Landscaping under pine trees includes plants with a high tolerance for soil acidity and that can easily adapt to shade and drought. Ferns and many types of grasses will have no problem growing in such conditions.
Furthermore, many flowering plants and ground-covering plants grow well under pine trees. We have carefully chosen plants to help you cover the excessive falling of pine needles.
It is now time to bust the ‘nothing can grow under pine trees’ myth. Continue reading to know more about these plants and how they can help you in this case.
Contents
- 24 Best Plants For Landscaping Under Pine Trees
- 1. Columbines
- 2. Partridgeberry
- 3. Phlox
- 4. Wintergreen (Gaultheria Procumbens)
- 5. Rhododendron And Azalea
- 6. Sweet Woodruff
- 7. Meadow Anemone
- 8. Lady Fern
- 9. Jacob’s Ladder
- 10. Fox Glove
- 11. Orange Day Lily
- 12. Hostas
- 13. Lily Of The Valley Under Pine Trees
- 14. Gardenia
- 15. Grape Hyacinth
- 16. Persian Violet
- 17. Hydrangea
- 18. White Trillium
- 19. American Cranberry
- 20. Daffodil
- 21. Dwarf Crested Iris
- 22. Wild Bleeding Heart
- 23. Marginal Wood Fern
- 24. American Witch Hazel
- Conclusion
24 Best Plants For Landscaping Under Pine Trees
Landscaping under pine trees consists of what kind of plants you can use for ground cover under pine trees. Most of these plants have a rapid growth rate that you will witness as they multiply in months.
1. Columbines
Bell-shaped flowers, commonly known as “granny’s bonnet,” have a broad color spectrum ranging from pastels to bright reds, oranges, yellows, and purples. Columbines grow at a rapid rate through self-seeding.
The perennials bloom best between mid-spring and early summer. They will love it in full sun to partly shade conditions and prefer to grow in slightly acidic garden soil. Columbines do not require excessive watering. The dead flowers get replaced by new flowers sprouting from the stems.
2. Partridgeberry
This is a creeping perennial herb with pinkish-white flowers and small, rounded, evergreen leaves. It can grow up to 2 inches and bears scarlet red berries.
For optimal growth, it needs to be planted at a distance of 12 inches from each other, and the raised beds need to be approximately 30 inches apart. It has a slow growth rate and prefers to grow in partial to full shade in well-drained, rich soil with a moderate pH.
3. Phlox
Creeping phlox plants are herbaceous pale blue, purple-pink, and red fragrant annuals. You might see creeping phlox under pine trees because of its acid-loving nature. The plant can grow up to four to 8 inches tall.
It is one of the many pine woodland native plants. It prefers well-drained, moist soils and can thrive in partial to full shade.
4. Wintergreen (Gaultheria Procumbens)
The broad, leathery leaves of the shrub come in various colors, from bright to topple, that change with the change in seasons. White bell-shaped flowers bloom in summer with a hint of pink that slowly turns to bright red, and glossy berries survive winter and spring.
They act to cover the place entirely when planted in groups and thrive in partial to full shade.
Wintergreens bloom in the month of August and can grow to a maximum height of 6 inches and one foot in width.
The soil needs to be fertile with an acidic pH. The plant has also won the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
5. Rhododendron And Azalea
Rhododendrons and Azaleas come in all colors and sizes. Their color palette includes white, yellow, pink, orange, red, purple, and blue, and their flowerets come in all sizes too.
They will live well in partial to full shade and bloom during the summer and spring seasons. The tall shrubs can grow up to six to fifteen feet and ninety centimeters to four and a half meters in width. The acidic soil must be fertile, rich, and well-drained but regularly watered.
6. Sweet Woodruff
The plant has white, star-shaped, fragrant flowers and dark green leaves. It is very easy to grow. It is a low-maintenance plant that requires periodic mowing with a fast growth rate.
It can grow up to six to 12 inches tall and 9 to 18 inches wide. Its blooming season is spring. It likes to grow in partial to full shade with any pH soil.
7. Meadow Anemone
This plant is commonly found across woodland areas. It has erect flowers with a yellow center and dense, textured green leaves.
It has a fast growth rate, meaning it will hide the pine needles underneath it very nicely within a few months. Furthermore, it does not require much maintenance.
Its blooming season starts from mid-spring and continues till early summer. It requires moderately fertile, well-drained soil with a pH ranging between mild alkaline to mildly acidic.
8. Lady Fern
Lady fern is commonly found in woodland areas and pine forests. Its light to medium green foliage is triangular and finely bifurcated.
The plant looks equally beautiful at a distance as it does close by. It has been bestowed with the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
It lives well in partial to full shade in fertile but constantly damp soil with a neutral to acidic pH.
9. Jacob’s Ladder
These blue, bell-shaped flowers have stems of about 10 to 12 inches. It has compound leaves that have flowers on, too.
The plant is low maintenance. Its blooming season starts room late April and continues till mid or late May. It grows best in moist soil with a slightly acidic or neutral pH.
10. Fox Glove
Fox gloves, also known as goblin gloves, witches’ gloves, and dead men’s bells, are pinkish-purple flowers with dark spots on the rim. They can grow to be as tall as two meters. It has oval-shaped leaves and can be found commonly in woodland areas.
Its blooming season starts in June and lasts till September. The plant prefers to grow in soils with an acidic pH.
11. Orange Day Lily
A true day lily can grow up to two to four feet tall. Its leaves are long and pointed. By far, it is a low-maintenance plant that can grow anywhere.
The durable plant grows best in well-drained soils with a slightly acidic pH. Not quite like its companion plants, the orange day lily is edible.
12. Hostas
Hostas are known for their beautiful foliage. Snails and slugs love them because of their fresh and pointed leaves.
They thrive in partial to full shade with fertile, rich, well-drained, humid soil with a mildly alkaline to mildly acidic pH.
13. Lily Of The Valley Under Pine Trees
It is great for ground cover plants for conifers. It has wide, pointed leaves that grow straight from the soil up. It has a natural yet fast growth rate and a shade range from medium green to dark green.
They are white and bell-shaped, low maintenance, and sturdy. It is also an award-winning tree that has won the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
It needs partial to full shade to thrive. Its blooming season is quite short. The soil must be fertile and rich, well-drained, with a pH between acidic and neutral. It is also tolerant of dry soil and heavy clay.
14. Gardenia
Gardenia is also known as “Cape Jasmine”. It is a 6-inch wide fragrant flower. It has glossy and dense green foliage. It uplifts the beauty of traditional and contemporary gardens.
It thrives in all light conditions: Full Sun, partial shade to full shade. The plant’s blooming seasons are spring and summer, and which can grow up to four to eight feet in height and three to five feet in width. It needs rich and fertile, constantly humid but well-drained soil with an acidic pH.
15. Grape Hyacinth
It is commonly found in woodlands. It has deep blue bell-shaped flowers that bloom simultaneously and covers the ground with a burst of color.
The plant comes in shades from white to dark blue and has blade-like lush green foliage. It is low maintenance and a budget-friendly option for landscaping under pine trees.
It grows in all light conditions, from full sun to full shade. Its blooming season starts in mid-spring and lasts till late spring. The maximum height It can reach is 8 inches, and it can be 1 to 2 inches wide. It requires medium fertile, regularly moist, sand-based soil with a pH ranging from acidic to neutral. It can, however, tolerate mild alkaline pH soil as well.
16. Persian Violet
Persian violets are commonly found in the pine forests of temperate regions. They have rosy purple petals and dark green, spotted, wide, heart-shaped foliage. The plant has also won the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
They thrive best in light shades and bloom between winter and early spring seasons. Their height is between 3 to 6 inches, and is up to 8 inches wide. Persian violets require fertile, moist soil with a neutral to acidic pH.
17. Hydrangea
Its shade range falls in the spectrum of purple to white and is also found in red, orange, pink, and emerald green. It has dense green clusters that last for months.
As it has dense foliage, it is best to grow them at the outlines of the shaded area. They will be happy in partial to full shade, and some of their varieties survive in full sun.
It blooms in summer and can reach a height of two to ten feet and spread 30 centimeters to 3 meters in width. The soil needs to be fertile and humid, mulched regularly, well-drained, and pH ranging between mildly alkaline and mildly acidic.
18. White Trillium
Snow white flowers have three wide, approximately 4 inches, and thin petals. They have dense green, wide, and pointed foliage that can be used for decorative purposes.
The flowerets of this plant are long-lasting. The plant can be found in natural wildflower gardens quite easily.
It is a recipient of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
It is a low-maintenance and fast-growing plant that thrives in light to full shade. Its blooming season starts in mid-spring and lasts till early summer. It must be rich, fertile, and humid, with an acidic to neutral pH.
19. American Cranberry
The plant has gained the title of “redwig” because of the outburst of red color. In the summer, you will witness drooping lava red berries clusters; the birds will enjoy the produce more than anybody else.
As the winter approaches, the dense foliage will turn to ever brighter red and orange shades. It is a winner of the Great Plants Award as well.
It thrives in light exposure, and its blooming season is spring. The plant’s height is between 8 to 10 feet and can be as wide as 6 to 8 feet. It grows best in medium fertile, well-drained soil with an acidic to neutral pH.
20. Daffodil
Daffodils can be seen growing under many kinds of trees, including conifers. They have a very saturated fragrance that instantly reminds us of spring.
Daffodils come in wide varieties, but the best among them is poet’s daffodil and wild daffodil. They are sturdy plants and can be found commonly in woodland areas.
They are low maintenance and are very easy to plant. You will be surprised at how fast they can multiply. They need a little splitting every two to three years to help spread.
It thrives in light exposure, and its blooming season is late spring.
Daffodils can grow up to one to two feet tall and can be as wide as 3 inches.
They require medium fertile, well-drained sand-based soil with an acidic to neutral pH.
21. Dwarf Crested Iris
A low-growing perennial that can be found growing under conifers, it has sword-shaped bright green leaves, and the flowers are blue-violet and 4 feet wide.
The plant likes shady and humid spots, making it ideal for woodland areas.
It can be seen growing commonly in rock gardens and can adapt well to other designs equally. The plant thrives in partial shade, can grow up to 6 to 9 inches, and be wide as 6 to 12 inches.
It prefers the soil to be rich, well-drained, and humid, with a mildly alkaline, mildly acidic pH.
22. Wild Bleeding Heart
An evergreen plant from the tropical west. It is also known as glory bower, bag flower bleeding glory bower, tropical bleeding heart, and glory tree.
The flowers of this plant last several months, although the red corolla has a shorter life span. Its leaves are glossy, pointed, and oval-shaped. The plant can grow up to 10 to 15 feet tall. It prefers to grow in slightly acidic soil.
23. Marginal Wood Fern
It is one of the few evergreen plants. It has dark bluish-green leaves that are thick and leathery. It can climb to a height of about one to two feet and spread to up to 6 feet.
The fern prefers to grow in partial to full shade and thrives in rich, well-drained soils having an acidic to neutral pH.
24. American Witch Hazel
A shrub, or a small tree, grows to twenty to thirty feet and spreads fifteen to twenty feet. However, its average height is twelve to fifteen feet.
Its leaves are simple, broad, and about two and a half to 6 inches long, and it blooms from September to December. The plant turns to shades of orange, yellow, green, and brown during its blooming season. It thrives in the shade and prefers to grow in moist to dry soil having an acidic pH.
Conclusion
We have compiled some of the best plants you can use to cover the massive amount of pine needles. These plants not only create a shade over the needles but also add to the area’s beauty.
The plants’ vibrant color will help you divert all your attention from the mess. We are positive that after going through our guide you will not have trouble looking for native plants that grow under pine trees.
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