Pensacola News Journal

For: Saturday, Feb. 23, 2002

By: Daniel E. Mullins

Extension Horticulture Agent

Santa Rosa County

Choose Plants to Match Available Sunlight

How much sunlight will that new shrub or flower bed receive? Light is perhaps the most limiting factor for consideration when shopping for plants. There are those species that perform best when exposed to full sunlight all day, those that prefer shade, others that do best under filtered sunlight and a few that tolerate a wide range of light conditions.

Light is the most limiting factor because it is the most difficult to change. It is much easier to alter landscape characteristics such as drainage, soil texture, fertility and moisture to meet a desired plant’s needs. But, it is not so easy to change available light conditions because they are more permanent.

Azaleas and pyracanthas, for example, have almost opposite light requirements. Azaleas prefer shaded or partially shaded locations. When placed in full sunlight, or even when given a sunny western exposure, they perform poorly. Though they might survive, the foliage becomes sparse and flowering is limited. The stems often become covered with lichens - those gray, scaly structures that proliferate or non-growing stems.

Pyracantha shrubs on the other hand, love a hot, bright location. When exposed to full sunlight they are more compact, heavily foliated and bear large crops of berries. These same pyracanthas if moved to the shade would become leggy, fruit sparsely and suffer from insect infestation.

Other sun loving shrubs include junipers, lantana, Texas sage, bottlebrush, butterfly bush, crape myrtle and oleander. These species would never reach their full growth and flowering potential in the shade even if fertilized, watered, mulched and pruned perfectly. They starve for light in dark areas, not receiving enough to photosynthesize properly.

There is a long list of shrubs that grow well when exposed to partial or shifting shade. Included are: abelia, boxwood, gardenia, hollies, nandina, azalea, beautyberry, hydrangea, loropetalum, spirea, viburnum, camellia, anise, ligustrum, banana shrub, osmanthus and cleyera. Few of the currently available shrub species are adapted to deep shade. When selecting plants for dark places consider coral ardisia, creeping euonumus, yaupon holly, aucuba, mahonia, pittosporum and yew podocarpus.

You will soon see many colorful annuals and perennials being displayed at local garden centers and nurseries. Most of these species grow and flower best when planted in areas that receive full sunlight. There is a short list of those that prefer or can tolerate partial shade including: begonia, impatiens, streptocarpus, pentas, vinca, African iris, butterfly weed, bush daisy, firespike, shrimp plant, jacobinia, Stokes aster and veronica.

So, choose plants carefully and allow the natural light intensity and duration where they will be planted to heavily influence your decisions. Matching up the right plant with the available light conditions results in fewer maintenance requirements and better performance.

Question of the Week: I have just moved to the area and would like to know more about local wildlife and how to attract them to my landscape. Where can I get information.

Answer: There are many sources including your local Florida Extension office. Two excellent web sites on the subject are: the University of Florida’s at http://www.wec.ufl.edu and the Florida Natural Areas Inventory at http://fnai.org/ .