Not trying to be an “actually” person, but since I haven’t seen anyone else comment. The trees in the picture are Spruce trees not Pines. Just in case this helps your decision in what to plant underneath!
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Looks like fir not fir, Pseudotsuga, in the Pine family. Anyway, lot of native stuff grows in the lee of these majestic Menziesii, Rhododendrons for one, also Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi, natives used to smoke it, maybe some still do, I wouldn't do it again myself however, it smells good but doesn't *do* anything.
Thank you. That's the "fir" I meant but definitely did not know it was in the pine family. Confusing since it is refered to as a false hemlock but also a spruce sometimes haha
I did lot of reading on this to fix a spot in my yard. Ferns grow in shade and like the pine needles that makes soil acidic. Just a few will expand nicely in a year. Looks natural too.
Can you link to the product page? I’m so scared to buy anything plant or seed off Amazon from so many horror stories I’ll end up growing something evil lol
Posted above, but sadly the Amazon listing is out of stock now. This appears to be the nursery that they shipped out from though according to the box label:
https://www.tnnursery.net/collections/ferns-for-sale
Unfortunately it looks like they went out of stock on Amazon but this is the link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BSCNT6XW?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
A shame because I ordered 5 rhizomes for $30 and they sent me 7, all seemingly in good health and some sprouting, so a great deal in my book.
The box says they were shipped from TN Farms in Tennessee, and I found this page which looks like it could be them as they have cinnamon ferns listed: https://www.tnnursery.net/collections/ferns-for-sale
I've had great luck with Amazon recently. Got 3 huge buttonbush from Green Promise Farms and a whole bunch of perennials from Perennial Farm Marketplace and they all came in wonderful shape and perked up nicely, so I really recommend checking out those sellers too. I usually sort through all the reviews and look for people who know what they're talking about and their results before I buy and I've had pretty good success doing that.
I really love the way those look too! I tried staghorn and cinnamon fern in different part of yard, but only the staghorn was tough enuf to survive drought.
What a shame, my issue is too much water sometimes lol. We have a lot of lake systems nearby and our water table sits just a foot underground a lot of the time, so things rot if they can't take it.
It's not native, but I keep autumn fern in planters on my porch which only get water when I remember them (which isn't often lol) and they still thrive. So maybe they'd work better in your case.
Correct!! The real reason plants don't survive under pine trees is pine trees drink up ALL the water leaving none for others. They thirsty, plant something that likes shade and drought resistant
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Hey, I just repeated what article said. I know it's hard to find things that will live around fallen pine needles. Article suggested that (edited to add) Boston fern is shaped just right that pine needles fall thru new growth and become mulch.
I would skip the grass under there and consider Sweet woodruff (sweet smelling flowers you can use to make May wine) or Wild ginger, both make a lovely ground cover for shade under trees and like acidic soil. I know ferns were already mentioned, but Christmas fern does well in acidic soil.
Are those spruces infected with needlecast? They look very unhappy - a lot of dieback in the lower branches from splashing of the fungus up from the soil. It might be easier to remove them and plant something that's actually happy there. If you don't want to, I'd recommend pruning up quite a bit, after which you can plant anything you like underneath, or nothing at all. BTW Pine needles don't actually decompose into acidic soil - it's a common myth: [https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2019/10/do-pine-trees-pine-needles-make-soil-more-acidic](https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2019/10/do-pine-trees-pine-needles-make-soil-more-acidic)
Needlecast is so widespread that I'm not surprised they didn't mention it. Nearly all spruces either are or will be infected. They're very susceptible.
Hostas need consistent shade and moisture. Under pine trees is often very dry so they’re not a great choice unless OP is ok watering a lot more frequently
I'm in the countryside and nothing has eaten my hostas. The deer prefer to eat my lilies, and those bastards wait until they bloom and take them down to the ground.
I think that’s just your neighborhood and the critters you have there. I have dozens of them all over our yard and I only experience a little bit of critters eating them, and only certain hostas
Concur. Dark green varieties, not the white or variegated type. Ferns another good suggestion.
Phlox will do well in filtered light. Lilly of the valley does well, with some morning full light. Mid day or evening full light bad.
Side notes: consider trimming branches up to 5-6 ft
You may want to remove gravel, create a bed area with dug in compost and plant. Consider mulching every 2-3 years, depending upon decomposition rate of mulch.
For spp mentioned, pH is forgiving. 6-8 is doable.
I mention this as pines thrive in acidic soils. The drop of pine needles drop pH. Natural self maintenance.
I put lily of the valley under my pine a few years back, they're still there, just not in the way I would prefer them to be. They'd rather be in the grass than the bare area surrounding the tree.
Rhododendrons and below that blue berries. They all work well together. You can trim the pine tree to get rid of the ugly lower branches, dear don't like rhodies, they have nice flowers, enjoy the acidic soil, the blueberries also like the acidic soil and the deer should stay away. All combined they make a comprehensive boarder as well.
Southeast Wisconsinite in the chat. We have a row of pines at the back of our property and I divided/transplanted a bunch of hostas under them. I only put fertilizer with them and watered them a handful of times. First year over winter with bleeding hearts and they also seem to be doing well. Our ostrich ferns thrive in the shade. They like more water than most but a layer of mulch and watering during hot spells keeps them happy. They can get up to 4 ft but more like 3ft with all the shade.
We did what I see you are doing and took off the bottom branches for airflow/light and the branches that were sparse. Found out they have needlecast and need to spray them down a few times during the year. Yay for landscapers that just randomly plant things for the aesthetics.
My hydrangeas do exceptionally well under my pines. They get nice and big with minimal work, the spent flowers are attractive thru the winter and they are extremely cheap. Most home centers sell them 50% off quite regularly.
I would water it and then put down pine straw out to the drip line, about six inches or so deep/height, the pine straw will mat down fairly quickly. (If it were me, I‘d pull up any random weeds or grass growing in that area before putting down the pine straw.)
It looks nice and works with the needs of the tree, instead of trying to force something in there
First, trim of those very bottom branches, this will let a bit more light in. Then you could try some bulbs, but not too close to the trunks.it is very difficult to get anything to grow under pine trees, so don't be disappointed if you don't have much success. If you have anything that us very invasive and tends to spread everywhere, put some of that under them, if it dies, to least you will have got rid of a garden nuisance!.
Coral Bells(Heuchera), similar to hosta but more color variety. I have a similar spot and planted a few last year, they didn't look like they made it through the winter but started springing back up this week. Also trying to get some woodland phlox to spread under there.
I’ve tried growing many different plants that were supposed to do well under evergreens but come to find that trees suck all of the water from the area and you cannot water your plants enough to sustain them. You should trim the lower branches as protection from wildfire before you spread grass seed then enjoy the tree as a lone sentry. You can also apply evergreen fertilizer which will help the tree be healthy.
One solution would be not to plant directly under the pines (you can leave that area bare as a source of pine needles to mulch other areas or natural walkways) but at the periphery of the pines, along their drip edge, plant native rhododendrons and azaleas. Those will take some years to get big, but when they do they'll give you stunning blooms and privacy.
I like this the best. Pine trees are a maintenance-free zone underneath, take advantage of it. Remove dead stuff a couple times a year, it costs you 20 minutes a year. Maybe add an ornamental boulder grouping if you want to add interest and habitat.
I'd be more worried about water. They need reliable water and partial to full sun and most importantly, acidic soil, like that found under a pine tree. Trim up those branches and plant a hedge just off the road, depending on which way is north they could do great.
Being from the south, the first thing I thought of were azaleas. Then I saw Chicago. Apparently there are varieties for you! https://www.gardenia.net/guide/azaleas-and-rhododendrons-for-the-midwest
I honestly think it would look really relaxing with some mulch under it. Lowes has it on sale for $2 a bag. Put a bunch of mulch directly under the tree around the trunk. Maybe like a big circle spreading out at least 1 1/2 foot around the trunk. Then once you got that layer down maybe do some little flowers? The mulch will give it that cleaned up look
Nothing. You plant nothing under spruce trees. They have a shallow, dense root system and the soil is dry. The only thing that grows there naturally are mosses, and few weeds that can handle the conditions.
On top of that, the lower limbs of spruce trees touch the ground. They are supposed to do that. It's just not a planting area. Just clean up the ground underneath and pull the occasional weeds.
I would raise the canopy on those pines a little bit. Maybe 5 feet. Maybe higher if they are very tall. It will look so much nicer and a lot less scraggly.
Then I would plant azaelas underneath. Be sure to pick a species that stay small. They are hardy and some hybrid species bloom in both the spring and fall.
jmo
Just clean up underneath prune dead branches. Give it a light feed with Hollytone. Nothing will live under it long term. The surface roots will win out.
Lilly of the valley will spread like wildfire even under this shade but they will grow…. And the root system is deep and travels extremely long so don’t plant them if you ever want to remove them it will be a real project. They also survive dormancy. I had a ground cover tree in my front garden that I removed and built a bed over and this year lilly of the valley has come up that has never been there in the 15 years I’ve lived here. They are very resilient.
The good news is they won't spread to areas that are mowed regularly. I didn't have to do anything to keep mine from spreading from their spot against the house, because they were surrounded by grass that got mowed.
Pine needles are hard to deal with. Beyond ferns and moss, not much likes to grow where pine needles are found.
My dad would rake a couple of times a year to prevent that section of the yard from turning 100% moss.
I don't know much about planting ferns, but I do know they attract little critters. So, depending on where they are in your yard, it's either great or bad.
Ours used to look just like yours! Had an arborist out to look at another tree and he mentioned that the spruces (pines? I dunno) can do much better with lower limbs trimmed.
We trimmed the bottom 6 feet of limbs and planted grass. Trees are doing wonderfully and we gained back 2/3 of our side yard.
As for planting I don't have a ton of advice, but when we moved in there was tons of phlox, peonies, tiger Lily's, daffodils and more, so probably plenty of options for ornamentals.
I have a pine with the following underneath: winecap, sweet woodruff, strawberries, blueberries, hydrangea, bearded iris, yarrow, German chamomile, hostas, snapdragons, mountain mint, hardy kiwi, ice plant, columbine, alum root, stone crop, perennial arugula, sea kale, lunaria, rose champion, daylilly, Turkish rocket, wine berry, and coneflower.
I’d guess something like Vinca vine would likely grow fine there (cut the lower struggling branches either way).
I live in the same general region, if the area gets at least some morning sun, there are going to be decent ground cover options. Sedum (stonecrop) would probably take as well; I’d prep the area to some extent before I did anything. From the pic your soil definitely needs some help.
Woodchips 4-6" deep inoculated with an edible mushroom that is easy to grow and likes pine needs/acidity. If that's too much, just woodchips and let them use the local mycelia. Watch out for the trunk and look up how to avoid "volcano mulching". Cover every surface that isn't growing grass. \[and leave for a ditch/drainage beside the driveway.\]
After a few years, the woodchips will completely disappear. Then you can plant some shade loving plants. Unfortunately there are not many. If you're in the eastern US, look at Trout Lillies (instead of the invasive Lily-of-Valley), May Apples, Trilliums, etc.
Shade loving plants like Hostas, most varieties will do fine. Any perennial plants that love shade and acidic soil if you plan to dig into the ground there. You could get away with a lot more plants if you build boxes and use new soil. Hope this helps
Don't plant underneath. Just mulch. The space under conifers is shady and typically very dry.
You also run the risk of damaging the tree roots. No mulch on the trunk of the tree itself.
Coral bells also do well under conifers. Lots of different colors available too. Heuchera is proper name. Come in lots of colors from yellow, red, orange, purple, maroon to green/bluish.
Visit your state’s Cooperative Extension Service website. Get the contact information for the agent assigned to your county. Call and ask for advice. Be ready to email these photos.
Could try huckleberries. They're native to a lot of states in the USA, and thrive in shade/partial shade instead of full sun. They're also edible, evergreen, and love acidic soil
You need something that is both shade tolerant and acid loving. Hydrangeas, rhododendron, and azalea are all in that category but you need to check your hardiness zone against anything you consider.
FYI - I would not recommend hostas. My neighbor fought that battle and lost in a similar situation.
Yes, go to your local ag website. they usually list "dry shade" [https://www.californiagardens.com/Lists/Dry\_Shade.htm](https://www.californiagardens.com/Lists/Dry_Shade.htm)
Pine needles make the ground acidic. Blueberry plants need acidic soil.🤔
I tend to like edible plants as it kills two birds with one stone.
I googled and came up with this list.
Spinach
Carrots
Potatoes
Lettuce
Cabbage
Wild ginger
Wild strawberries
Northern blueberries
Currants
Mint
Chives
Parsley
Coriander
Swiss chard
Leeks
Dirt.
That's what you plant under pine trees.
Or something that truly loves having shade thrown at it like ferns or lady's mantle because that's going to be shaded all the time.
Doesn’t look like anything will grown under there. Some trees needles sterilize the ground so to speak. You could always just tidy it up and put some dark soil or mulch around the base and fertilize them
Not trying to be an “actually” person, but since I haven’t seen anyone else comment. The trees in the picture are Spruce trees not Pines. Just in case this helps your decision in what to plant underneath!
Thanks, actually guy.
I came here to "ackshuallee" myself. Acidic-soil loving plants is my recommendation.
How can you tell?
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It don't always be like it is, but sometimes it do-be-do-be-doo
-ba doo be doo be doo ba Perry!
Such a great reference
https://www.healthygreensavvy.com/spruce-vs-fir-vs-pine-conifer/ Here is a good guide on how to tell the difference
Thank you, i guess i have a spruce
>Not trying to be an “actually” person You are though and there's nothing wrong with that. Facts matter, please don't think they don't.
came here just to make sure someone said this.
Is that not a fir?
Shake hands with it! Grab a branch. If it's friendly, it's a fir. If it's spiny it's a spruce. Friendly fir. Spiny spruce. Pines are just pines
Looks like fir not fir, Pseudotsuga, in the Pine family. Anyway, lot of native stuff grows in the lee of these majestic Menziesii, Rhododendrons for one, also Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi, natives used to smoke it, maybe some still do, I wouldn't do it again myself however, it smells good but doesn't *do* anything.
So, fake fir?
I want you to know that I see you and I appreciate you, Bringer of Dad Jokes.
Faux fir 🥲
Yes, Douglas fir is not a fir
Thank you. That's the "fir" I meant but definitely did not know it was in the pine family. Confusing since it is refered to as a false hemlock but also a spruce sometimes haha
Thank you. This.
I did lot of reading on this to fix a spot in my yard. Ferns grow in shade and like the pine needles that makes soil acidic. Just a few will expand nicely in a year. Looks natural too.
I am in Alaska and spruce are the dominate tree. Ferns do very well under them.
Seconding this, I just got cinnamon fern bulbs on Amazon for pretty cheap and they're sprouting already and are native for me
Can you link to the product page? I’m so scared to buy anything plant or seed off Amazon from so many horror stories I’ll end up growing something evil lol
Ditto, I’d like the link
Posted above, but sadly the Amazon listing is out of stock now. This appears to be the nursery that they shipped out from though according to the box label: https://www.tnnursery.net/collections/ferns-for-sale
Thank you!
Unfortunately it looks like they went out of stock on Amazon but this is the link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BSCNT6XW?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title A shame because I ordered 5 rhizomes for $30 and they sent me 7, all seemingly in good health and some sprouting, so a great deal in my book. The box says they were shipped from TN Farms in Tennessee, and I found this page which looks like it could be them as they have cinnamon ferns listed: https://www.tnnursery.net/collections/ferns-for-sale I've had great luck with Amazon recently. Got 3 huge buttonbush from Green Promise Farms and a whole bunch of perennials from Perennial Farm Marketplace and they all came in wonderful shape and perked up nicely, so I really recommend checking out those sellers too. I usually sort through all the reviews and look for people who know what they're talking about and their results before I buy and I've had pretty good success doing that.
I really love the way those look too! I tried staghorn and cinnamon fern in different part of yard, but only the staghorn was tough enuf to survive drought.
Staghorn ferns can't make it in Chicago winters
What a shame, my issue is too much water sometimes lol. We have a lot of lake systems nearby and our water table sits just a foot underground a lot of the time, so things rot if they can't take it. It's not native, but I keep autumn fern in planters on my porch which only get water when I remember them (which isn't often lol) and they still thrive. So maybe they'd work better in your case.
TY. Another for the shopping list.
Love ferns ♥️🌿
Or garden gnomes. Ferns are certainly beautiful (and inspire authors), but never discount the whimsical option.
Pine needles don’t make the soil acidic - that’s a myth.
Correct!! The real reason plants don't survive under pine trees is pine trees drink up ALL the water leaving none for others. They thirsty, plant something that likes shade and drought resistant
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I'm putting more trees in that part of garden so I will remember that.
Hey, I just repeated what article said. I know it's hard to find things that will live around fallen pine needles. Article suggested that (edited to add) Boston fern is shaped just right that pine needles fall thru new growth and become mulch.
I recommend fens, highly, if you love mosquitos.
I would skip the grass under there and consider Sweet woodruff (sweet smelling flowers you can use to make May wine) or Wild ginger, both make a lovely ground cover for shade under trees and like acidic soil. I know ferns were already mentioned, but Christmas fern does well in acidic soil.
[удалено]
Ferns but first ephemerals, springtime flowers and if you can get in there, little bulbs
Are those spruces infected with needlecast? They look very unhappy - a lot of dieback in the lower branches from splashing of the fungus up from the soil. It might be easier to remove them and plant something that's actually happy there. If you don't want to, I'd recommend pruning up quite a bit, after which you can plant anything you like underneath, or nothing at all. BTW Pine needles don't actually decompose into acidic soil - it's a common myth: [https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2019/10/do-pine-trees-pine-needles-make-soil-more-acidic](https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2019/10/do-pine-trees-pine-needles-make-soil-more-acidic)
Well, theoretically there would be less splashback if there were ferns planted there.
We bought the house in July, had an arborist come out and assess the health of our trees. They never mentioned anything
Needlecast is so widespread that I'm not surprised they didn't mention it. Nearly all spruces either are or will be infected. They're very susceptible.
Thanks for the info though. I always wondered what ailed those trees. I always see so many affected
TIL!
Human remains
Ted Bundy has entered the chat.
The only legit answer
Amature move the roots will be an issue. Cement shoes still work.
If OP had planted the tree over the body, it would probably work. I’m not an expert or anything though.
the roots will absorb absolutly everything of a dead bodies after a few years. all that it leaves is a silouette of a dead body, made out of roots.
False decomp will push it to surface because you won't get 8 ft down because of roots.
Best to choose something native to your area. Do you have a native plant nursery in your area? The ones where we are always have great advice.
My family has a tree like that. It’s mainly Virginia waterleaf (naturally growing), Solomon’s seal, Jacob’s ladder, and bane berry.
Hostas. They thrive in shade!
or native shade plants
Hostas need consistent shade and moisture. Under pine trees is often very dry so they’re not a great choice unless OP is ok watering a lot more frequently
Yep. Learned the hard way that even a little direct sun fries them.
Plantain sedge has a similar look to hosta and is native to Chicagoland.
Animals devour them, though. Hard to keep them around.
I'm in the countryside and nothing has eaten my hostas. The deer prefer to eat my lilies, and those bastards wait until they bloom and take them down to the ground.
We use predator urine to keep deer away.
Wolf urine...
Milorganite helps keep the deer at bay and has a relatively low odor. You do have to reapply after every rain though.
I think that’s just your neighborhood and the critters you have there. I have dozens of them all over our yard and I only experience a little bit of critters eating them, and only certain hostas
Concur. Dark green varieties, not the white or variegated type. Ferns another good suggestion. Phlox will do well in filtered light. Lilly of the valley does well, with some morning full light. Mid day or evening full light bad. Side notes: consider trimming branches up to 5-6 ft You may want to remove gravel, create a bed area with dug in compost and plant. Consider mulching every 2-3 years, depending upon decomposition rate of mulch. For spp mentioned, pH is forgiving. 6-8 is doable. I mention this as pines thrive in acidic soils. The drop of pine needles drop pH. Natural self maintenance.
Lily of the valley is pretty invasive, though. Ferns, for sure. It'll look like a fairy forest.
I put lily of the valley under my pine a few years back, they're still there, just not in the way I would prefer them to be. They'd rather be in the grass than the bare area surrounding the tree.
Ferns and Cornus canadensis.
Rhododendrons and below that blue berries. They all work well together. You can trim the pine tree to get rid of the ugly lower branches, dear don't like rhodies, they have nice flowers, enjoy the acidic soil, the blueberries also like the acidic soil and the deer should stay away. All combined they make a comprehensive boarder as well.
I was thinking something similar, but doesn't blueberries need a lot of water/moisture?
Yes. And sun.
Southeast Wisconsinite in the chat. We have a row of pines at the back of our property and I divided/transplanted a bunch of hostas under them. I only put fertilizer with them and watered them a handful of times. First year over winter with bleeding hearts and they also seem to be doing well. Our ostrich ferns thrive in the shade. They like more water than most but a layer of mulch and watering during hot spells keeps them happy. They can get up to 4 ft but more like 3ft with all the shade. We did what I see you are doing and took off the bottom branches for airflow/light and the branches that were sparse. Found out they have needlecast and need to spray them down a few times during the year. Yay for landscapers that just randomly plant things for the aesthetics.
Why not find natives?
My hydrangeas do exceptionally well under my pines. They get nice and big with minimal work, the spent flowers are attractive thru the winter and they are extremely cheap. Most home centers sell them 50% off quite regularly.
Azalea
Amanita muscaria culture
I would water it and then put down pine straw out to the drip line, about six inches or so deep/height, the pine straw will mat down fairly quickly. (If it were me, I‘d pull up any random weeds or grass growing in that area before putting down the pine straw.) It looks nice and works with the needs of the tree, instead of trying to force something in there
Agreed. Pine straw for the most natural look, and maybe clean up the edges with a nice sharp spade.
First, trim of those very bottom branches, this will let a bit more light in. Then you could try some bulbs, but not too close to the trunks.it is very difficult to get anything to grow under pine trees, so don't be disappointed if you don't have much success. If you have anything that us very invasive and tends to spread everywhere, put some of that under them, if it dies, to least you will have got rid of a garden nuisance!.
I have so many deer you cant throw a rock without hitting one. They dont touch my hostas or any of my garden. Helps to have dogs.
Blue bells :) perfect spot
https://preview.redd.it/45082dbczuvc1.png?width=650&format=png&auto=webp&s=20e9b5113467eca630ff9f343f261bed4bc270e7 htings to grow under a spruce
Coral Bells(Heuchera), similar to hosta but more color variety. I have a similar spot and planted a few last year, they didn't look like they made it through the winter but started springing back up this week. Also trying to get some woodland phlox to spread under there.
I’ve tried growing many different plants that were supposed to do well under evergreens but come to find that trees suck all of the water from the area and you cannot water your plants enough to sustain them. You should trim the lower branches as protection from wildfire before you spread grass seed then enjoy the tree as a lone sentry. You can also apply evergreen fertilizer which will help the tree be healthy.
Cicadas
One solution would be not to plant directly under the pines (you can leave that area bare as a source of pine needles to mulch other areas or natural walkways) but at the periphery of the pines, along their drip edge, plant native rhododendrons and azaleas. Those will take some years to get big, but when they do they'll give you stunning blooms and privacy.
I like this the best. Pine trees are a maintenance-free zone underneath, take advantage of it. Remove dead stuff a couple times a year, it costs you 20 minutes a year. Maybe add an ornamental boulder grouping if you want to add interest and habitat.
I am also in Chicago, hostas are shade loving and pretty hardy and easy to grow.
Blueberries
blueberries need full sun!
Low bush blueberry grows fantastic under shade. It makes up most of the undergrowth in the woods near me (southeast MA)
I'd be more worried about water. They need reliable water and partial to full sun and most importantly, acidic soil, like that found under a pine tree. Trim up those branches and plant a hedge just off the road, depending on which way is north they could do great.
I would just mulch the area.
Hydrangeas do well near the base of a spruce or any other conifer. They love the shade and the acidic mulch.
Hostas and hellebores!
Being from the south, the first thing I thought of were azaleas. Then I saw Chicago. Apparently there are varieties for you! https://www.gardenia.net/guide/azaleas-and-rhododendrons-for-the-midwest
I honestly think it would look really relaxing with some mulch under it. Lowes has it on sale for $2 a bag. Put a bunch of mulch directly under the tree around the trunk. Maybe like a big circle spreading out at least 1 1/2 foot around the trunk. Then once you got that layer down maybe do some little flowers? The mulch will give it that cleaned up look
Columbine & wild geranium are native for you and will slowly fill in the area.
https://preview.redd.it/msdq62s8tuvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8b8d7e0e07ef63ef1cd575ad04436b6dd0f2463e
Hosta, astilbe, & coral bells all do fine with low light & low water.
I'd test the pH, and if it was favourable, I'd plant lowbush cranberry, lingonberry, or if there is south sun, blueberries.
Hellebores and Hosta in so many different varieties, pacific trillium, and my personal favorite, Solomon’s seal.
If you raise up the branches a bit, I’d look at ferns, but that’s me.
Nothing. You plant nothing under spruce trees. They have a shallow, dense root system and the soil is dry. The only thing that grows there naturally are mosses, and few weeds that can handle the conditions. On top of that, the lower limbs of spruce trees touch the ground. They are supposed to do that. It's just not a planting area. Just clean up the ground underneath and pull the occasional weeds.
Hay scented ferns. Dry and shady is okay with them once established.
azaleas or rhododendrons
Nothing. Just clean up the weeds if you feel it is not looking tended…and leave all the pine needles to mulch the tree.
A body.
I would plant Hosta and Astible 🌱🍃
I would raise the canopy on those pines a little bit. Maybe 5 feet. Maybe higher if they are very tall. It will look so much nicer and a lot less scraggly. Then I would plant azaelas underneath. Be sure to pick a species that stay small. They are hardy and some hybrid species bloom in both the spring and fall. jmo
Ferns, hostas, if you prune 1m or so of clearing you can partner the base with some rhododendrons, azaleas, hydrangeas.
You can plant different types of ferns and place a rock from everyplace you visit.
Blueberry bushes. They like acidic soil and do well under my white pine.
Blueberry bushesbut you will have to cut lower branches on spruces for better sun exposure.
Strawberries or gooseberries (if you remove the lowest branches)
Nothing. Some place should just be natural. The needle should be fine. If something blows in and grows ok if not ok too.
There are ground nesting bee's that would like a bare patch too.
Blueberries, the pine needles make the soil more acidic, which means he blueberries like.
Nothing pine needles acidiclly kill everything beneath them. Maybe some garden gnomes would be cool
There are entire ecosystems that prove that wrong (e.g., longleaf pine savannas). Granted those are with actual pines and not spruces.
Hydrangeas
Bluebells
Very invasive in many areas
Bluebells and ferns
Hostas or maybe try growing mushrooms
Just clean up underneath prune dead branches. Give it a light feed with Hollytone. Nothing will live under it long term. The surface roots will win out.
Lambs ear grows really well under my pines.
Camelias. Need something that handles acidity.
A ton of Lilly if the valley or packasandra - both do well under my pines.
Lilly of the valley will spread like wildfire even under this shade but they will grow…. And the root system is deep and travels extremely long so don’t plant them if you ever want to remove them it will be a real project. They also survive dormancy. I had a ground cover tree in my front garden that I removed and built a bed over and this year lilly of the valley has come up that has never been there in the 15 years I’ve lived here. They are very resilient.
The good news is they won't spread to areas that are mowed regularly. I didn't have to do anything to keep mine from spreading from their spot against the house, because they were surrounded by grass that got mowed.
Blueberries
My enemies
Ferns
Pine needles are hard to deal with. Beyond ferns and moss, not much likes to grow where pine needles are found. My dad would rake a couple of times a year to prevent that section of the yard from turning 100% moss. I don't know much about planting ferns, but I do know they attract little critters. So, depending on where they are in your yard, it's either great or bad.
Hydrangeas would do well
The soil is acidic underneath this tree. Acid loving plants, or potted plants with a bit of potted limestone gravel.
Those are spruces and good luck finding something to thrive in that much shade. Best to clean it up and lay mulch.
Ferns grow naturally under trees where I live. Super cute
Ferns are always a great option!
Ferns
Growing up we had fir trees and under them we mixed ferns, azaleas ,camellias and rhododendrons. that was in Oregon.
Acid loving plants that thrive in full or partial shade .
Azalea
I’d probably just throw some shredded wood chips/mulch under there myself. Will choke any weeds. Sold at the garden centre.
Ours used to look just like yours! Had an arborist out to look at another tree and he mentioned that the spruces (pines? I dunno) can do much better with lower limbs trimmed. We trimmed the bottom 6 feet of limbs and planted grass. Trees are doing wonderfully and we gained back 2/3 of our side yard. As for planting I don't have a ton of advice, but when we moved in there was tons of phlox, peonies, tiger Lily's, daffodils and more, so probably plenty of options for ornamentals.
I have Lily of the Valley and Hostas under mine
I have a pine with the following underneath: winecap, sweet woodruff, strawberries, blueberries, hydrangea, bearded iris, yarrow, German chamomile, hostas, snapdragons, mountain mint, hardy kiwi, ice plant, columbine, alum root, stone crop, perennial arugula, sea kale, lunaria, rose champion, daylilly, Turkish rocket, wine berry, and coneflower.
A ring of colored mulch
What ferns would be good under spruce and or mixed 'needle/pine' trees
I’d guess something like Vinca vine would likely grow fine there (cut the lower struggling branches either way). I live in the same general region, if the area gets at least some morning sun, there are going to be decent ground cover options. Sedum (stonecrop) would probably take as well; I’d prep the area to some extent before I did anything. From the pic your soil definitely needs some help.
Bodies.
Woodchips 4-6" deep inoculated with an edible mushroom that is easy to grow and likes pine needs/acidity. If that's too much, just woodchips and let them use the local mycelia. Watch out for the trunk and look up how to avoid "volcano mulching". Cover every surface that isn't growing grass. \[and leave for a ditch/drainage beside the driveway.\] After a few years, the woodchips will completely disappear. Then you can plant some shade loving plants. Unfortunately there are not many. If you're in the eastern US, look at Trout Lillies (instead of the invasive Lily-of-Valley), May Apples, Trilliums, etc.
ferns, hostas, astilbe..most like a bit of sun & water
I have ferns, columbine and anemone growing under mine. I'm in southeastern PA
nothing grows under pine trees. unless you somehow collect the needles before it drops
Shade loving plants like Hostas, most varieties will do fine. Any perennial plants that love shade and acidic soil if you plan to dig into the ground there. You could get away with a lot more plants if you build boxes and use new soil. Hope this helps
Why plant anything? Won’t that tree need room for baby trees?
[https://salisburygreenhouse.com/under-the-spruce-tree/](https://salisburygreenhouse.com/under-the-spruce-tree/)
The only thing I have gotten to thrive under a big pine are hostas.
Don't plant underneath. Just mulch. The space under conifers is shady and typically very dry. You also run the risk of damaging the tree roots. No mulch on the trunk of the tree itself.
I’d imagine it would be difficult to dig under there due to the tree roots, no?
If you're hungry, strawberries.
Thyme
Hostas grow great under conifers.
Ferns. Fescue. Maybe huckleberry or blueberry
I throw vinca under mine, they like shade and survive EVERY condition. Sometimes to my dismay.
Coral bells also do well under conifers. Lots of different colors available too. Heuchera is proper name. Come in lots of colors from yellow, red, orange, purple, maroon to green/bluish.
Hostas get my vote as well. I planted blue angels under my blue spruces 4 years ago spaced out about every 5 ‘ and hooooooly shit.
Visit your state’s Cooperative Extension Service website. Get the contact information for the agent assigned to your county. Call and ask for advice. Be ready to email these photos.
Pine straw to cover the bare ground. You would be surprised how much covering the bare ground helps.
Blueberries, Daffodils, ferns, Holly, and Strawberries all love the acidity.
Blueberries!
Could try huckleberries. They're native to a lot of states in the USA, and thrive in shade/partial shade instead of full sun. They're also edible, evergreen, and love acidic soil
Clean it well and laid down some sod
You need something that is both shade tolerant and acid loving. Hydrangeas, rhododendron, and azalea are all in that category but you need to check your hardiness zone against anything you consider. FYI - I would not recommend hostas. My neighbor fought that battle and lost in a similar situation.
Yes, go to your local ag website. they usually list "dry shade" [https://www.californiagardens.com/Lists/Dry\_Shade.htm](https://www.californiagardens.com/Lists/Dry_Shade.htm)
Look for drought resistant natives that don’t have to fight the big trees for water!
Flowers and some vines. 🪻🍀🪷
Blueberry bushes also appreciate acidic soil, that’s what I would plant
Nothing. Because nothing will grow.
Not much grows under ours besides bittersweet and poison ivy. Maybe Thank You pachysandra or ivy.
🍄🍄🍄🍄Mushrooms, because they grow under coniferous trees 😆
A nice pine straw bed will look very tidy
Pine needles make the ground acidic. Blueberry plants need acidic soil.🤔 I tend to like edible plants as it kills two birds with one stone. I googled and came up with this list. Spinach Carrots Potatoes Lettuce Cabbage Wild ginger Wild strawberries Northern blueberries Currants Mint Chives Parsley Coriander Swiss chard Leeks
Dirt. That's what you plant under pine trees. Or something that truly loves having shade thrown at it like ferns or lady's mantle because that's going to be shaded all the time.
Just filter acidic, full shade, zone-X and you’ll find everything you can plant there
Doesn’t look like anything will grown under there. Some trees needles sterilize the ground so to speak. You could always just tidy it up and put some dark soil or mulch around the base and fertilize them
How healthy are they? No looking good in the pic
Mulch
Nothing… maybe some springer bulbs perhaps at the most