5 Best Shade Shrubs for North Texas

A common challenge for DFW homeowners is finding attractive shade-loving plants suited to our climate that can grow in areas with limited sunlight. Most recommendations for North Texas trees are based on their ability to thrive in the beaming Texas sun. But what grows in the shade? If you’re lucky enough to have mature trees on your property or your home blocks out most of the sun, shade shrubs may be your only go-to. In this blog post, we’ll provide a list of the five best shade shrubs in North Texas and how to care for them.

Whether you’re interested in a well-manicured aesthetic or a naturalistic vibe, these North Texas shrubs offer a variety of structures, textures, colors, and features that can meet your needs and enhance diversity in your garden. For advice on which trees and shrubs are best for your residential or commercial property, call a professional tree doctor at (817) 592-6846!

Aucuba Shrub

This dependable evergreen shrub has glossy green foliage dotted with golden-yellow markings. This variegated feature is how they also came to be known as the gold dust plant! While this shade shrub is highly adaptable to several soil types and locations, they thrive best in moist, organic-rich, well-drained soils. Aucuba shrubs are low-maintenance, drought and heat tolerant once established and can be planted in some of your garden’s shadiest spots- perfect for sprucing up a dark corner of your landscape!

• Mature size: 3′ to 8′ tall with a similar spread
• Water requirements: regular watering during the first year until they are established and supplemental watering during hot, dry summers.

Leatherleaf Mahonia Shrub 

The leatherleaf mahonia is a shade-loving evergreen shrub well adapted to North Texas. It has leaflets with dagger-like prickles at the end, resembling some Dallas holly tree varieties. In late winter and early spring, the leatherleaf mahonia blooms clusters of small chartreuse flowers followed by abundant light blue to black berries. Once established, this North Texas shrub is heat and drought-tolerant with moderate water and fertilization needs.

• Mature size: 4′ to 6′ tall and 3′ to 4′ wide

• Water requirements: Supplemental watering once a week. During drought seasons, water twice weekly.

Turk’s Cap Shrub 

The Turk’s cap shrub is native to Texas and prized as one of the top flowering ornamentals for DFW. From summer to fall, this shade shrub produces striking vermillion blooms twisted into whorls with protruding red stamens. This defining characteristic resembles a Turkish fez or turban! Once established, this shade shrub is drought, heat, and shade tolerant and adaptable to various soil types.

• Mature size: 2′ to 3′ tall and 3′ to 5′ wide
• Water requirements: once every other week until established, needs supplemental watering during prolonged drought, but overwatering can cause root rot.

Autumn Fern

Ferns can be found naturally on forest floors, so they thrive in shady spots similar to their native habitat. These primitive vascular plants prefer humid, temperate environments, and their attractive fountain-shaped fronds add a tropical touch to any North Texas landscape. The autumn fern is well-suited to Dallas/Fort Worth and is more winter-hardy than the holly fern. Autumn fern shrubs offer beauty throughout the growing season, emerging coppery red fronds in spring, then maturing to kelly green by summer. They are also exceptionally heat and drought-tolerant if planted in the shade and watered adequately.

• Mature size: 15″ to 20″ tall
• Water requirements: adaptable to dry or cool soils but must be watered weekly to maintain even moisture.

American Beautyberry 

The American beautyberry shrub is native to the southeastern states and best suited to semi-shaded areas with some moisture. From June to August, this shade shrub produces small light lavender to pink flowers, but the real show occurs from fall to winter when this plant rings true to its name and displays vibrant magenta berries that attract over 40 different bird species. When planted in partial shade and given enough water, American beautyberry shrubs are low-maintenance, drought and heat tolerant, and remarkably adaptable to North Texas soil types and growing conditions.

• Mature size: 4′ to 6′ tall with an equal spread
• Water requirements: if planted in full sun, they will need lots of water, or else they can wilt.

North Texas Shrub Care 

Healthy North Texas shade shrubs are a valuable asset for water conservation, adding plant diversity and filling in those hard-to-grow areas in your garden. While we’ve listed some of the best shade shrubs for DFW due to their hardiness, resistance to pests, and versatility, they still need proper care to thrive. The best way to ensure your trees and shrubs stay beautiful and low-maintenance is by giving them professional plant health services.

Most shade shrubs require well-drained, highly organic soils. Depending on your soil quality, it may need amendments before planting. Soil amendments will vary based on the issues your soil lacks, whether drainage, fertility, pH balance, or other factors. Additionally, trees and shrubs need pruning and fertilization services at the appropriate times.

Certified Arborist Tree Care Services

Before planting trees and shrubs, a TreeNewal tree doctor can test your soil and provide soil conditioning services to ensure your landscape is an optimal growing environment. Our Dallas tree care specialists also offer tree health services, like pruning and fertilization, to keep your landscape healthy and beautiful year-round. Every fertilization performed by our Dallas tree experts is specially formulated to meet the needs of your plants. As a sustainable tree care company, we only use the highest quality eco-friendly products and techniques when serving our customers in Dallas, Fort Worth, Southlake, Westlake, Denton, Argyle, and Flower Mound. Call (817) 592-6846 and learn how we can improve your landscape!

This dependable evergreen shrub has glossy green foliage dotted with golden-yellow markings. This variegated feature is how they also came to be known as the gold dust plant! While this shade shrub is highly adaptable to several soil types and locations, they thrive best in moist, organic-rich, well-drained soils. Aucuba shrubs are low-maintenance, drought and heat tolerant once established and can be planted in some of your garden’s shadiest spots- perfect for sprucing up a dark corner of your landscape!

• Mature size: 3′ to 8′ tall with a similar spread
• Water requirements: regular watering during the first year until they are established and supplemental watering during hot, dry summers.

Leatherleaf Mahonia Shrub 

The leatherleaf mahonia is a shade-loving evergreen shrub well adapted to North Texas. It has leaflets with dagger-like prickles at the end, resembling some Dallas holly tree varieties. In late winter and early spring, the leatherleaf mahonia blooms clusters of small chartreuse flowers followed by abundant light blue to black berries. Once established, this North Texas shrub is heat and drought-tolerant with moderate water and fertilization needs.

• Mature size: 4′ to 6′ tall and 3′ to 4′ wide

• Water requirements: Supplemental watering once a week. During drought seasons, water twice weekly.

Turk’s Cap Shrub 

The Turk’s cap shrub is native to Texas and prized as one of the top flowering ornamentals for DFW. From summer to fall, this shade shrub produces striking vermillion blooms twisted into whorls with protruding red stamens. This defining characteristic resembles a Turkish fez or turban! Once established, this shade shrub is drought, heat, and shade tolerant and adaptable to various soil types.

• Mature size: 2′ to 3′ tall and 3′ to 5′ wide
• Water requirements: once every other week until established, needs supplemental watering during prolonged drought, but overwatering can cause root rot.

Autumn Fern

Ferns can be found naturally on forest floors, so they thrive in shady spots similar to their native habitat. These primitive vascular plants prefer humid, temperate environments, and their attractive fountain-shaped fronds add a tropical touch to any North Texas landscape. The autumn fern is well-suited to Dallas/Fort Worth and is more winter-hardy than the holly fern. Autumn fern shrubs offer beauty throughout the growing season, emerging coppery red fronds in spring, then maturing to kelly green by summer. They are also exceptionally heat and drought-tolerant if planted in the shade and watered adequately.

• Mature size: 15″ to 20″ tall
• Water requirements: adaptable to dry or cool soils but must be watered weekly to maintain even moisture.

American Beautyberry 

The American beautyberry shrub is native to the southeastern states and best suited to semi-shaded areas with some moisture. From June to August, this shade shrub produces small light lavender to pink flowers, but the real show occurs from fall to winter when this plant rings true to its name and displays vibrant magenta berries that attract over 40 different bird species. When planted in partial shade and given enough water, American beautyberry shrubs are low-maintenance, drought and heat tolerant, and remarkably adaptable to North Texas soil types and growing conditions.

• Mature size: 4′ to 6′ tall with an equal spread
• Water requirements: if planted in full sun, they will need lots of water, or else they can wilt.

North Texas Shrub Care 

Healthy North Texas shade shrubs are a valuable asset for water conservation, adding plant diversity and filling in those hard-to-grow areas in your garden. While we’ve listed some of the best shade shrubs for DFW due to their hardiness, resistance to pests, and versatility, they still need proper care to thrive. The best way to ensure your trees and shrubs stay beautiful and low-maintenance is by giving them professional plant health services.

Most shade shrubs require well-drained, highly organic soils. Depending on your soil quality, it may need amendments before planting. Soil amendments will vary based on the issues your soil lacks, whether drainage, fertility, pH balance, or other factors. Additionally, trees and shrubs need pruning and fertilization services at the appropriate times.

Certified Arborist Tree Care Services 

Before planting trees and shrubs, a TreeNewal tree doctor can test your soil and provide soil conditioning services to ensure your landscape is an optimal growing environment. Our Dallas tree care specialists also offer tree health services, like pruning and fertilization, to keep your landscape healthy and beautiful year-round. Every fertilization performed by our Dallas tree experts is specially formulated to meet the needs of your plants. As a sustainable tree care company, we only use the highest quality eco-friendly products and techniques when serving our customers in Dallas, Fort Worth, Southlake, Westlake, Denton, Argyle, and Flower Mound. Call (817) 592-6846 and learn how we can improve your landscape!