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Plants That Grow in Shade

25 plants

Quick Answer

Not every garden gets full sun, and plenty of crops actually prefer a break from intense afternoon light. Shade-tolerant vegetables and herbs — like leafy greens, mint, and cilantro — grow fine with 3–6 hours of sun, and some even bolt slower in partial shade during hot summers. Below are the plants that genuinely tolerate partial sun or partial shade, each with its hardiness zones and days to harvest.

Arugula plant

Arugula

Zones 2a–9a · 21–40 days
beginnerBay Laurel plant

Bay Laurel

Zones 8a–10b · 180–365 days
intermediateBok Choy plant

Bok Choy

Zones 4a–9b · 45–60 days
beginnerCelery plant

Celery

Zones 3a–9b · 90–120 days
advancedCilantro plant

Cilantro

Zones 3a–9a · 21–45 days
beginnerElderberry plant

Elderberry

Zones 3a–9b · Perennial
beginnerGinger plant

Ginger

Zones 8a–12b · 240–300 days
intermediateGooseberry plant

Gooseberry

Zones 3a–6b · Perennial
beginnerHorseradish plant

Horseradish

Zones 3a–9a · 300–365 days
beginnerLemon Balm plant

Lemon Balm

Zones 3a–9b · 60–70 days
beginnerLettuce plant

Lettuce

Zones 2b–9b · 30–60 days
beginnerMicrogreens plant

Microgreens

Zones 1a–11b · 7–21 days
beginnerMint plant

Mint

Zones 3a–9b · Perennial
beginnerMustard Greens plant

Mustard Greens

Zones 4a–10b · 30–40 days
beginnerParsley plant

Parsley

Zones 3a–9b · 70–90 days
beginnerPawpaw plant

Pawpaw

Zones 5a–8b · Perennial
intermediateRed Currant plant

Red Currant

Zones 3a–6b · Perennial
beginnerScallion plant

Scallion

Zones 2a–11b · 25–45 days
beginnerSorrel plant

Sorrel

Zones 2a–9a · 30–60 days
beginnerSpinach plant

Spinach

Zones 2a–9a · 40–50 days
beginnerSwiss Chard plant

Swiss Chard

Zones 2a–10b · 50–60 days
beginnerTaro (Arbi / Colocasia) plant

Taro (Arbi / Colocasia)

Zones 7a–11b · 150–200 days
intermediateTurmeric (Haldi) plant

Turmeric (Haldi)

Zones 8a–11b · 240–300 days
intermediateTurnip plant

Turnip

Zones 2a–9b · 45–60 days
beginnerWatercress plant

Watercress

Zones 2a–9b · 30–60 days
beginner

Frequently asked questions

What vegetables grow in shade?

Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, arugula, bok choy, Swiss chard) and herbs like cilantro, mint, parsley, and lemon balm grow well in partial shade. Most fruiting vegetables (tomatoes, peppers) need full sun.

How many hours of sun counts as partial shade?

Partial shade typically means 3–6 hours of direct sun a day. Full-shade crops can manage on 2–4 hours of dappled light, but almost nothing fruits well in deep shade.

Does shade affect harvest time?

It can add a few days to maturity for sun-loving crops, but true shade crops (greens, herbs) are largely unaffected and often grow more tender leaves in lower light.