If you have a cedar tree as a part of your yard, it’s likely to serve as a staple in your landscaping for decades to come. With all that potential curb appeal just sitting under your tree waiting to be discovered, we’ve got some recommendations on what you can plant under cedar trees to help make the area underneath come across as more than just an empty, unused space.
For a plant to be compatible with your cedar tree, it cannot take nutrients from your tree and has to be shade tolerant. So, what can you plant under a cedar tree?
- Wintergreen
- Bugleweed
- Periwinkle
- Hosta
- Bergenia
- Columbine
- Ice Plant
- Chinese Lantern Plants
- Oakleaf Hydrangea
- Lungwort
- Foam flower
- Partridge berry
So, sit back, relax, and let’s take a deeper dive into what to consider before you plant and how to pick the best plants from this list that will give your yard a pop of color while making your cedar more attractive.
Can You Actually Grow Plants Under A Cedar Tree?
Since we’re writing this article, we hope you know the answer to this question is a resounding yes. You can plant a variety of flowers, shrubs, and other ground covers underneath a cedar tree and have them thrive!
Now don’t get us wrong, there are a handful of environmental factors out of our control. These can also affect what type of vegetation you can grow under your cedar, and in your yard in general.
We already mentioned the shade these trees provide, but the soil composition and root systems, as well as the average rainfall in your area, are all also important aspects to take into consideration before planting under your cedar, or really anywhere in your yard.
The U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station has conducted several studies on the importance of maintaining your cedar tree’s health through thinning and fertilization in its younger years. So, you want to make sure the plants you’re adding to the nearby soil don’t take away any of the key nutrients your cedar needs.
The different varieties of cedar trees should also be taken into consideration. However, lucky for you, our 12 recommended plants cover a wide variety of vegetation that will be able to thrive under these trees, all while your cedar maintains the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.
Maybe you are looking for advice on other varieties of trees. If so, check out our guides on what to plant under a pine, oak, and maple tree, just for a start!
5 Best Perennial Flowering Plants To Plant Under A Cedar Tree
Considering I myself have trouble keeping the difference between annuals and perennials straight, let this note serve as your friendly reminder. A perennial is a plant that will live for more than one growing season.
Since these plants go dormant during the winter months, this means there’s less work for you because you won’t have to replant them when the next growing season comes around!
Here are some of the best flowering plants to grow under your cedar tree:
- Hosta
- Bergenia
- Columbine
- Chinese Lantern Plants
- Lungwort
Some of these plants may be unfamiliar names for you, and that’s okay. The goal is to pick the best plants for our yard, so we’ve also created a reference or cheat sheet on each of these plants and their various requirements so you can ensure you’re picking the right plant for your tree and have it grow successfully.
1. Hosta
I have a handful of these plants on the side of my house, and I love them! They thrive with minimal sunlight, and they require nearly no maintenance. These low-key requirements mean Hosta plants would make a wonderful addition under your cedar tree.
Shade level: Partial shade to full shade
Water level: Well drained
Flower color: White
2. Bergenia
These flowers are straight out of a fairy garden. With their thicker stems and large stems propping the flowers up when they’re in bloom, this plant makes a statement all on its own.
Shade level: Partial shade to full shade
Water level: Moist
Flower color: Pink, red, white
3. Columbine
Like the Bergenia, the Columbine plant has tall stalks that hold up their flowering blooms above the rest of the plant. These flowers are also bell-shaped which, other than just being nice to look at, helps to attract some additional winged creatures to your yard and can help with the pollination of your plants!
Shade level: Partial shade
Water level: Moist but well drained
Flower color: Red, orange, yellow, blue, purple
4. Chinese Lantern Plants
While these plants have flowers, the real draw to this plant is their seed pods, or -you guessed it- their lanterns.
The lantern pod itself is a cover for the fruit this plant bears, but be aware that the fruit inside is toxic to people, so we would recommend that this plant be planted in a container instead of the ground itself in case it ever needs to be removed from your landscaping plan.
Shade level: Partial Shade
Water level: Moist but well drained
Flower color: White
5. Lungwort
Lungwort flowers are usually bell or funnel-shaped, making them another eye-appealing piece to add to your landscaping. While the flowers themselves can add a nice pop of color while in bloom, the speckled leaves of this plant are a fun addition that helps outlast the blooms for some added color throughout the warmer seasons.
Shade level: Partial shade to full shade
Water level: Moist but well drained
Flower color: Blue, pink, white
2 Best Shrubs To Plant Under A Cedar Tree
Now when we say shrubs, I know our minds go picturing huge shrubs, bushes, hedges, and everything of the like that you would never imagine could grow successfully under a cedar.
Rest assured, we’ve got a couple of less drastic shrub options that will work just as well under your cedar and not require much maintenance.
1. Wintergreen
These plants will sport red berries that are edible but are also so much more. Other than adding to your landscape, you can use the leaves themselves in tea. Also, when the holidays come around, propagating your wintergreen plant can make a splendid gift!
Shade level: Partial shade
Water level: Well drained
Flower color: Small white flowers followed by red berries
2. Oakleaf Hydrangea
There are a variety of hydrangea shrubs to choose from, but the Oakleaf is one of my favorites because of its leaf shape, which resembles the leaves of an oak tree. Depending on the size of your cedar, this particular plant can bloom up to 6 feet tall, so do your best to plan accordingly.
Like all other hydrangeas, these plants have higher toxicity to humans and our pets, so we recommend carefully creating your landscaping plans before you dig holes for your plants.
Shade level: Partial shade
Water level: Moist but well drained
Flower color: White
5 Best Ground Covers To Plant Under A Cedar Tree
I love a good ground covering plant. Their maintenance is low, and they thrive in a variety of different environments, which makes them a great option for covering up the open area under your cedar and adding that piece of color to keep it interesting.
There are a lot of options within this group, but here are our top five picks:
- Bugleweed
- Periwinkle
- Ice plant
- Foam flower
- Partridge berry
Now, let’s check out the specifics for each plant so we know what could work best for our yard.
1. Bugleweed
Don’t let the word “weed” in its name fool you- this plant looks nothing like a weed and is great at choking out any weeds that might be in the area. This plant can reach up to ten inches tall, so it’s a nice height option to use while blending and filling in the area with other plants.
Shade level: Partial shade
Water level: Well drained
Flower color: Blue, violet
2. Periwinkle
This is a plant we probably all know, but more as a flower as opposed to its ground-covering capabilities. While Periwinkle doesn’t grow more than six inches tall, it has trailing vines that can grow to a foot and a half in length once it’s fully mature.
Shade level: Partial shade to full shade
Water level: Dry
Flower color: Blue, purple, white
3. Ice Plant
Despite the chilly theme in its name, this plant prefers warmer weather. The Ice Plant gets its name from its tiny hairs that can reflect light and appear as ice crystals. This plant also has a unique, succulent style look to it, which is yet another reason it makes our list.
Shade level: Partial shade
Water level: Dry, well-drained
Flower color: Pink, red, purple, orange, yellow
4. Foam Flower
In addition to its long bloom period, this wildflower has some spectacular red-colored variations on its leaves. This plant loves the shade, which makes it a great option for being planted under your cedar. However, be careful to plan your use of this plant as it can grow up to three feet tall.
Shade level: Partial shade
Water level: Well drained
Flower color: White with pink
5. Partridge Berry
This plant is a treat for the eyes in the bitter days of winter because the partridge berry plant keeps its dark green leaves and red berries during the colder months.
Similar to the Wintergreen plant, if you propagate this plant successfully, they can make a wonderful gift during the holiday or serve as a tasteful addition to your floral decorations during the Christmas season.
Shade level: Partial shade to full shade
Water level: Dry
Flower color: White
Some More Variables To Consider
We know we covered a lot of information, and you now have more plant options to choose from than could fit under even the largest of cedar trees.
To that point, though, we wanted to highlight the differences between some requirements for these plants to make sure that you have the best planning guide for brightening up the area underneath your cedar tree.
For more tips on how to take care of your cedar tree, check out our guide to pruning your cedar without harming it.
Shade Preference
We’ve talked about the amount of shade that a cedar tree can provide, and the amount of shade trees provided grows right along with the tree itself.
The closer you are to the base of the tree, the more shade you’ll be under. On the other hand, the closer you get to the edge of the tree, you’ll see the ground will get various peeks of sunshine throughout the day.
For the plants on our list that prefer full shade, we would recommend that these plants be planted closer to the trunk of your tree.
For the plants that may thrive in partial shade, we recommend planting these closer to the outskirts of the canopy of the cedar so that the plants can get both sunlight and shade.
Soil Type
This factor isn’t something that we can always control. Some areas have more clay or sand in their soil than other areas, and this is a factor to keep in mind, even if you can’t necessarily treat or rectify it.
The thing to keep in mind about the type of soil you have is that it can ultimately affect the moisture level of the ground, and as a result, the amount of water that’s available for your plants.
Watering your plants and trees is important, but you should stick to a schedule! Read our article on exactly how much to water your plants to keep your garden healthy and thriving.
If too many plants are in a concentrated area, like under your cedar tree, these added plants might take nutrients and water away from your cedar tree.
On the other side, if you notice the ground is always wet under your tree, adding more plants underneath should help absorb this excess moisture, and, as a result, your cedar tree and the newly added plants should equally thrive.
Do some digging–literally–to see what type of soil you have and how it retains water, and learn how to check your soil pH with our help tosee what could help your under-tree area come alive.
You could also try a Luster Leaf Soil Test Kit to test your soil and gain additional information like pH and nitrogen levels.
Putting It All Together
At this point, we know that you’re ready to rock and roll and get to shopping and, ultimately, planting.
Don’t forget to keep in mind the needs of each plant you’re adding to your yard, as well as underneath your cedar, to know how they’ll work together.
By carefully choosing and planting some suggestions from our list, and maybe even checking out The Well-Tended Perennial Garden book, you will keep the ground under your cedar looking like a glamor shot from a garden catalog!
References
Heathman, G. C., Cosh, M. H., Merwade, V., & Han, E. (2012). Multi-scale temporal stability analysis of surface and subsurface soil moisture within the Upper Cedar Creek Watershed, Indiana. Catena, 95, 91-103.
Sauer, T. J., Cambardella, C. A., & Meek, D. W. (2006). Spatial variation of soil properties relating to vegetation changes. Plant and soil, 280(1), 1-5.
Tan, F. C., & Swain, S. M. (2006). Genetics of flower initiation and development in annual and perennial plants. Physiologia Plantarum, 128(1), 8-17.
