Are you looking for Plants to Grow Under Oak Trees for a beautiful landscape display? Then check out this post for the best options.
Many gardeners find it difficult to choose Plants to Grow Under the Oak Tree; this post will provide you with the best alternatives that you can find under huge oak trees.
Plants to Grow Under the Oak Trees
1. Coral Bells
Botanical Name: Heuchera spp.
USDA Zones: 4a-9a
Plant Size: 8-18 inches tall and 1-2 feet wide
This round-shaped plant produces bell-shaped pink, orange, red, and white flowers in spring or early summer. The round and lobed lime green, rose, gold, and purple leaves are evergreen or semi-evergreen.
2. Deergrass
Botanical Name: Muhlenbergia rigens
USDA Zones: 1-3, 6-11, 14-24
Plant Size: 4-5 feet tall and 4 feet wide
The pointed silver-green to purple leaves of this plant can reach up to three feet. When yellow blooms appear, the plant grows up to 5 feet tall. This plant grows well in sandy or gravelly soil but can survive in any well-draining soil.
3. Bush Poppy
Botanical Name: Dendromecon rigida
USDA Zones: 4-24
Plant Size: 10 feet tall
This evergreen plant produces toothed, leathery leaves; it grows up to 6 feet tall in two years. It blooms in late winter to mid-spring and displays yellow blossoms. The blue-green leaves are thin and long; the fruits are smooth brown with black seeds.
4. Yarrow
Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium
USDA Zones: 3-9
Plant Size: 3 feet tall and wide
This easy-to-grow, fast-growing perennial offers clusters of fragrant blooms from spring to late fall. Deadhead the flowers as the old blossoms begin to dry out and become brown.
5. California Fescue
Botanical Name: Festuca californica
USDA Zones: 4-9 and 14-24
Plant Size: 1.3-4 feet tall and 3 feet wide
California fescue plant has hardy, long, and narrow leaves; the plant grows at a moderate or fast rate. The yellow blooms lure both butterflies and moths. These low-demanding grasses have less watering needs.
6. Creeping Sage
Botanical Name: Salvia sonomensis
USDA Zones: 7, 14-24
Plant Size: 1.3 feet tall and 5-15 feet wide
Creeping sage can be found in the peninsular range, Sierra foothills of California, and Coastal ranges. This herbaceous perennial shrub produces 15.75 inches-long stems. The flowers are lilac, blue, white, and purple.
7. Douglas Iris
Botanical Name: Iris douglasiana
USDA Zones: 4-9, 14-24
Plant Size: 0.6-2.6 feet tall and 2-4 feet wide
This common wildflower grows at low elevations below 330 feet; it can be found in grasslands close to coastal regions. The blooms occur in a multitude of shades, including yellow, purple, blue, white, and pink.
8. Grape Hyacinth
Botanical Name: Muscari armeniacum
USDA Zones: 4-8
Plant Size: 6-9 inches tall and 3-6 inches wide
These small flowering plants can be grown in the fall; they bloom in early spring. The plant also forms green seed pods that last up to late summer. It flowers in full sun and produces small bell-shaped dark blue flowers on light green stalks.
9. Hostas
Botanical Name: Hosta spp.
USDA Zones: 3-9
Plant Size: As per Variety
Hostas are shade-loving plants, a few blue hostas grow well in the deep shade. This perennial withstand a range of different climates and does well in cold regions.
10. Azaleas
Botanical Name: Rhododendron
USDA Zones: 3-11
Plant Size: 1-25 feet tall
The bell, funnel, or tubular-shaped blooms of azalea come in red, pink, white, purple, and yellow shades from March through July or later. Small varieties produce narrow and pointed leaves, whereas large ones offer big, leathery leaves.
11. Flannel Bush
Botanical Name: Fremontodendron californicum
USDA Zones: 4-12, 14-24
Plant Size: 6-20 feet tall and 20 feet wide
It grows fast and produces small leaves with large yellow blooms. This evergreen shrub grows in the mountains of the Transverse and Peninsular ranges, and the hills of the San Francisco area.
12. Mahonia
Botanical Name: Mahonia aquifolium
USDA Zones: 5-9
Plant Size: 3-10 feet
This shrub thrives in shaded areas, making it an ideal choice for growing under oak trees; it produces large leaves and golden-yellow, bell-shaped blooms from late winter and early spring.
13. Oak Leaf Hydrangea
Botanical Name: Hydrangea quercifolia
USDA Zones: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Plant Size: 8 feet tall
This deciduous shrub has fuzzy leaves in shape of oak leaves. The foliage turn purple and red by late fall. During spring and summer, white flowers appear on the plant.
14. Holly
Botanical Name: Ilex aquifolium
USDA Zones: 5-9
Plant Size: 15-30 feet tall and 10-20 feet wide
This plant grows well in moist, well-draining soil, if grown in hot summer, it prefers partial shade. It features spiny green foliage and bright red berries. From May to June, green and white blooms appear on the plant.
15. Wild Lilac
Botanical Name: Ceanothus
USDA Zones: 4-9, 14-24
Plant Size: 2-20 feet tall
The bright blue color blooms under oak trees, and this shrub works as a free-standing plant. You can grow them as climbers on border plants, near doorways, or fences. Protect the plants from winter frost and heavy winds.
16. Shooting Star Perennials
Botanical Name: Dodecatheon meadia
USDA Zones: 4-8
Plant Size: 9-20 inches tall and 9-12 inches wide
It grows in moist soil and under full sun, whereas tropical climates need partial sun and shade. This plant flourishes in the spring and turns dormant in the summer.
17. Monkey Flowers
Botanical Name: Diplacus aurantiacus
USDA Zones: 4, 5,7-9, 14-24
Plant Size: 3.9-5 feet tall
This flowering, perennial shrub grows in Southwestern Oregon, California, and Baja, Mexico. The blooms open in the shades of white, red, yellow, and orange, the plant produces dark green leaves.
18. Purple Needlegrass
Botanical Name: Stipa pulchra
USDA Zones: 5-9, 11, 14-24
Plant Size: 3.3 feet tall and 1.5 feet wide
It thrives in oak woodlands and grasslands, the stems grow up to 3.3 feet tall and roots spread up to 20 feet deep. The plant flowers during spring in green and purple colored blooms.
