I burn easily

For the last few years I have been experimenting with shade tolerant plants. One thing I have noticed is that many plants that like the shade are also acid soil loving plants. This sucks for me as my soil is neutral at the house. Here are some of the varieties that I have tried.

Chilean Guava
This is actually a berry and not a real Guava. It comes from Chile and is hardy down past 14F. The problem is that it burns once it gets over 98F. They are able to fruit in the shade so I am planting one in the front that only gets sun early in the morning. This fruit is insanely good! It is so rich that each little berry feels like it packs as much flavor as a large fruit. Queen Victoria delclared it the most delicious fruit in the world.

Evergreen Huckleberry
This guy is in the pot with the Chilean Guava. It is more heat tolerant that the Chilean Guava but it may have problems getting enough cold to fruit. Both are in a slightly acid soil mix. I should know how they are going to do by mid-summer. The fruit should be similar to a Blueberry but not quite.

Akebia
This vine loves the shade. If you plant two or more varieties, you will get large magenta pods in the spring that have a tapioca pudding like substance inside. I have three of these but they are unfortunately the same variety. I am ordering two new kinds this spring.

Ginger
I bought some Ginger at the store and planted it in deep shade last year. It shot up some very attractive young bamboo type shoots that froze back this winter. I suspect they will keep coming back each year.

Leatherleaf Mahonia
These guys are impossible to kill. They take the heat, cold, drought and keep on coming. The fruit is very tart unless dead ripe. They are related to Barberries and Oregon Grape. This plant is more on the wild foraging side of the fruit spectrum. It is actually starting to bloom now in December. I will keep this on the "i am starving" side of edible.

Serviceberry
These guys will go full sun or shade. They rock! They have incredible blooms, incredible Blueberry type fruit with an Almond aftertaste. They can take -60F cold and over 100F heat. I am trying many varieties to see which ones do the best in Texas.

Maypop
I didnt think they would do good in shade but they sure do. This Passionfruit vine will produce flowers and fruit in deep shade but yields are greatly diminished.

Mexican Plum
This wild plum will grow and fruit in the shade but sadly the fruit is very tart and not very good. I was disappointed but plan on using the tree to graft Cherries and Plums this spring. We will see.