• Sweet shrub (Calycanthus floridus)
• Sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina)
• Daphne (Daphne species)
• Witch hazel (Hamamelis species)
• Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)
• Holly (Ilex species)
• Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica)
• Leucothoe (Leucothoe species)
• Oregon holly grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
• Northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica)

Shrubs for Deep Shade

When your garden gets no sunlight at all, your choices for zone 5 bushes for shade are more limited. Most plants prefer at least dappled light. However, a few shrubs grow in zone 5 deep shade areas. These include:

• Japanese kerria (Kerria japonica)
• Laurel (Kalmia species)

Shop Shrub Planting Essentials