Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_00.gif)
Thursday - May 02, 2013
From: Elkhart, IN
Region: Midwest
Topic: Planting, Soils, Shade Tolerant, Herbs/Forbs, Trees
Title: Flowers under pine trees from Elkhart Indiana
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I have a number of pine trees at the back of my lot and would like to plant flowers under the tree. What can I plant?ANSWER:
We have a very similar previous Mr. Smarty Plants answer for flowering plants under pine trees; it is, however, from Illinois. And, another one from New York, which also gives you instructions for using our National Suppliers Directory. So, we will use the same method detailed in the previous answers to find flowers that will grow in part shade, tolerate acidic soils and are native not only to North America but also to the area where they are to be grown; in your case, Elkhart County, IN.
We will go to our Native Plant Database and, scrolling down the page to use the Combination Search, search on Indiana for the state, herbs (herbaceous blooming plants) for Habit, and "part shade" under Light Requirements. We will list some examples and you can go back to do your own search for different plants with different characteristics. Follow each plant link to our webpage on that plant to learn bloom times and colors, mature heights, soils preferred and soil moisture for that plant. We ave checked each plant on our list with the USDA Plant Profile Maps to make sure they are native to your area and therefore compatible with your climate, soils and rainfall.
Achillea millefolium (Common yarrow)
Aconitum uncinatum (Southern blue monkshood)
Agalinis purpurea (Purple false foxglove)
Anemone virginiana (Tall thimbleweed)
Aruncus dioicus (Bride's feathers)
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterflyweed)
Caltha palustris (Yellow marsh marigold)
Claytonia virginica (Virginia springbeauty)
Euphorbia marginata (Snow on the mountain)
Fragaria virginiana (Virginia strawberry)
From the Image Gallery
More Shade Tolerant Questions
Shade tolerant plant for Rodeo, California
November 02, 2008 - I live in Rodeo, California and I need to know what is a good green plant I can get to place in a shady area
view the full question and answer
Ground cover plants for a shady North Carolina yard
March 20, 2016 - Ground cover erosion control for heavily shaded area in Cary, North Carolina. Current landscapers use strong blowers for leaf control. This blows away any seeds, loose soil and mulch. Tree roots ar...
view the full question and answer
Austin Shade Plants for Pots
March 28, 2010 - I live in a condo in Austin Texas so I don't have any flower beds or yard space. I would like to put a few large pots of plants and flowers on my front patio but it's mostly shaded during the day. W...
view the full question and answer
Groundcover to reduce erosion for shady area in New York
May 05, 2009 - We live on a lake with gravelly and clay soils, lots of wind and little sun. I am looking for a native ground cover that will help reduce erosion over some of the steep slopes facing south (under shad...
view the full question and answer
Native Texas Plants for a Terrarium
October 08, 2014 - I have a 55-gallon aquarium that I would like to make into a terrarium. Are there any Texas native plants that would do well in the limited artificial light of the tank? The plants should be of varyin...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |