Green Roof Plants For Shade

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 roof plants for shade.

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. First down is the waterproof root barrier layer which will protect the surface of the roof. Sedum ternatum mossy stonecrop 8 1 qt. Succulents such as sedum are often chosen for extensive green roofs because they withstand harsh conditions and minimize water loss.

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. Carex pennsylvanica pennsylvania sedge 8 1 qt. Green roofs of creeping plants and herbs need some sort of frame around the perimeter to hold everything in place. We are active in green roof plant research.

Flowers give much needed color later in the season. Emory knoll farms inc. Species such as sedum delosperma euphorbia and sempervivum are popular choices. Try dry habitat perennials and ornamental grasses such as rudbeckia achillea potentilla armeria dianthus helictotrichon sempervirens stipa tenuissima and even bulbs such as muscari or small allium species such as allium flavum and a.

The soil mix we like to use is 50 expanded shale 25 usda sand and 25 organic compost. Succulents particularly colourful sedums dominate shallow substrate green roofs across temperate europe and north america. Glaucum interesting foliage plant adds texture to a green roof with spiraling blue green leaves. Founded the first green roof nursery in north america.

Iresine or alternanthera is a tropical perennial with showy green foliage that is irregularly splashed with white and pink. Plants for extensive green roofs should have low growth height rapid growth spreading and fibrous roots that have high drought tolerance. 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. Think of a green roof as a lasagne of ingredients.

Shade tolerant plants are most likely to flower in spring and tend to offer foliage rather than colour for most of the year. The leaf coloring of iresine can vary immensely depending on light with brightest color generally in full sun.