Plants for Morning Sun and Afternoon Shade

Evergreen Azaleas

Evergreen azalea (Rhododendron) "Mrs. Henry Schroeder," at 18 inches to 3 feet high and wide, has dark-green, oval foliage. Its double, 2-inch rosy-purple flowers bloom in May. Slightly larger "Blaauw's Pink," a Kurame azalea cultivar, grows from 2 to 4 feet tall with a similar spread. Its double, salmon-pink flowers bloom profusely, nearly concealing the shrub's branches in early to midspring. They display well against the plant's small, glossy dark-green leaves. Both azaleas are happiest in organically rich, moist, acidic well-drained soil. They thrive in morning sun and afternoon shade. Plants in afternoon sun have increased risk of leaf scorch.

Heucheras, or coral bells, are mounding perennials with colorful, lobed foliage and delicate, upright stems of modest summer blooms. Grown primarily as foliage plants, heucheras have the best leaf color where they get afternoon shade. "Cappuccino" heuchera has 8-inch tall clumps of 2- to 4-inch, white-splotched deep bronze leaves and white spring and summer blooms. Flowering plants stand up to 2 feet high. "Strawberry Candy" heuchera's silver-spattered, green leaves make a striking counterpart to its stem-topping clusters of hot-pink blossoms. The flowers rise up to 7 inches above the 9-inch high basal foliage. Heucheras flourish in humus-rich, well-drained soils with average moisture. Dry soil -- as well as afternoon sun -- takes a severe toll on the foliage's color and condition.

Amsonias, or blue stars, pair star-shaped flowers in various shades of blue with erect clumps of needle-narrow, feathery foliage. Amsonia hubrichtii grows 2 or 3 feet tall and wide. This perennial has clusters of light blue, 12-inch spring blooms. Its yellow fall foliage, however, may be its best feature. Hybrid amsonia "Seaford Skies" has willowy, green leaves. Its sky blue spring blossoms occur in pyramidal clusters on 3-foot stems. At up to 5 feet wide, Seaford Skies' gold mound of autumn foliage makes an attention-grabbing display. While amsonia's fall color is most impressive in full sun, afternoon shade extends its spring bloom.

Native to the woodland edges of Eastern Asia, many hostas flourish in morning sun and afternoon shade. Scented varieties of these ornamental foliage plants benefit the most from morning or early afternoon sun followed by shade, conditions that develop their fragrance. All perfumed Hosta hybrids descend from Hosta plantaginea, or fragrant hosta. This heat-tolerant Chinese native has a 1- to 1 1/2-foot mound of yellowish-green, heart-shaped leaves. Its 10-inch, funnellike white flowers crown 2 1/2-foot stems. Hosta "Fragrant Bouquet's" 15-to-20-inch-tall clump of lime-green, cream-edged leaves spread as far as 3 feet. From early to midsummer, it bears stems of fragrant, pale lavender flowers. Hostas perform well in moist, organically rich, well-drained soils.