5 shade-tolerant foliage plants that are easy to grow and can look even prettier than flowers without sunlight

Do you love growing flowers but your balcony gets no light? No problem, some leaves are prettier than flowers, and the key thing is they barely need any light! The best part is they are easy to grow, anyone can get good results, it's just too easy. If your balcony or yard is on the shady side, or you're planning to grow some plants at home, take a look at these 5 foliage plants, the results will definitely exceed your imagination!

“

Leaves prettier than flowers

- Coral Bells (Heuchera) -

Coral Bells, also called alumroot, are a favorite in many European and American yards and balconies, where people like to plant a few for flower borders, because the colors of coral bells are just too beautiful, a riot of colors, and they are easy to care for, keeping their colorful state all the time. They are becoming more and more popular in China now too.

Coral bells are very cold-hardy and not very heat-tolerant. They can be grown in a bright spot and are also quite shade-tolerant, making them a great choice for a north-facing balcony or yard. Coral bells dislike direct strong sunlight, and in a yard they can be planted under the shade of a tree.

Coral bells should be grown in a spot with good drainage, and you can water following the principle of letting the soil dry before watering again. Pay extra attention to shading in summer, because coral bells are not very heat-tolerant, and strong summer sun will scorch them. As long as they get through the hot summer, ordinary care is very simple.

- Hosta -

Hosta is a famous traditional fragrant flower in China, with glossy jade-green leaves, elegant and upright, flowers like jade, giving off a delicate fragrance, very beautiful. Variegated hostas are even more stunning, the green ones crisp and emerald, the blue ones deep and misty, like fog or gauze, elegant and refined, and the brilliantly colored leaves show a magical gradient of hues.

Hostas like shade, and whether planted in a yard or on a balcony, it is best to keep them on a shady side or in a spot without direct sunlight, otherwise the leaves will turn yellow and scorch under strong light. Hostas like fertile, moist, well-drained soil, are very cold-hardy, and in most places can overwinter outdoors; the leaves wither after frost in winter, but they sprout again the following spring!

- Calathea -

There are many varieties of calathea, such as Cat's Eye, Peacock, Beauty, Flying Feather, Green Apple calathea and so on, and they all have many irregular markings, with some leaves being purplish-red on the underside, their colors gorgeous and changeable, really beautiful!

Calathea is a shade-loving plant with low light requirements, and does best in partial shade. However, it is rather afraid of dryness, needing fairly high humidity and moisture, otherwise the leaves become dull, curl and scorch. It's best to water by letting the soil dry before watering again.

Calathea is not tolerant of low temperatures, and should be brought indoors once it drops below 15°C; prolonged exposure below 13°C makes it prone to cold damage, so keep it warm in winter.

- Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra) -

The cast iron plant has evergreen leaves all year round, upright, neat and glossy, with a graceful form. The key thing is it is very, very easy to care for; the cast iron plant is highly adaptable and very shade-tolerant, thriving on north-facing balconies and in yards. It is usually combined with other flowering plants to make a beautiful flower border.

The cast iron plant is very cold-hardy and shade-tolerant, overwintering safely as long as temperatures stay above 0°C in winter, and it has very low light requirements, adapting to almost any environment.

- Dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane) -

There are many varieties of dieffenbachia, the most common being Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), which is especially shade-tolerant and needs only a little fluorescent light. Chinese evergreen is green all over and evergreen all year, but looks a bit plain; dieffenbachia, by comparison, is livelier, with bright, strong colors, graceful and elegant.

Among dieffenbachias, Marianne, Pink Lady and Golden Treasure are all very beautiful.

Dieffenbachia likes a moist, semi-shady environment; water normally by letting the soil dry before watering again, watering once the surface of the potting soil is dry. It can be kept in a bright spot, but is also quite shade-tolerant, and strong light should be avoided, especially strong summer sun, otherwise the leaf tips dry out and the edges scorch.

These leaves are really stunningly beautiful!

And they have very low light requirements

Care is also super simple

If you like them too, give them a try!

Share this quickly with flower lovers who need it!