Plants that prefer Full Shade …

Astilbe,     Pronunciation:   ah-STIL-bee

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 4-8
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 8-1
Photo courtesy of: The Garden Helper
Common names: False Goat's Beard, False Spirea.   Astilbe is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants, within the family Saxifragaceae. Astilbe species are native to east and south Asia.   Deadheading won't stimulate more flowers, so you can leave seedheads standing for late-season interest and when they start looking ratty, cut them to the ground.  They became very popular since 1994 when 'Sprite' was named perennial of the year.   This is a wonderful shade plant, as it tends to get sun-burned in full or afternoon sun.

Soil preferences: They require a peaty soil for their successful cultivation but will tolerate a wide range of soil types. They prefer soils that are fertile, moist, well-drained, and have an acidic pH. They are heavy feeders. Fertilize in the spring before growth starts, and again, lightly, in the fall after the first frost. Use a 10-6-4 or a 10-10-10 applied at the rate of 2-3 lbs/100 square feet.   Divide every 3 or 4 years to maintain vigorous plants.

Propagation:   Propagation by division is the only reliable way to retain cultivar characteristics.   Bare-root plants are best planted in early spring, potted plants from spring until one month before a hard killing frost. Potted plants should be planted so they are at the same depth as they were in the pot.

Brunnera,     Pronunciation:   BRUN-ah-rah

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-8
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 8-1
Common name: Siberian Bugloss or Forget-Me-Nots. Boraginaceae - borage family.
Great for naturalizing woodland or shaded garden beds! Cut flowering stems with small leaves down to 2 or 3 inches after they flower to prevent reseeding; leave basal foliage developing in the center of the clump; will not rebloom but has a neater appearance when the flower stems are removed.   But if you want the seedlings, wait until the flower stems turn black and shear back the flowers and foliage until it looks like a neat clump.

Propagation: It reseeds itself, but clumps can be divided in the Spring & Fall. Tuck this delightful Blue flowering plant at the feet of perennials that bloom later or naturalize into your shade garden. Unlike many other perennials, Bugloss can be left on its own for 5 to 10 years without needing to be divided.

Chelone,     Pronunciation:   kee-LOH-nay

Part shade to full shade.   Prefers moist, fertile, organic soil. Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-9
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 9-1
Common name: Turtlehead. Scrophulariaceae - figwort family; C.glabra is White or rose-tinted flowers, grows 3 ft tall and 2 ft wide, C.lyonii is Pink and found in higher elevations with dark green, broadly lance-shaped serrated leaves; C.obliqua is a Rose (deeper rose than the lyonii) and found in the Wetlands of eastern North America. Best grown in moist to wet, rich, humusy soils in part shade. Appreciates a good composted leaf mulch, particularly in sunny areas.
Comments: Pinch back the growing tips in the spring for best growth habit and flowering, brings color to the garden in summer and fall, a good companion to other fall-blooming plants.
Deadheading: No need to deadhead because this late-bloomer has seed pods that add winter interest; deadhead if you don't like the seed heads.

Propagation: Division, seed, stem cuttings.

Dicentra,     Pronunciation:   dye-SEN-truh

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-9
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 9-1   Part shade to light shade. Needs fertile, well–drained soil and steady moisture.
Common name: Bleeding heart (D.eximia is Fringed bleeding heart) (D.spectabilis is Common bleeding heart). Fumariacea - fumitory family.
Comments: Wonderful for the shade garden, both large and small bleeding hearts are with their unique flowers and fine-textured, blue-green foliage.   Partial to full shade. Humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil. Provide summer mulch to keep the soil cool and moist.
Deadheading: Cut the flower stems down to basal mound of foliage after they're finished blooming. D.exima (Eastern U S) and D.formosa (native to Pacific Northwest) may rebloom.

Propagation: Divison, seed. Some self-sowing but not invasive.

Digitalis,     Pronunciation:   dij-i-TAH-lis

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-8
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 8-1   Part shade; avoid hot afternoon sun. Needs fertile, well–drained soil and regular watering.
Common name: Foxglove. Scrophulariaceae - figwort family.
Comments: A necessity for cottage gardens, open woodlands, shady beds and borders. They are also long-lasting as cut flowers.
Deadhead: Pinch off individual flowers along the stem; later remove stems to the ground when most of the flowers are finished; may rebloom later with smaller flowers; may reseed.

Propagation: Division, seed.

Hemerocallis, hybrids     Pronunciation:   Hem-er-oh-kal-is

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 2-10
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones ?
Common name: Daylily. Liliaceae - lily family. The botanical name for daylily means in Greek 'beautiful for a day'. Each flower only opens for one day. After it is spent, it is succeeded by the next day's blossom. Established clumps bloom vigorously for weeks and weeks.
Photo from Ellen, a member of the gardenclub.net
Comments: There are now thousands of hybrid daylilies… 40,000 plus cultivars, so I would recommend a color or type you like! Most all daylilies do best in full sun, but tolerate partial shade. Some of the paler cultivars may not flower unless they get long periods of direct sun. Some of the dark purple and red cultivars do better in partial shade, especially in subtropical climates. The soil should not be allowed to dry out completely during the growing season.
Deadheading: Snap off spent flowers as they will keep the later flowers as large as possible; once a stem is finished, cut it to the ground; some cultivars rebloom, others do not.

Propagation: Propagate daylily hybrids by dividing the fibrous, somewhat tuberous root clumps in early spring. Divide the cold hardy cultivars in spring or autumn, and the evergreen ones only in spring. Occasionally a small plantlet, called a "proliferation" will develop on the scape. This can be rooted to produce another plant.

Heuchera, hybrids     Pronunciation:   HEW-ker-uh

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 4-8
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 8-1   Full sun where summers aren´t too hot; part shade otherwise. Needs well–drained soil and frequent watering.
Common name: Coral bells, Rock Geranium or alumroot. The genus Heuchera includes at least 50 species of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Saxifragaceae, all native to North America. They have palmately lobed leaves on long petioles, and a thick, woody rootstock.   There is an extensive array of blossom sizes, shapes, colors and geographic tolerances.
Just take a look at what this wholesale nursery is offering!   Terra Nova Nurseries   Look for varieties that prefer Full Sun.   Cut flowering stems below the low mound of foliage as they finish; deadheading will extend the flowering and sometimes promote a smaller second flowering.

Propagation:   Seed or by leaf node cutting or division after established for 3 years, separating the new runners and dividing the original plant.

Lamium,     Pronunciation: lay-MEE-um

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-8
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones ?
Common name: Spotted nettle or spotted dead nettle (without the pain-inducing hairs of the related stinging dead nettle) Lamium maculatun, is favored for its frequently variegated forms and small white or pink flowers throughout the summer. Labiatae - mint family. Yellow archangel, listed under the genus Lamiastrum, Galeobdolon, or Lamium is less well-mannered, becoming highly invasive (see Aggressive Plants).
Comments: Wonderful plants to add a little white sparkle to the shady parts of your garden. I loved the Beacon Silver (pictured here), but White Nancy which has white flowers and silver leaves edged in green and Orchid Frost with magenta hooded flowers, are other popular cultivars of L.maculatum.
Deadheading: Deadheading is not necessary, only to clean up ratty looking parts during warmest periods of summer. They will continue to bloom in the cooler weather and like a good drink during dry periods.

Propagation: Division, stem cuttings.