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A listing of common shade perennials for acidic sites, native Pennsylvania

Common Pennsylvania shade perennials, 5-6 pH

Note: the column Cty relates to whether the species is native to Monroe County, Pennsylvania; all others are native to Pennsylvania

Latin	Common	Indic	Notes	Cty
Actaea americana	American Bugbane	NI	Moist rich humus soil open shade, SW counties	no
Actaea pachypoda	White Baneberry	UPL	Rich moist soil deep to moderate shade (can be found by itself in drier soil), common	yes
Actaea racemosa	Black Cohosh	NI	Moist rich humus soil open shade, common	yes
Actaea rubra	Red Baneberry	UPL	Rich moist soil deep to moderate shade, northern counties	yes
Adiantum pedatum	Maidenhair Fern	FAC-	Rich, moist woods, esp northern exposure, throughout	yes
Adulmia fungosa	Allegheny Vine	NI	Cool wet woods, thickets, shady ledges, scattered	yes
Agrimonia striata	Roadside Agrimony	FACU-	Damp open woods and thickets, mostly N and E counties	yes
Anemone quinquefolia	Wood Anemone	FACU	Wet woodlands, thickets, shady roadsides, throughout	yes
Anemone virginiana	Virginia Anemone	FACU	Dry open woods and slopes, poor soil, throughout	yes
Apocynum androsaemifolium	Spreading Dogbane, Pink Dogbane	NI	Rich soil open woods and thickets; well-drained upland forest sites, open hillsides and ridges; especially on dry/fresh, sandy and coarse loamy soils, throughout	yes
Aquilegia canadensis	American Columbine	FAC	Dry rocky open woods and sun, rich or poor soil, throughout	yes
Anemone virginiana	Thimbleweed	FACU	Dry open woods and slopes, poor acid to neutral soils. pH 5.5-7.0	yes
Aralia nudicaulis	Wild Sarsaparilla	FACU	Thin soil open dry woods and thickets, throughout	yes
Arisaema dracontium	Giant Jacks	FACW	5-6 shade moist, common	no
Arisaema triphyllum var triphyllup	Jack In The Pulpit	FACW-	Wet woods, streambanks, wet meadows, throughout	yes
Aruncus dioicus	Goat's-Beard	FACU	Bluffs, wooded slopes, rocky and moist woodlands, ravines, western counties	no
Asarum canadense	Wild Ginger	FACU	Rich moist woods, most ctys	yes
Asplenium platyneuron	Ebony Spleenwort	FACU	Gravelly and stony soils, light shade, throughout	yes
Asplenium trichmanes	Maidenhair Spleenwort	NI	Moist, shady, ledges, south and east counties	yes
Aster patens	Late Purple Aster	NI	?? Dry sandy woods, common	yes
Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum	Lady Fern	FAC	Humus rich soil, sun to shade, throughout	yes
Athyrium filix-femina var. asplenioides	Southern Lady Fern	FAC	Humus rich soil, sun to shade, mostly S and E	yes
Botrychium dissectum	Cutleaf Grapefern	FAC	Moist, humus-rich woods, thickets, throughout	yes
Botrychium mulifidum	Broadleaf Grapefern	FACU	Moist, humus-rich woods, thickets far E and far W counties	yes
Botrychium virginianum	Rattlesnake Fern	FACU	Shade, rich moist humus, throughout	yes
Caltha palustris var palustris (also var flabellifolia, more rare)	Marsh Marigold	OBL	Soaking wet woods, streambanks, meadows with muddy humus rich soil, throughout	yes
Campanula rotundifolia	Harebell	FACU	Dry rocky woods, mostly eastern counties	yes
Cardamine diphylla	Crinkleroot Toothwort	FACU	Wet humus-rich soil; throughout	yes
Caulophyllum thalictroides	Blue Cohosh	NI	Shade, humus rich soil, common	yes
Chamaelirium luteum	Fairywand, Devils Bit	FAC	Wet open woods, humus rich soil, common	yes
Cheilanthes lanosa	Hairy Lipfern	NI	Very dry crevices of sunny cliffs, ledges and rocky slopes, SE counties	yes
Chrysopsis mariana	Maryland Golden Aster	UPL	Dry sandy woods, mostly SE	no
Claytonia caroliniana	Carolina Spring Beauty	FACU	Moist open woods and thickets, northern, western counties	no
Claytonia virginica	Virginia Spring-Beauty	FAC	Moist open woods and thickets, throughout	yes
Clintonia umbellulata	Speckled Beadlily	NI	Moist rich humus soil, western counties	no
Conopholis americana	Squawroot	NI	Rich oak or beech woods, all but N.Central counties	yes
Corallorhiza odontorhiza	Late Coral Root	NI	Wet humus-rich soil in shade, scattered	yes
Corallorrhiza trifida	Early Coral Root	FACW	Wet humus rich soil in shade, scattered	yes
Corydalis sempervirens	Pale Corydalis, Rock Harlequin	NI	Poor gravelly soil, open places, sometimes open woods, common	yes
Cymophyllus fraseri	Frasers Sedge	NI	Somerset county	no
Cypremedium reginae	Showy Ladyslipper	FACW	Moist, humus-rich soil open shade; threatened; scattered	no
Cypripedium calceolus var. pubescens	Large Yellow Ladyslipper	FAC+	Common in moist, rich deciduous woods, bogs, swamps	yes
Cypripedium calceolus var. pubescens	Small Yellow Ladyslipper	FAC+	Moist hardwood humus; common	yes
Cypripedium candidum	Small White Ladyslipper	OBL	Extirpated; Lancaster Cty	no
Cystopteris fragilis	Brittle Bladderfern	FACU	Humus rich moist soil, tending to higher ph; common	no
Dalibarda repens	Dewdrop	FAC	Common in swamps and moist woods, but not in standing water; often associated with hemlocks.	yes
Delphinium tricorne	Dwarf Larkspur	NI	5-7 open shade to shade moist; SW counties	no
Dennstaedtia punctilobula	Hay Scented Fern	NI	Dry sterile open woods (or sun), throughout	yes
Deparia acrostichoides	Silvery Glade Fern	FAC	Throughout in rich moist woods	yes
Dicentra eximia	Fringed Bleedingheart	NI	Rich, damp woods, mulch oak; very scattered, endangered	yes
Disporum lanuginosum	Hairy Fairybells, Yellow Mandarin	NI	Moist humus-rich soil, mostly western counties	no
Dodecatheon meadia	Shooting Star	FACU	Open woods moderately rich soil, south central counties	no
Doellingeria umbellata	Flat-Top White Aster	FACW	Moist open woods, thickets and fields, common	yes
Dryopteris carthusiana	Toothed Woodfern	FAC+	Swamps, wet woods, rocky slopes, Spinulose wood fern, throughout	yes
Dryopteris clintoniana	Clinton Woodfern	FACW+	Very wet, mucky woods and thickets, scattered	yes
Dryopteris cristata	Crested Woodfern	FACW+	Very wet mucky woods and thickets, common	yes
Dryopteris filix-mas	Malefern	NI	Cold rocky acid woods	no
Dryopteris goldiana	Goldie Woodfern	FAC+	Deep, moist, humus rich woods, common	yes
Dryopteris intermedia	Common Woodfern	FACU	Moist shady rocky woods, humus rich, throughout	yes
Dryopteris marginalis	Leather Woodfern	FACU-	Moist leafmold, shade, throughout	yes
Dryopteris x boottii	Boott's Woodferm	NI	Swampy thickets, wet woods, common	yes
Epifagus virginiana	Beechdrops	NI	Humus rich soil under beech trees; annual	yes
Erythronium americanum	Yellow Trout Lily, Common Fawnlily	NI	Wet open deciduous woods, deep humus-rich loam, throughout	yes
Eurybia divaricata	Aster, White Wood	NI	Ph 5-7 shade to part shade dry-moist, throughout	yes
Galearis spectabilis	Showy Orchid	NI	Rich moist woods in leafmold, common	yes
Galium boreale	Northern Bedstraw	FACU	Streambanks, open woods, rocky, moist rich soil, common	no
Galium odoratum	Sweet Woodruff	NI	Average, medium wet to wet, well-drained soils in part shade to full shade; four southern counties	no
Gaultheria hispidula	Creeping Snowberry	FACW	Southern boreal forests in bogs, swamps, and damp coniferous woods; generally northern counties of PA	yes
Gaultheria procumbens	Wintergreen	FACU	Wide range (sun, shade, wet/dry, rich/clay)	yes
Gaylussacia brachycera	Box Huckleberry	NI	On slopes and in dry sandy woods on dry acidic sandy soils Perry County	no
Geranium maculatum	Wild Geranium	FACU	Rich open woods, damp shaded roadsides, throughout	yes
Goodyera pubescens	Downy Rattlesnake-Plantain	FACU-	Warm dry woods, humus rich soil, common	yes
Helianthus divaricatus	Woodland Sunflower	NI	Dry woods and thickets, throughout	yes
Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa	Roundlobe Hepatica	NI	Dry rocky slopes, humus rich acid soil, throughout	yes
Heuchera americana	American Alumroot	NI	Dry rocky woods and banks, southern, western, eastern counties	yes
Hypericum pyramidatum	Giant St Johns Wort	FAC	Dry soil open woods and thickets, fairly common N Counties	yes
Iris cristata	Crested Iris	NI	Rich woods, wooded bottoms and ravines, usually in calcareous soils; Soils which are too rich encourage rank vegetative growth in this species. Ordinary, dryish soil is preferable; scattered in a few southern counties	no
Iris verna var. smalliana	Dwarf Vernal Iris	NI	Oak woods and openings of ridgetops in well-drained, acidic soils, scattered S counties	no
Jeffersonia diphylla	Twinleaf	NI	Rich damp open woods, SW, SE counties	no
Kalmia latifolia	Mountain Laurel	FACU	Rich rocky, or dry gravelly woods in the shade of deciduous trees , ph 4.5 to 6.0	yes
Lilium philadelphicum	Wood Lily	FACU+	Well drained soil in dry woods, mostly eastern counties	yes
Linnaea borealis	Twinflower	FAC	In open shade, dry or moist sites, often associated with moss-covered surfaces, scattered	yes
Lonicera sempervirens	Trumpet Honeysuckle	FACU	Moist rich cool soil, mostly eastern counties	yes
Mertensia virginica	Virginia Bluebells	FACW	Moist rich woods, bottoms, low slopes, somewhat common	no
Mitella diphylla	Bishops Cap, Mitrewort	FACU	Rich wet woods and stream banks, throughout	yes
Monotropa uniflora	Indian Pipe	FACU-	Rich moist often deciduous woods, throughout	yes
Obolaria virginica	Virginia Pennyleaf	NI	Humus rich woods, southern counties	no
Onoclea sensibilis	Sensitive Fern	FACW	Wet meadows, thickets, woods, streambanks, swamps and bogs	yes
Orobanche uniflora	Ghostpipe, Broomrape	FACU	Moist, humus rich woods, common	yes
Osmunda cinnamomea	Cinnamon Fern	FACW	Moist muddy soil, shade, throughout	yes
Osmunda claytoniana	Interrupted Fern	FAC	Wet, light shade, sometimes dry, throughout	yes
Osmunda regalis	Royal Fern	OBL	Rich oozy mud of ditches, swamps, bogs, streambanks	yes
Pachysandra procumbens	Allegheny Spurge	B	SE counties, sun to shade	no
Panax quinquefolius	American Ginseng	NI	Wooded slopes, moist ground, scattered	yes
Paxistima canbyi	Ratstripper	NI	Bedford Cty, mostly found on calcareous soils and rocky locations	no
Pedicularis canadensis	Forest Lousewort	FACU	Open dry woods and grasslands, throughout	yes
Phegopteris connectilis	Narrow Beech Fern	FACU+	Moist, loose humus woods, mostly northern counties	yes
Phlox divaricata ssp. divaricata	Woodland Phlox	FACU	Rich open woods in all but NE counties	no
Phlox divaricata ssp. laphamii	Woodland Phlox	FACU	Rich open woods in NE Counties	yes
Phytolacca americana	Pokeberry	FACU+	Open woods and thickets, invasive, throughout	yes
Platanthera ciliaris	Yellow Fringe-Orchid	FACW	Sunny opening, damp, deep humus, common	yes
Platanthera orbiculata	Padleaf Orchid	FAC	Cool damp woods, with trilliums, common	yes
Podophyllum peltatum	Mayapple	NI	Damp open maple woods and clearings, throughout	yes
Polemonium reptans	Jacobs Ladder	FACU	Rich low woods, thickets at the base of bluffs, moist ground near streams, common	no
Polygala paucifolia	Bird On The Wing	FACU	Moist woods, low meadows, bogs in all but western counties	no
Polygonatum biflorum	Small Solomons Seal	FACU	Moist rich woods, roadside ditches, edges of stream and ponds, eastern and western counties	yes
Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum	Great Solomons Seal	FACU	Moist shady woodlands and thickets, stream banks, bottomlands, FACU	yes
Polygonatum pubescens	Solomons Seal	NI	Prefers a fertile humus rich moisture-retentive well-drained soil in cool shade or semi-shade, throughout	yes
Polypodium appalachianum	Appalachiian Polypody	NI	Rocky slopes and cliffs in Wayne, Pike, Chester Counties	no
Polypodium virginianum	Common Polypody	NI	Dry shaded ledges and crests in ravines, in calcareous or somewhat acid soils	yes
Polystichum acrostichoides	Christmas Fern	NI	Organically rich, dry to medium wet, well-drained soils, throughout	yes
Pyrola americana	Wild Lily Of The Valley	FAC	Dry sandy soil, under pines, common	yes
Pyrola elliptica	Shinleaf	UPL	Rich dry coniferous woods, throughout	yes
Ranunculus hispidus	Bristly Buttercup	FAC	Dry woods and thickets, tends to be invasive, common	yes
Rhododendron canadensis	Rhodora	FACW	Wet light shade, NE counties	yes
Rubus odoratus	Thimbleberry, Red Raspberry	NI	Moist, rocky deciduous woods and thickets	yes
Rudbeckia laciniata	Cutleaf Coneflower	FACW	Moist woods and thickets, throughout	yes
Sanguinaria canadensis	Bloodroot	UPL:	Open woods, rich moist soil , throughout	yes
Sedum ternatum	Stonecrop	NI	Central and southern counties	yes
Silene stellata	Starry Campion	NI	Rich soil, open woods, all but northernmost counties	yes
Silene virginica	Firepink	NI	Rich soil, open woods, western counties	no
Smilacina racemosa	Solomons Plume, False Solomons Seal	NI	Rich moist deep humus soil, throughout	yes
Smilacina stellata	Solomons Plume	NI	Moist meadows, streambanks, woods, can be dry, mostly E counties	yes
Solidago bicolor	Silver Goldenrod	NI	Dry open woods, throughout	yes
Solidago caesia	Wreath Goldenrod	FACU	Dry woods, thickets, clearings	yes
Solidago flexicaulis	Zigzag Goldenrod	FACU	Rich woods, common	yes
Solidago juncea	Plume Goldenrod	NI	Dry, rocky soils on roadsides, open woods, slopes and prairies, throughout	yes
Solidago odora	Fragrant Goldenrod	NI	Dry soil light shade, mostly eastern counties	yes
Streptopus amplexifolius	Claspleaf Twistedstalk	FAC+	Moist sandy loam, shade to part shade, NE	yes
Streptopus roseus var. perspectus	Rosy Twisted Stalk	FAC-	Moist sandy loam, shade to part shade	yes
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum	Calico Aster	FACW-	Open woods and thickets no special care	yes
Symplocarpus foetidus	Skunk Cabbage	OBL	Bogs, wet banks, wet woods, swamps, throughout	yes
Thalictrum dioicum	Early Meadow Rue	FAC	Throughout in rich, dry woodlands, esp. North-facing slopes	yes
Thalictrum thalictroides	Rue Anemone	FACU-	Rich moist humus soil, throughout except for most northern counties	yes
Thelypteris noveboracensis	New York Fern	FAC+	Prefers dry (moist okay) oak beech birch maple woods, humus rich, throughout	yes
Thelypteris palustris	Marshfern	FACW+	Soft, rich, muddy soil, full sun okay, throughout	yes
Tiarella cordifolia	Foamflower	FAC-	Rich moist woods (wet=fatal, should not dry out), throughout	yes
Tricyrtis hirta	Toad Lily	NI	Average, medium wet to wet, well-drained soil in part to full shade. Prefers moist, humusy, slightly acidic soils in part shade. Soil must not be allowed to dry out. - montomery cty	no
Trillium cernuum var. cernuum	Nodding Trillium	FACW	Rich, moist soils, mostly east and southeast	yes
Trillium undulatum	Painted Trillium	FACU	Moist woods, bogs, throughout except for SE counties	yes
Uvularia perfoliata	Bellwort	FACU	Throughout in moist woods	yes
Uvularia sessilifolia	Little Merrybells	FACU-	Moist sandy to clay loam, throughout	yes
Viola pubescens	Downy Yellow Violet	NI	Dry woods, throughout	yes
Viola rotundifolia	Round-Leaf Violet	FAC+	Rich woods, throughout	yes
Viola striata	Striped Violet	FACW	Throughout in moist woods and streambanks	yes
Waldsteinia fragarioides	Barren Strawberry	NI	Cool, humus-rich rocky woods and slopes, common	yes
Woodsia ilvensis	Rusty Woodsia	NI	Moist to dry rich woods, usually in contact with rock, mostly NE	yes