21 Gorgeous Shade Plants For Minnesota Gardeners (They Thrive in Zone 3!)

Zone 3 is one of the most difficult gardening zones, with a short growing season and the potential for frost even during the summer months. This means that plants that are perennials in most other zones have to be treated like annuals in this northern growing zone.

However, there are some perennials that are hardy enough to withstand the -40 degree nights, even when planted in the shade. We have curated a list of these plants to give you a great start at building the foundation of your shady place perennial garden!

1. Hostas

Hostas are very popular among shade garden plants, and it's no wonder. With its hundreds of varieties, there's sure to be one that will help you achieve the look you're aiming for in your garden.

These require very little care and maintenance, simply give them an extra layer of mulch in late fall to protect them from frost and occasionally break them up and redistribute. Blue-toned hostas tend to do better in colder climates while yellow-toned hostas need some extra warmth and sunlight.

2. Astilbe

Astilbe plants are a great choice for a shade garden and will add plenty of color and interest in an area most flowers won't grow. Be sure your garden area is definitely in the shade, though. These delicate plants will quickly burn in direct sun. This particular flower can grow from 6 inches to 5 feet tall.

They don't do well in dry soil, so make sure that these beauties have a moist area to root in. Also, be prepared for some leaves to turn yellow after the first frost. Simply trim the yellowed leaves and the plant will add growth the following spring.

3. Jacob's Ladder

Jacob's Ladder is a pretty little plant with ladder-like leaves and bell-shaped flowers. Bright blue is the most popular variation of this plant, which is eye-catching with its yellow center. They can grow up to 2 feet tall and like moist but not wet soil. If the plant has a darker green leaf it can tolerate a bit more sun, but most will grow best in a shady area.

Deadheading the bloom, once it starts to fade, will keep the plant reblooming all season, and dividing once every 2-4 years will keep the clumps from dying in the center.

4. Hot Lips Turtlehead

The hot lips turtlehead is a bushy plant that loves the dappled shade and moist or wet soil. It blooms in late summer and produces hooded, hot pink flowers that stick around for 3-6 weeks. This plant is a good choice if you want to attract some butterflies to your garden, as they're fans of this particular plant as well.

The turtlehead will grow up to 3 feet tall and will spread up to 3 feet out. Wait until spring to cut back any unruly growth or to divide clumps to ensure they can deal with the cold in winter better.

5. Siberian Bugloss

Blooming with tiny blue flowers in mid to late summer, the Siberian Bugloss is an easy-to-grow perennial that loves the shade. It also has leaves that come in shades of either green or grey, silver, and white.

This is a fairly hardy plant but does need the care to make sure the soil it's planted in doesn't get too wet or too dry. The Bugloss can get up to 1.5 feet high and 2 feet across and routinely self-seeds, causing smaller plants to sprout near the larger plant each spring.

6. Bunchberry

Bunchberry forms a knee-high carpet, just 4-8 inches tall, that lights up shady spots with dogwood-style white “flowers” in late spring and ruby-red berries in summer. A true northern native, it laughs at -40 °F winters and is rated hardy in USDA Zones 2-7, making it a sure bet for Zone 3 gardens.

Plant it in moist, humus-rich soil under trees, and it will slowly weave a tidy mat without choking its neighbors. Mulch with fallen leaves each autumn and water during dry spells. Otherwise, this ground-cover pretty much takes care of itself.

7. Snakeroot

The Snakeroot plant is a good addition to a shade garden and will tolerate drier soil better than most plants. This plant grows up to 4 feet tall and blooms clusters of small white flowers in the summer and fall. The snakeroot likes moist soil but will tolerate occasional drought. You can cut this plant back in the fall if it's overwhelming the space you have set aside for them.

This plant attracts bees and butterflies as well as other pollinators such as birds and would be good in the garden of someone who enjoys these creatures. It has also been said that snakeroot will cure a snake bite, but be warned, the foliage and roots are actually poisonous to cattle and humans.

8. Plantain Lily

The Plantain Lily is a variety of hosta that loves partial to full shade. This is considered the most fragrant of all hostas and has a trumpet-like white flower that opens in the evening hours during the late summer through the fall. It loves moist, well-drained soil and isn't a difficult plant to grow.

It can grow up to 2 feet high and 4 feet wide, making it a good ground cover. Cutting off the blooms will encourage growth, and those blooms make for a great addition to a vase indoors.

9. Meadow Rue

Meadow rue sends up feathery clouds of mauve, yellow, or lavender blossoms that hover 2–4 feet above columbine-like foliage, adding airy height to shady borders. Varieties such as T. aquilegiifolium are reliably hardy to Zone 3 and bloom for about three weeks from late spring into summer.

Give the plant rich, consistently moist soil and dappled light. Tall stems may need a discreet stake in windy sites, but otherwise maintenance is light. Cut back spent stalks and divide every few years if clumps outgrow their space.

10. Helleborus

The Helleborus plant carries blooms that are produced in a range of colors, starting with white and extending to black. This fragrant plant has great foliage and unusual flowers that are sure to add interest and beauty to your garden, though you'll have to wait a while to truly enjoy them. After planting the seeds in the fall it's typical for a Helleborus plant to take 3-4 years before producing blooms.

Wet soil and removal of older leaves will ensure good growth in this plant, as well as being careful of how much fertilizer you use. Too much will reduce the number of blooms, and it would be a shame to miss out on this showstopper.

11. Tiarella

Tiarella is a foliage plant perfect for a shade garden. There's a variety of cultivars available, so finding one that fits your vision for your garden shouldn't be a problem. These are fairly low-maintenance and can be left alone for years without needing division.

They prefer dappled sunlight rather than deep shade, and grow best in neutral pH soil that's moist and well-drained. This plant will also need protection from cold during winter, so be sure to cover them with mulch to shield them from the frost.

12. Woodland Phlox

Woodland phlox perfumes spring air with clusters of blue-violet blooms that invite bees and early butterflies. It spreads gently to form an 8–12-inch-tall patch and overwinters dependably in Zones 3-8.

Plant it where morning sun melts snow but afternoon shade keeps roots cool. Moist, well-drained soil rich in leaf mold will keep foliage lush; shear lightly after flowering to encourage a tidy second flush of leaves.

13. Ostrich Fern

Ostrich fern unfurls graceful, feather-shaped fronds that can reach 4–6 feet high, lending bold texture to woodland beds. It bounces back even after -40 °F cold and thrives in Zones 3-7.

Set rhizomes in consistently moist, slightly acidic soil and partial shade. The clump will expand over time; simply dig and share extra crowns or confine it with a shovel edge every few years. Bonus: the young “fiddleheads” are edible when properly prepared.

14. Lungworts

Lungwort is a pretty little plant that showcases interesting spotted leaves. Its flower blooms in early spring and can be blue, pink, or white, with more than one color appearing per plant. These flowers can also start one color, then fade into a different color as they age.

This plant does best in moist, shaded gardens. It can survive in drier areas with adequate shade, however, and would be a good choice close to trees where other plants may have a hard time getting enough water.

15. Anemone

The anemone is a gorgeous flower and a great choice for a shaded garden. This poppy-look-alike produces blooms in white, red, yellow, pink, and purple, and is a favorite in bouquets for weddings. Some of these plants produce double flowers, making them even more of a statement. These thrive in partial shade and well-drained, not wet, soil, especially if you boost the soil with compost before planting.

A bone meal in the fall or spring will give an extra shot of nutrients to blooms in the opposing season. Overwatering can cause the roots to rot, so be careful how wet you make the soil.

16. Creeping Wintergreen

The creeping wintergreen is a hardy, evergreen ground cover that produces mint-scented leaves and bright red berries that sprout from bell-shaped flowers that bloom in summer. Their leaves fade from green to red to bronze in winter. It thrives in partial shade and moist soil with an acidic pH level.

This is a fairly easy garden addition, with little needed in the way of pruning. Simply keep the soil moist for even established plants and your creeping wintergreen will keep providing a gorgeous ground cover.

17. Bergenia

Bergenia is a clump-forming ground cover that has glossy dark green leaves and pink flowers that bloom from April to May. It loves darker spaces with limited sunlight and grows well in moist, well-drained soil. Compost can be added to give this plant an extra bit of vibrancy, and removing dead leaves in the summer will help its growth.

Don't pull the leaves in the fall, however, as the plant uses these for extra food during winter. This plant grows slowly, and while it does need to be divided up occasionally, this is only necessary once every 3 to 5 years when the middle of the plant dies off.

18. Lady's Mantles

The Lady's Mantle plant is a sweet addition to a garden. This plant is low maintenance and works well with other plants, giving nice ground cover and good contrast against other blooming specimens. Lady's Mantle likes partial shade and can withstand drier soil, so if your area is prone to droughts consider this choice for your garden.

When planting these, keep each plant 12 inches from its neighbor as it will quickly fill in the empty space. Fungus growth can be a problem in high humidity areas, so try to let the soil dry as much as possible to prevent it.

19. Goat’s Beard

Goat’s beard looks like a super-sized astilbe, sending up creamy, plume-shaped flower clusters that can stand 3–5 feet tall. It shrugs off northern winters (hardy Zones 3-7) and brightens deep shade where many big perennials fail.

Moist, fertile soil is the key to lush foliage. Add compost yearly and water during drought. Deadhead if you prefer a neat look, then cut stems to the ground in late winter so fresh shoots can emerge.

20. Alpine Clematis

Alpine clematis is a petite vine (8–10 feet) that drapes trellises with nodding, bell-shaped blue or lavender flowers in mid-spring. Members of the Atragene group are very hardy, tolerating temperatures down to Zone 3 without winter die-back.

Give the roots cool shade and the tops morning sun or bright filtered light. Little pruning is needed, just tidy after bloom. Its light growth won’t smother shrubs, making it perfect for weaving through a lilac or climbing a rustic fence.

21. Coral Bells

Coral bells offer a rainbow of leaf colors, from lime and caramel to burgundy, that stay vibrant from spring to snowfall. Many modern cultivars are rated hardy to Zone 3 and form neat mounds 8–12 inches tall with dainty bell flowers that beckon hummingbirds.

Plant in partial shade and well-drained, humus-rich soil. Mulch lightly to prevent frost heave, and divide every three to four years to keep the clump vigorous and the leaf color vivid.

Creating Your Garden

We hope this list of shade-loving plants has helped you realize you can have a gorgeous garden, even in yards with a lot of shade. Chose one or many of these plants to make a beautiful statement in your landscaping!