Growing plants beneath cedar trees presents a unique set of challenges. Cedars — whether Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata), Atlantic White Cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides), or true cedars (Cedrus spp.) — create dense shade, highly acidic and dry soil from their needle litter, and shallow, competitive root systems. Their evergreen canopy intercepts rainfall, creating a rain shadow beneath. Despite these challenges, many tough, shade-tolerant, and acid-loving plants can thrive beautifully in these conditions.
Key Tips for Planting Under Cedar Trees: Always choose plants that are shade-tolerant and acid-loving, as cedar needle litter significantly lowers soil pH over time. Amend the soil with compost and acidic organic matter when planting. Avoid disturbing surface roots — plant carefully and shallowly rather than digging deeply near the trunk.
Mulch with pine bark or wood chip rather than cedar mulch to moderate soil temperature and moisture. Water new transplants deeply and regularly for the first two growing seasons. Planting at the canopy dripline rather than immediately beneath the trunk gives new plants more light, moisture, and root space to establish successfully.
Plants That Grow Well Under Cedar Trees
Ferns (Dryopteris, Polystichum, and Athyrium spp.)
Many fern species are among the most reliable and graceful plants for growing beneath cedar trees. Wood ferns (Dryopteris), sword ferns (Polystichum), and lady ferns (Athyrium) all tolerate the dry shade, acidic soil, and root competition that cedar creates. Their arching, deeply divided fronds bring lush, elegant texture to an otherwise bare woodland floor. Once established, they require virtually no maintenance and spread slowly to form beautiful naturalistic colonies.
Hostas (Hosta spp.)
Among the most popular and versatile shade perennials in temperate gardens, hostas perform remarkably well in the dry, acidic shade beneath cedar trees. Their bold, architecturally striking leaves — ranging from tiny miniatures to enormous dinner-plate specimens in shades of blue-green, gold, chartreuse, and white-variegated — make them outstanding foliage plants. They tolerate dry shade better than most perennials and return reliably each year, gradually forming impressive, weed-suppressing clumps.
Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)
A beloved spring-blooming perennial that thrives in the cool, shaded conditions beneath cedar trees. Its arching stems carry rows of perfectly heart-shaped, pendulous pink and white flowers above soft, deeply divided blue-green foliage in spring. It tolerates dry shade and acidic soil well, though it appreciates some moisture during its spring growing period. After flowering, the foliage dies back by midsummer — pair it with hostas or ferns to fill the gap.
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)
A native North American woodland ground cover that is superbly adapted to the conditions under cedar trees. Its large, soft, kidney-shaped, deep green leaves form a dense, spreading carpet that suppresses weeds effectively. Hidden beneath the leaves in spring are small, brownish-purple, jug-shaped flowers that are pollinated by ground-crawling insects. Wild ginger tolerates deep shade, dry to moist acidic soil, and root competition with equal ease and spreads steadily to fill large areas.
Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
One of the toughest and most fragrant ground covers for dry shade beneath cedar trees. Its paired, broad, lance-shaped leaves emerge in spring followed by delicate, arching stems of tiny, perfectly bell-shaped, intensely fragrant white flowers. Once established, lily of the valley spreads aggressively by underground rhizomes to form a dense, weed-suppressing carpet. It tolerates dry, acidic, root-competitive soil and deep shade conditions typical under cedar better than almost any other flowering ground cover.
Trillium (Trillium spp.)
Native woodland wildflowers of extraordinary beauty, trilliums are naturally at home in the cool, acidic, humus-rich shade of coniferous woodlands — precisely the environment created by cedar trees. Their distinctive three-petaled flowers in white, pink, red, or purple rise above a whorl of three broad leaves in early spring. They are slow-growing and long-lived, taking several years to establish from transplants, but once settled they return reliably each year as one of the most elegant woodland wildflowers.
Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum spp.)
An elegant, arching woodland perennial that is perfectly suited to the conditions beneath cedar trees. Its graceful, horizontally held stems carry alternating, oval, parallel-veined leaves and rows of small, pendant, white bell-shaped flowers hanging underneath the stem in spring. It tolerates dry shade, acidic soil, and root competition very well. After flowering, blue-black berries develop along the stems. It spreads steadily by underground rhizomes to create naturalistic drifts in shaded woodland gardens.
Lungwort (Pulmonaria spp.)
One of the earliest-blooming and most attractive perennials for dry shade, lungwort produces clusters of funnel-shaped flowers that open pink and age to blue — often both colors present simultaneously — in early spring. Its large, semi-evergreen leaves are heavily spotted or splashed with silver, providing year-round interest even out of flower. It tolerates the dry, acidic, shaded conditions under cedar trees and forms steadily spreading, weed-suppressing clumps of highly decorative foliage.
Ajuga (Ajuga reptans)
A fast-spreading, mat-forming ground cover that excels in the challenging dry shade beneath cedar trees. Its rosettes of bronzed, burgundy, or dark green leaves spread rapidly by stolons to carpet large areas, and short spikes of vivid blue flowers appear in spring. Ajuga tolerates dry, acidic, root-competitive conditions and dense shade with remarkable resilience. It is one of the fastest and most effective ground covers for suppressing weeds beneath dense coniferous trees.
Epimedium (Epimedium spp.)
Widely considered the single best ground cover for dry shade in the world, epimedium is extraordinarily tough and adaptable beneath cedar trees. Its heart-shaped leaflets emerge with attractive bronze-red tints in spring and become leathery and weed-smothering through summer, often remaining semi-evergreen into winter. Delicate, spider-like flowers in yellow, white, pink, or purple appear in spring. Once established, epimedium forms dense, impenetrable mats that require almost no care and tolerate the driest shade.
Hellebore (Helleborus spp.)
Hellebores are among the most prized and beautiful shade perennials for planting beneath cedar trees. Their leathery, deeply divided, evergreen leaves remain attractive year-round, and their nodding, cup-shaped flowers in white, cream, pink, plum, purple, and near-black appear in late winter and early spring — often pushing through snow. They tolerate dry, acidic shade and root competition well and self-seed freely once established, gradually colonizing the ground beneath the cedar canopy.
Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra)
One of the most beautiful ornamental grasses for shade, Japanese forest grass produces cascading mounds of arching, bamboo-like leaves in bright gold, green, or variegated combinations. It thrives in partial shade and tolerates the acidic, moderately dry soil conditions found beneath cedar trees. The golden cultivar ‘Aureola’ brings a luminous warmth to dark, shaded spaces. In autumn the foliage takes on attractive pink and red tints before dying back for winter.
Foam Flower (Tiarella cordifolia)
A charming native North American woodland perennial that thrives in the cool, acidic, shaded conditions beneath cedar trees. Frothy spikes of tiny white to pale pink flowers rise above attractive, maple-like, lobed leaves in spring — the flowers resembling drifting foam in a shaded stream. The foliage is semi-evergreen and often shows attractive bronze or red marbling. Foam flower spreads by stolons to form a weed-suppressing mat and self-seeds freely, naturalizing beautifully in woodland settings.
Coral Bells (Heuchera spp.)
Grown primarily for their spectacular, richly colored foliage — in shades of burgundy, caramel, lime, silver, bronze, and near-black — coral bells are excellent perennials for the shaded, acidic soil beneath cedar trees. Airy wands of tiny white, pink, or red flowers rise above the mounded foliage in summer, attracting hummingbirds. Modern heuchera cultivars have been selected for improved drought and shade tolerance, making them increasingly reliable in the challenging conditions beneath dense cedar canopies.
Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis)
Japanese spurge is one of the most widely planted and reliable evergreen ground covers for dry shade beneath conifers including cedar. It forms a dense, uniform, 6-inch-tall carpet of whorled, toothed, dark green leaves that completely suppresses weeds once established. Small white flowers appear in early spring. Pachysandra tolerates the dry, acidic, root-competitive conditions under cedar better than almost any other broadleaved evergreen ground cover and is virtually maintenance-free once established.
Vinca (Vinca minor)
Lesser periwinkle is a vigorous, trailing, evergreen ground cover that smothers the ground under cedar trees with a dense mat of small, glossy, dark green leaves. Cheerful violet-blue, white, or burgundy pinwheel-shaped flowers appear in spring and sporadically through summer. It tolerates deep shade, dry soil, and root competition with great resilience and spreads steadily by trailing stems that root at the nodes. It is one of the most dependable evergreen ground covers for dense dry shade.
Mahonia (Mahonia aquifolium)
Oregon grape holly is a bold, architectural, evergreen shrub with glossy, spiny, pinnate leaves that resemble large holly foliage and take on attractive bronze-purple tints in winter. Fragrant clusters of bright yellow flowers appear in early spring, followed by clusters of blue-black, grape-like berries. It is highly tolerant of dry shade, acidic soil, and root competition — conditions that match its native habitat in Pacific Northwest coniferous forests — making it an outstanding companion for cedar trees.
Rhododendron and Azalea (Rhododendron spp.)
Rhododendrons and azaleas are classic companions for large conifers including cedars, sharing a preference for acidic, humus-rich soil that cedar needle litter helps create. Their spectacular spring flower displays in every color from white through pink, red, orange, and purple are unmatched among shade-tolerant shrubs. Compact varieties perform especially well in the partial shade beneath cedar canopies. They do require adequate moisture, so supplemental watering may be needed in the driest positions.
Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
A magnificent native North American evergreen shrub that shares the acidic woodland habitats of eastern cedars. Its glossy, lance-shaped, dark green leaves are attractive year-round, and its extraordinary flowers — intricately patterned, cup-shaped blooms in white, pink, and deep rose with crimson markings — are among the most beautiful of any native shrub. It thrives in the acidic, dry shade beneath cedar trees and is fully cold-hardy, tolerating woodland root competition once established.
Creeping Phlox (Phlox stolonifera)
A native woodland ground cover producing a spectacular carpet of vivid violet, pink, or white flowers in mid-spring above spreading mats of semi-evergreen foliage. Unlike the sun-loving moss phlox (P. subulata), creeping phlox is specifically a woodland species adapted to the shaded, acidic, moderately dry conditions beneath conifers including cedar. It spreads by stolons to form a weed-suppressing ground cover and performs best at the lighter edges of the cedar canopy where some dappled light filters through.
Liriope (Liriope muscari)
Lilyturf is one of the most dependable and versatile ground covers for dry shade beneath cedar trees. Its dark, strap-like leaves form dense, arching, grass-like tufts that suppress weeds and remain attractive year-round. Spikes of small, violet-purple or white flowers appear in late summer above the foliage. Liriope tolerates the dry, acidic, root-competitive conditions beneath cedar with great resilience and is virtually indestructible once established, performing equally well in deep shade or part sun.
Bleeding Heart Vine / Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)
A delightful native spring ephemeral of eastern North American woodlands, including coniferous woodland edges. Its finely divided, blue-green foliage emerges in early spring, followed by arching stems of unique white flowers with yellow tips, resembling a row of pantaloons hung upside down. It thrives in the cool, acidic, shaded conditions beneath cedar trees. Like all spring ephemerals, the foliage dies back completely by early summer, so pair it with later-emerging companions.
Native Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata)
A charming native woodland phlox that blooms in mid-spring with clouds of fragrant, soft blue to lavender-blue flowers above spreading, semi-evergreen mats of small, oval leaves. It is naturally adapted to the acidic, cool, partially shaded woodland conditions beneath eastern cedar trees. It tolerates dry shade better than many spring-flowering woodland perennials and spreads gently by stolons and self-seeding to naturalize attractively beneath cedar canopies. It is highly attractive to butterflies and early pollinators.
Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum)
The defining ground cover of the Pacific Northwest forest floor, sword fern grows in massive, vase-shaped rosettes of long, once-divided, glossy dark green fronds with toothed, ear-shaped pinnae. It is supremely adapted to the deep, dry shade and acidic needle litter beneath western red cedar — a tree with which it naturally co-exists across vast areas of Pacific coastal forest. It is evergreen, extremely long-lived, drought-tolerant once established, and requires virtually no care.
Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)
A charming, low-growing, creeping native evergreen shrub perfectly adapted to the acidic, dry, shaded conditions beneath cedar trees. Its small, glossy, oval leaves are aromatic when crushed, smelling strongly of wintergreen (methyl salicylate), and turn attractive burgundy-bronze in winter. Small, urn-shaped white flowers appear in summer, followed by brilliant red berries that persist through winter, providing vital food for birds. It spreads slowly by underground stems to form a neat, low carpet.
Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)
A miniature, ground-hugging relative of the dogwood tree, bunchberry is one of the most beautiful native ground covers for the acidic, cool, shaded conditions beneath northern cedar trees. It produces four-petaled white flower bracts identical in structure to those of flowering dogwood but just inches above the ground, followed by clusters of vivid red berries in autumn. Its whorled leaves turn red in fall. It requires reliably moist, highly acidic soil and cool temperatures to thrive.
Native Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Eastern red columbine is a graceful, short-lived perennial wildflower that self-seeds prolifically and naturalizes beautifully beneath cedar trees. Its distinctive nodding flowers with red spurs and yellow petals are irresistible to hummingbirds and long-tongued bumblebees. Delicate, blue-green, compound foliage is attractive before and after bloom. It tolerates the dry, acidic, partially shaded conditions beneath cedar canopies and perpetuates itself through self-seeding, creating naturalistic colonies with minimal intervention.
Sedge (Carex spp.)
Various sedge species are among the most underrated and ecologically valuable plants for the challenging conditions beneath cedar trees. Species such as Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica), broad-leaved sedge (C. platyphylla), and Japanese sedge (C. morrowii) tolerate dry shade, acidic soil, and root competition exceptionally well. Their fine, arching, grass-like foliage forms low, graceful, weed-suppressing mats. Pennsylvania sedge in particular is a superb native lawn substitute for dry, acidic shade beneath eastern cedars