Planting under large trees.

Need help with what I can plant under a large limbed up western red cedar tree??? I have 3 sword ferns growing there now. Mostly sunny some shade.

 

Maybe Pachysandra terminalis, Japanese spurge, would work in the more shaded area.

 

Sword ferns do well, keep those.

It is a challenging situation, to be sure. One plant we've had success with is Trachystemon orientalis

 

I have assorted hosta and sweet woodruff - galium odoratum - growing under my six large cedars. The woodruff is more "well behaved" / controllable in shaded areas but can take over very quickly if you let it, especially in sunny locations.

 

I looked that up on Wikipedia to see the flowers, and it has a very short text entry, with a link to UBCBG's Botany Photo of the Day! Trachystemon orientalis. This is the correct link - the cross-reference from the old name hasn't been done for this one yet to work for out-in-the-world old links. On the PBotD page, the link to additional photos says no photos, but look up the name at the bottom and click that. There are photos.

 

depending on how far your cedars are limbed up - and what your style is - I always jump on the "Acer circinatum" cheering bandwagon. They are native and once established do very well in dry shade. It'll be an open interesting tree summer and winter. It would add a nice layer to your area. they look nice with small white or colored lights in the holiday season.

thumbs up on the sword ferns - plant more!

and think about mahonia (oregon grape) and salal (gaultheria shallon) -- again, take a while to establish but once going, will do with dry shade and look nice summer and winter.

you could also have some interesting feature large pots with bright green hostas (one major plant per great looking large pot)

no periwinkle and no ivy, please! No holly.

 

I’ve been looking around online recently for a similar bone dry under firs and cedars in a slope situation and came across this great website from an interesting botanical garden in Shoreline nr Seattle WA

Google MILLER Botanical Garden then scroll to bottom of page and click on Great Plant Picks

This is the Miller Garden plant database website with lists of plants suited to maritime Pacific NW - chosen by various expert committees (member names are listed FYI )

There are lists for certain situations or other criteria - or you can also plant search « clematis » or « hosta » for example to find what comes up in their database (good photos too)

Interesting history behind this whole garden - Mrs Miller was a renowned plantswoman

Great Plant Picks dot org - all one word