Top 9+ easy herbs that grow surprisingly well in shade
Herbs add textural interest and fragrance to the garden and culinary enhancement to our kitchen. Most are easy to grow, but if you have a shady garden, finding herbs that will survive in the shade can be challenging since most love the sun. Fortunately, there are lovely herbs that will tolerate dappled shade and need only 3 to 4 hours of sunlight.
Take a look at some old-fashioned herbs you may have forgotten and some varieties that you can add to your shady herb garden.
Cilantro
Cilantro is a cool-season, short-lived annual herb that enjoys shade as Southern summer temperatures rise. The form is similar to parsley, and the leaves have a citrusy and slightly peppery flavor. Once temperatures reach 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the plant tends to bolt, form flowers, and go to seed. That's not bad because the seeds, when dried, are commonly known as coriander.
- Botanical Name: Coriandrum sativum
- Sun Exposure: Dappled shade
- Soil Type: Loam, well-draining
- Soil pH: Neutral
Lemon Balm
The lemon-scented leaves of this hardy perennial shrub are the perfect addition to a glass of sweet tea or dried to brew a cup of lemon tea. Well suited for cooler growing zones, it does well in all soil types in partial shade. The plant self-seeds and spreads aggressively by rhizomes.
- Botanical Name: Melissa officinalis
- Sun Exposure: Partial shade
- Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand, shallow and rocky
- Soil pH: Neutral to slightly acidic
Mint
Garden mint is a vigorously growing, hardy perennial that can tolerate partial shade. The plants can become a bit leggy in less sun, but if you keep them pinched back for Mint Juleps and garnishes, they will do just fine. If allowed to show their small white or purple flowers, you'll have plenty of pollinators. Be aware that mint spreads easily, so consider planting it in a container in a shady corner.
- Botanical Name: Mentha spicata
- Sun Exposure: Partial shade
- Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand
- Soil pH: Neutral
Chervil
Native to the Middle East, Chervil is an annual herb that is a good companion to early spring lettuces. The leaves have a flavor similar to parsley and can be used fresh or dried to season poultry, seafood, and vegetables. Seeds should be directly sown in the ground in the early spring because the herb does not transplant well. Consider staggered plantings so you'll have fresh leaves to pick before temperatures rise. The plants thrive in early spring sun to partial shade as the weather warms.
- Botanical Name: Anthriscus cerefolium
- Sun Exposure: Partial shade
- Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand
- Soil pH: Neutral
Sweet Woodruff
Sweet woodruff is a perennial herb that forms a groundcover with dainty flowers. It prefers cooler temperatures but does well in hardiness zones up to 8b. The leaves smell like freshly mown hay when crushed and are often dried for potpourri or sachets. The white flowers are edible as a garnish with a sweet, nutty, vanilla flavor.
- Botanical Name: Galium odoratum
- Sun Exposure: Deep to partial shade
- Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand
- Soil pH: Acidic
Tarragon
Protect this culinary cultivar of tarragon from the blazing sun with a bit of dappled shade. Often called French Tarragon, this herb is easy to root from a cutting if a friend will share. I love to mince the leaves finely and add them to chicken salad for a hint of licorice.
- Botanical Name: Artemisia dracunculus 'Sativa'
- Sun Exposure: Dappled shade
- Soil Type: Loam, sand
- Soil pH: Neutral
Curly-leafed Parsley
Parsley likes moist, well-drained, rich soil and can tolerate afternoon shade in hot, humid areas. Curly parsley is a biennial, producing leaves the first year and flowers and seeds the next year. The seeds have a long germination period, so it is easier to start them indoors and plant seedlings after the last spring frost. Plant extra so you can provide a food source for black swallowtail butterfly larvae.
- Botanical Name: Petroselinum crispum
- Sun Exposure: Light shade in afternoons
- Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand
- Soil pH: Neutral to acidic
Costmary
An old-fashioned herb your grandmother may have grown, costmary is also known as Bible leaf. A perennial herb, the aromatic leaves have a minty, balsam scent. They can be used to make tea or add flavor to salads. An aggressive grower, costmary can take over the garden. It will produce more small, button-like yellow flowers if grown in full sun, but will still produce plenty of leaves in partial to deep shade.
- Botanical Name: Tanacetum balsamita
- Sun Exposure: Partial shade
- Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand
- Soil pH: Neutral or acidic
Sweet Cicely
Native to Europe, sweet cicely, sometimes called sweet chervil, has delicate fern-like foliage that can be cooked like spinach. The long tap root can be eaten raw in salads or boiled and eaten like parsnips. The seed pods are dried to add a licorice flavor to teas and desserts. With a long germination period, it's best to start the seeds indoors and add the transplants to the garden when the danger of frost has passed in the spring.
- Botanical Name: Myrrhis odorata
- Sun Exposure: Light to full shade
- Soil Type: Loam
- Soil pH: Neutral
