Morning Sun-Loving Plants for Zone 8

Hydrangea

• Bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) grow in USDA hardiness zones 6 through 9 and offer big, colorful flower clusters to darken up darker corners. These water-loving plants thrive in a location where they get morning sun and afternoon shade due to their intolerance of hot soil. Native oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) grows in USDA zones 5 through 9 and can tolerate a bit more sun than other species. Conical flowers change from green to white to pink or purple throughout the growing season.

Bugbane

• Another choice for a morning-sun-only location would be various types of bugbane, including "Hillside Black Beauty" (Actaea simplex "Hillside Black Beauty") with its purple foliage and red stems. Native bugbane (Actaea racemosa) produces 2-foot-tall white flowers that are bottlebrush-shaped. Other names for bugbane include black cohosh and black snakeroot. "Hillside Black Beauty" grows in USDA zones 4 through 8; native bugbane grows in USDA zones 3 through 8.

Ferns

• When most people think of ferns, they think of dark, damp spots in the garden. This isn't always the case, however, as many ferns get dappled sunlight or a few hours of sun every day in their native habitats. Limited morning sun and shade throughout the rest of the day is often sufficient for these woodland plants. For dramatic foliage, consider the pink-, orange- and yellow-hued Brilliance Autumn (Dryopteris erythrosora "Brilliance"), which grows in USDA zones 5 through 9. Another option is the U.S. native American maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum), which grows in USDA zones 3 through 8 and displays lacy fronds on shiny, black stems.

Astilbe

• Astilbe (Astilbe spp.) is a favorite for brightening up shady locations. The foliage is often textured and fernlike and the plants shoot up soft, feathery flowers in shades of white, pink, red or purple. One pink variety, "Maggie Daley" (Astilbe chinensis "Maggie Daley"), has lavender-pink flowers that emerge in late spring. "Montgomery" (Astilbe japonica "Montgomery") is a deeper shade of reddish-pink. Several varieties are white, including "Hennie Graafland" (Astilbe simplicifolia "Henni Graafland"). Most astilbes, including these three, grow in USDA zones 4 through 9 in sunny spots with extra water; they do best, however, in partial-shade or filtered-sun locations.

Japanese Maples

• Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) are darlings of the nursery business due to their variety of colors, sizes and shapes. These trees are particularly prone to sun and wind damage, resulting in their preference of protected locations that get only morning sun or filtered sunlight. The mounding habit of "Inaba Shidare" (Acer palmatum "Inaba Shidare") makes for a conversation starter in any location. The foliage of this 6-foot-tall tree weeps on pendulous branches and is a deep red accented by bits of green as the summer progresses. The deep-purple "Bloodgood" (Acer palmatum var. atropurpureum "Bloodgood") is a more upright example, reaching up to 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide. For a green selection, consider "Osakazuki" (Acer palmatum "Osakazuki"), which grows up to 25 feet tall. Its chartreuse leaves turn crimson in autumn. Each of these varieties, and most other Japanese maples, grow in USDA zones 5 through 8.