Green Roof Plants For Shade

This plant thrives in partial shade or sun and is great as a ground cover.

Green roof plants for shade.

As the nation s leading supplier of plants for green roof systems since 1998 our accomplished horticulture team has more experience than any other nursery in the united states growing plants for successful green roof projects. Iresine or alternanthera is a tropical perennial with showy green foliage that is irregularly splashed with white and pink. Founded the first green roof nursery in north america. We are active in green roof plant research.

Carex pennsylvanica pennsylvania sedge 8 1 qt. If your roof is shaded by trees or by other buildings you will need to choose shade tolerant plants such as woodland bulbs bluebells aconites etc woodland grasses red or white dead nettle and primrose. Think of a green roof as a lasagne of ingredients. Glaucum interesting foliage plant adds texture to a green roof with spiraling blue green leaves.

First down is the waterproof root barrier layer which will protect the surface of the roof. Their low growing and or spreading habits great drought tolerance seasonal flowers and contrasting foliage colours textures and forms make them ideal candidates for green roofs. This can be made out of timber while off the shelf installations are typically metal. We get most of our native plants from nature by design and typically the plants below would work well in partial or full shade.

Green roofs of creeping plants and herbs need some sort of frame around the perimeter to hold everything in place. Emory knoll farms inc. Sedum ternatum mossy stonecrop 8 1 qt. Succulents particularly colourful sedums dominate shallow substrate green roofs across temperate europe and north america.

The leaf coloring of iresine can vary immensely depending on light with brightest color generally in full sun. Succulents such as sedum are often chosen for extensive green roofs because they withstand harsh conditions and minimize water loss. The soil mix we like to use is 50 expanded shale 25 usda sand and 25 organic compost. Succulent plants are well adapted to the conditions often found on extensive green roofs because of their ability to limit transpiration and store excess water.

Flowers give much needed color later in the season. Plants for extensive green roofs should have low growth height rapid growth spreading and fibrous roots that have high drought tolerance.