These 5 Flowering Shrubs are Perfect for Full or Partial Sun

You might have noticed on our online store that all of our plants are assigned a “culture” in the Plant Description chart. If you’ve been a little confused about what that all means, allow us to explain.

Culture, in this context, means how a plant should be cultivated—in this sense, the ideal lighting requirements of plants. You’ll notice that we have three major categories to describe lighting requirements: full sun, part sun, and full shade.

What do these terms mean? It’s really simple; most plant nurseries define plant lighting requirements the same way. Full sun means a plant requires at least six hours of direct sunlight a day, part sun means that a plant can get by with four to six hours of direct sun, and full shade plants need less than four hours of sun to thrive.

Now that you know what these terms mean, keep reading for our top recs for flowering shrubs that fall into either the full sun or part sun categories!

Why the right lighting matters

Lighting is critical to plant growth and development, and not all lighting is equal. Different plants have specific light requirements, and factors such as light intensity, duration, and quality can impact photosynthesis.

Light quality describes what kind of light is available—mainly natural or white light versus artificial. For optimal photosynthesis, plants require white light that contains both blue and red wavelengths. Blue light helps regulate plant growth and development, while red light is essential for chlorophyll production and energy absorption. If you choose to supplement plant growth with artificial light, be sure to choose a full-spectrum light bulb specifically for plants. 

The physical location of your garden influences light intensity and duration. Southern climates get more focused sunlight and shorter days because these areas are closer to the equator, while Northern gardens receive more indirect light for a longer period of time.

Plants can use both of these different kinds of light effectively, but it’s good to know which kind of light your garden receives. Growers in the South might need to ensure that their plants have some protection from the harsh midday sun, while Northern gardeners might have no problem giving those same plants uninterrupted sunlight. 

Lighting can also be detrimental to plant health in the wrong amounts. Too much direct sunlight can sunburn some plants, especially young plants that haven’t yet acclimated to outdoor conditions. To avoid stunted growth and plant death, make sure to match up plants with the type and amount of lighting that they prefer.

Southeast-facing gardens receive the most light per day, since in the Northern hemisphere, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. This phenomenon can create microclimates in your landscape that range from slightly warmer than your true hardiness zone to slightly colder. Once you understand these microclimates, you can strategically place plants with different needs in the locations that work best for them.

5 flowering shrubs for full sun or part shade

These flowering shrubs are among our most versatile cultivars, as they thrive in full sun and part sun locations.

Fringe flower

You might also hear it referred to as Loropetalum or strap flower, but fringe flower is unique for its plum-colored foliage and tassel-like flowers that bloom from late winter until spring. The compact evergreen shrub provides year-round interest and serves as a source of early-season nectar for pollinators. Fringe flowers thrive in Zones 7–10 and the shrubs grow best in well-draining, slightly acidic soil that sees full sun.

Gardenia

Want a rose-like shrub without the work that roses require? Try gardenia. The highly fragrant blooms look nearly identical to roses, and their glossy foliage is evergreen, providing visual interest in winter as well as summer. Gardenia thrives in warm, humid environments and prefers to be planted in well-draining, acidic soil that receives partial sun.

Abelia

This semi-evergreen shrub is closely related to honeysuckle and produces nectar-rich, tubular flowers that bees and butterflies adore. Abelia has a sweet fragrance and bushes that range in size from a compact two feet to upwards of six feet in height. A low-maintenance and versatile plant, Abelia grows best in Zones 6–9. Plant abelia in well-draining, acidic soil that receives partial or full sun.

Viburnum

Viburnum’s fragrant flower clusters and glossy green leaves make an excellent full-sun alternative to hydrangeas. Flowers may be star-shaped, round, or flat-topped and range in color from white to red. Depending on the variety, the foliage may turn bronze in autumn. Some varieties of viburnum produce ornamental berries that are an important food source for birds. Other than the occasional watering and yearly pruning, viburnums need very little care to look elegant in the garden.

Hydrangea

A group of flowering shrubs native to North America and Asia, hydrangeas are a landscape staple. The flat-topped, rounded, or plum-shaped blooms are typically either pink or blue, depending on the variety and the soil pH. The serrated foliage changes color in the fall. Hydrangeas range from compact shrubs to small trees, and other than regular watering and pruning, are relatively low-maintenance shrubs that tolerate full sun or partial shade conditions.

Manipulating light in the garden

Now that you understand how different types of light affect different plants, you can learn to manipulate your natural lighting to meet specific plant needs.

Intentional planting

You can monitor the light in your landscape by observing how light hits your garden at different times of the year, or you can buy a light meter to take recordings. Note where the light hits at different times of the day and during different seasons of the year.

Research plant needs and compare those needs to the actual lighting conditions in your garden before you bring the first plants home.

Layered landscaping

One of the easiest (and most natural-looking) ways to create more shade is to work plants of varying heights into your landscape. Sun-loving shrubs naturally create shade underneath them, which is ideal for foliage plants and groundcovers. Check out this article for more tips on layered landscaping.

Pruning

Just as planting taller plants will create shade, pruning low-growing branches will introduce more sunlight to an area. You can safely remove up to one-third of a plant’s original foliage without damaging the plant, and this is a great place to start if the plants underneath it are struggling.

Trellising

Training vining plants to grow up a trellis will naturally allow more light to reach the plant foliage.

Use a shade screen

Another option is to use existing walls or build shade screens to cast shade in your landscape. Fences can serve as a windbreak as well as a shade screen, and can be made to be an integral feature of your landscape. You can also purchase polyester shade cloths online or from your local home and garden store. Most plants benefit from 30–50% shade, so look for a 30%–50% shade cloth to protect sensitive plants from excessive sunlight.

All in all, lighting plays a crucial role in gardening as it directly affects plant growth. By understanding the different types of light and their impact on plants, gardeners can manipulate their natural lighting to create optimal conditions for different plant species.

Manipulating light can be achieved through intentional planting, layered landscaping, pruning, trellising, and using shade screens. It is important to research plant needs and compare them to the actual lighting conditions in the garden before selecting and placing plants. By considering and manipulating light, gardeners can create microclimates and provide the best conditions for plant growth and success.

Once you know what kind of light your garden receives, shop our collection of Sun Shrubs for full sun locations or our Shade Shrub catalog if your garden is a little on the shady side.