Every garden has its trouble spot(s) – that place where nothing really seems to work. In my Connecticut garden, one of those trouble spots is a low-lying partially shaded area that periodically gets flooded.
After a heavy rainstorm, there’s usually a puddle there for several hours. And after each of the recent ’100-year storms’ – haven’t there been 2 or 3 in the past decade?? – the water collects there for days on end.
Spigelia marilandica flowers
What I needed was a plant that could tolerate that periodic flooding but also survive without any supplemental irrigation.
A plant that would grow in the shade but also add some color to my garden. And one that would be attractive to an array of winged wildlife.
I stumbled upon what might be the ideal solution for this shady trouble area the other day – Spigelia marilandica (Indian Pink).
Getting to Know Indian Pink
◊ Indian Pink is native to the southeastern US.
◊ Blooming in June, the red flowers, with their yellow crowns, are a favorite nectar source for hummingbirds.
◊ Spigelia marilandica grows to about 1.5′ tall and wide, making it the ideal front or middle of the border plant.
◊ Indian pink tolerates partial to full shade and grows in lots of different soil conditions, including moist to dry soil.
◊ It is considered pest and disease free although I’ve read differing reports on its deer-resistance. Like any newly introduced plant in my garden, I’ll be spraying it with deer repellent for the first season, just in case.
◊ Hardy in zones 5 – 9.
◊ Grow Indian pink with other native woodland plants like ferns, wild geranium (Geranium maculatum), and foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia).
Do you have a favorite plant for shady trouble spots in your garden?
Spigelia is one of my favorites as well. I find if I deadhead it right around now I get some sporadic rebloom. Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum Pictum) is another plant I could not be without in tough, shady spots and in the past couple of years and I’ve been impressed with how well Syneilesis aconitifolia holds up when conditions get dry.
Sue, Japanese painted fern definitely has a home in my garden, too. I’d never heard of Syneilesis aconitifolia (shredded umbrella plant) but after a quick Google search I can say I love the look of it. Is it deer-resistant, by any chance??
Hi Debbie-Fortunately I don’t have ongoing problems with deer-just an occasional wanderer in the summer months and not in the gardens where any Syneilesis is planted.
Indian Pink is a plant I love and have wanted to grow. I saw a beautiful stand of them in bloom at Garden in the Woods in Mass. Just beautiful. I’ve tried growing spigelia three times, including an experiment with putting them in containers so I could monitor moisture and shade for them, but no luck. I will try again!
Laurrie, I can imagine that a large stand of Indian Pinks would be breathtaking. I have to say that the deer and/or rabbits seem to like this plant so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll be lucky to have anything left at the end of the season!
Debbie I love this flower…at some oint I planted it and found it the other day…what a lovely surprise.
What a wonderful flower. Hope you offer a follow up on deer resistance after it’s grown in your garden for a few months.