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All plants need light to grow, but some need less than others. Here you will find suggestions for herbs that grow in the shade and are suitable for the garden or balcony.
They are in every garden. The shady spots where nothing really wants to grow. Most of the well-known herbs do best in the sun, but there are also a few interesting herbs for the shade apart from oregano, basil and the like.
Herbs for the shade that are hardy
The following are some herbs that tolerate shade well and can be grown outside in the garden as they are hardy.
Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum)
If you go hiking in May, the scent of wild garlic is often in the air. Its preference for shade is also evident in nature, as it is mainly found in the forest, in rather damp and nutrient-rich locations. If you bring wild garlic into your garden, you can avoid the risk of confusion with lilies of the valley, which often occurs when collecting them in the forest.
Perennial Borage (Borago pygmaea)
It is the small, perennial brother of the common borage, which is known and used in Germany. The perennial borage prefers loose, well-drained soil. Although he likes the sun more, there is also an advantage to planting the herb in the shade. That is where the leaves become more tender. Thanks to its small growth, it is also ideal if you are looking for herbs for a shady balcony. The perennial borage can withstand frosts down to -10 °C, which is why it should be covered with brushwood in very cold winters.
Woodruff (Galium odoratum)
He is known for his sherbet, jelly or the notorious May punch. Along with wild garlic, woodruff is one of the few herbs that really likes shade and doesn't tolerate the sun. He likes his location, the best moist, humus-rich and calcareous soilit can also quickly gain the upper hand and spread over large areas via root suckers. This can be prevented with a root barrier.
Lesser Calamint (Calamintha nepeta)
Calamints, unlike peppermints, do not form runners and are therefore easier to keep in check. Thanks to its compact growth, the small calamint is also one of the herbs for shady balconies. Its leaves can be used like peppermints and its flowers act as a real insect magnet. It prefers a dry and rather nutrient-poor location.
Watercress (Nasturtium officinalis)
Watercress is an evergreen shade herb whose leaves can be used in a variety of ways in the kitchen. In winter, the plant is also an important source of vitamin C. However, it needs a very moist location, preferably even in running water, which can only be found in a few gardens.
Wasabi, Japanese horseradish (Wasabia japonica)
Wasabi is one of the shade herbs because its leaves often turn yellow in the sun and it stops growing. In Japan, the root, stalk and leaves are processed for the typical paste, which goes well with sushi, for example. Wasabi can be a bit tricky to grow with its cool, humid requirements, but when you can reward yourself with homemade wasabi paste, it's well worth the effort.
Yellow sage (Salvia glutinosa)
Planting the sun worshiper sage in the shade - is that possible? Yellow sage is one of the few species of sage that grows in the shade in rather damp, calcareous and nutrient-rich locations. It is also called sticky sage because of its sticky stems. No medicinal effect has been proven for yellow sage, but its flowers and leaves can still be used for teas, for example. As the only yellow-flowering species, it is also an excellent ornamental sage for shade beds.
Tip: Not only the sun conditions are different for every plantDemands, also on the soil conditions and the nutrient supply. Some of the herbs mentioned here enjoy a large supply of nutrients and can therefore be cultivated in our Plantura organic universal soil, for example. These include woodruff, coriander and mushroom herb. Cardamom and the perennial borage are among the most frugal plants that do not need much sun or nutrients. A nutrient-poor substrate is suitable for their cultivation, such as our Plantura organic herb and seed compost.
Herbs for shade that are not hardy
Some shade herbs do not tolerate frost and are therefore more suitable as pot plants and herbs for shady balconies that are protected from severe frost in winter.
Vietnamese Coriander (Polygonum odoratum)
Vietnamese coriander is an easy-to-grow herb for the shade that grows quickly in moist, nutrient-rich substrates. Although it feels better in the sun, it also produces many leaves in the shade, which can be used for salads and soups or for pickling, for example.
Gotu Kula (Centella asiatica)
The Indian pennywort, which originated in Asia, is mainly known here as a superfood. The herb prefers nutrient-rich, moist locations and contains many important minerals and vitamins. Since Gotu Kula can only withstand temperatures down to -4 °C, it is advisable to cultivate it in a pot and overwinter it indoors.
Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum)
Cardamom is not suitable for year-round outdoor cultivation, since the temperatures there are too low for the herb, which comes from India. As a balcony and indoor plant, however, cardamom is undemanding and is one of the herbs that tolerate shady locations well. Although it does not flower, which is why you cannot harvest seeds, its leaves can also be used in the kitchen with their typical taste.
Mushroom Plant (Rungia klossii)
An unknown but underestimated shadow herb is the mushroom herb. The crisp, thick leaves with the fine mushroom aroma are ideal for salads or for refining dishes. Additionally includedThey have a lot of nutrients and are very high in protein for a plant with 3 g protein per 100 g. Even in shady locations, the herb grows luxuriantly in humus-rich, nutrient-rich substrates, it only stops growing at temperatures below 10 °C, which is why the mushroom herb should preferably move indoors from autumn.
If your garden doesn't only have shady spots, you can read on here and find out about herbs for partial shade and herbs for the sun.