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Wildflowers Categorized for Sun and Shade
To create a list of wildflowers by sunlight requirements, simply click on the choices below. For example, if you click on "Full Sun", all the wildflowers that require or can tolerate full sun will be displayed. If you click on "Partial Shade", you'll create a list of the group that either prefers or can tolerate some shade.
 
Full Sun | Partial Shade | Full Shade
 
Wildflowers for Full Sun
Most meadow wildflowers require full sun. After all, most wildflower displays are seen in nature in wide open places. However, there are exceptions, even some which demand shade. Most wildflowers on this list absolutely require full sun. A few of these enjoy some shade, but will tolerate full sun.
Common Name Botanical Name Light Requirement
African Daisy Dimorphotheca sinuata* Needs full sun.
Annual 'Arroyo' Lupine Lupinus succulentus Needs full sun.
Annual Baby's Breath Gypsophila elegans Needs full sun.
Baby Snapdragon/Toadflax Linaria maroccana Full sun to light shade.
Bird's Eyes Gilia tricolor Needs full sun.
Bird's Foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus Full sun to light shade.
Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta Needs full sun.
Blanket Flower Gaillardia aristata Needs full sun.
Blazing Star Liatris spicata Needs full sun.
Blazing Star (yellow) Mentzelia lindleyi Needs full sun.
Blue Flax Linum perenne lewisii Needs full sun.
Blue Sage Salvia farinacea Needs full sun.
Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa Best with full sun; tolerates some light shade
Calendula Calendula officianalis Needs full sun.
California Bluebell Phacelia campanularia Needs full sun.
California Poppy Eschscholzia californica Needs full sun.
Candytuft Iberis umbellata Needs full sun.
Chicory Cichorium intybus Needs full sun.
Chinese Forget-me-Not Cynoglossum amabile Full sun to light shade.
Chinese Houses Collinsia heterophylla Full sun to light shade.
Clasping Coneflower Rudbeckia amplexicaulis* Needs full sun.
Cornflower/Bachelor's Button (blue) Centaurea cyanus (blue) Full sun to light shade.
Cornflower/Bachelor's Button (multi) Centaurea cyanus (multicolored) Full sun to light shade.
Cosmos Cosmos bipinnatus Needs full sun.
Crimson Clover Trifolium incarnatum Needs full sun.
Dame's Rocket Hesperis matronalis Full sun to partial shade
Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata Needs full sun.
Drummond Phlox Phlox drummondii Needs full sun.
Eastern Red Columbine Aquilegia canadensis Full sun or partial shade.
Evening Primrose Oenothera lamarckiana Needs full sun.
Farewell-to-Spring Clarkia unguiculata* Full sun to light shade.
Five Spot Nemophila maculata Full sun to partial shade
Forget-me-Not Myosotis sylvatica Full sun or almost full shade. (not under evergreens.)
Foxglove Digitalis purpurea Full sun to shade.
Globe Gilia Gilia capitata Full sun to partial shade
Gloriosa Daisy Rudbeckia gloriosa Needs full sun.
Godetia Clarkia amoena Full sun to light shade.
Golden Lupine Lupinus densiflorus Needs full sun.
Grey-Headed Coneflower Ratibida pinnata Needs full sun.
Hollyhock Alcea rosea Needs full sun.
Iceland Poppy Papaver nudicaule Needs full sun.
Indian Blanket Gaillardia pulchella Needs full sun.
Johnny Jump-up Viola cornuta* Full sun to partial shade
Lacy Phacelia Phacelia tanacetifolia Needs full sun.
Lance-leaf Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata Full sun to light shade.
Lemon Mint Monarda citriodora Full sun to light shade.
Maximilian's Sunflower Helianthus maximiliani Needs full sun.
Mexican Hat Ratibida columnaris (red) Needs full sun.
Missouri Primrose Oenothera missouriensis Needs full sun.
Morning Glory Ipomoea purpurea Needs full sun.
Moss Verbena Verbena tenuisecta Needs full sun.
Mountain Phlox Linanthus grandiflorus Full sun or light shade.
Nasturtium Tropaeolum nanum Full sun to light shade.
New England Aster Aster novae-angliae Needs full sun.
None-so-Pretty or Catchfly Silene armeria Full sun to light shade.
Orange Cosmos Cosmos sulphureus Needs full sun.
Oriental Poppy Papaver orientale Needs full sun.
OxEye Daisy Chrysanthemum leucanthemum Full sun to light shade.
Pale Coneflower Echinacea pallida Needs full sun.
Plains Coreopsis Coreopsis tinctoria Full sun to partial shade
Prairie Aster Aster tanacetifolius* Needs full sun.
Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea Needs full sun.
Purple Prairie Clover Petalostemon purpureum* NEW Needs full sun.
Queen Anne's Lace Ammi majus* seeds Needs full sun.
Red Poppy (all red single) Papaver rhoeas (red) Full sun to partial shade
Red Poppy (red, pink, doubles) Papaver rhoeas (mix) Needs full sun.
Rocket Larkspur Delphinium ajacis* Needs full sun.
Rocky Mountain Bee Plant Cleome serrulata Needs full sun.
Rocky Mountain Pensternon Penstemon strictus Needs full sun.
Rose Mallow Lavatera trimestris Full sun to light shade.
Scarlet Flax Linum grandiflorum rubrum Full sun to light shade.
Scarlet Sage Salvia coccinea Needs full sun.
Shasta Daisy Chrysanthemum maximum Needs full sun.
Showy Evening Primrose Oenothera speciosa Needs full sun.
Siberian Wallflower Cheiranthus allionii Needs full sun.
Standing Cypress Ipomopsis rubra Needs full sun.
Sweet Alyssum Lobularia maritima Full sun to light shade.
Sweet William Dianthus barbatus Full sun to partial shade
Texas Bluebonnet Lupinus texensis Needs full sun.
Tidy Tips Layia platyglossa Needs full sun.
White Yarrow Achillea millefolium seeds Needs full sun.
Wild Annual Sunflower Helianthus annuus Needs full sun.
Wild Perennial Lupine Lupinus perennis Needs full sun.
Yellow Prairie Coneflower Ratibida columnaris (yellow) Needs full sun.
Zinnia Zinnia elegans Needs full sun.
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Wildflowers for Partial Shade
This list is made up of species that either demand or tolerate partial shade.
Common Name Botanical Name Light Requirement
Baby Blue Eyes Nemophilia menziesii Prefers some shade to filered sun
Baby Snapdragon/Toadflax Linaria maroccana Full sun to light shade.
Bird's Foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus Full sun to light shade.
Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa Best with full sun; tolerates some light shade
Chinese Forget-me-Not Cynoglossum amabile Full sun to light shade.
Chinese Houses Collinsia heterophylla Full sun to light shade.
Cornflower/Bachelor's Button (blue) Centaurea cyanus (blue) Full sun to light shade.
Cornflower/Bachelor's Button (multi) Centaurea cyanus (multicolored) Full sun to light shade.
Dame's Rocket Hesperis matronalis Full sun to partial shade
Eastern Red Columbine Aquilegia canadensis Full sun or partial shade.
Farewell-to-Spring Clarkia unguiculata* Full sun to light shade.
Five Spot Nemophila maculata Full sun to partial shade
Forget-me-Not Myosotis sylvatica Full sun or almost full shade. (not under evergreens.)
Foxglove Digitalis purpurea Full sun to shade.
Globe Gilia Gilia capitata Full sun to partial shade
Godetia Clarkia amoena Full sun to light shade.
Johnny Jump-up Viola cornuta* Full sun to partial shade
Lance-leaf Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata Full sun to light shade.
Lemon Mint Monarda citriodora Full sun to light shade.
Mountain Phlox Linanthus grandiflorus Full sun or light shade.
Nasturtium Tropaeolum nanum Full sun to light shade.
None-so-Pretty or Catchfly Silene armeria Full sun to light shade.
OxEye Daisy Chrysanthemum leucanthemum Full sun to light shade.
Plains Coreopsis Coreopsis tinctoria Full sun to partial shade
Red Poppy (all red single) Papaver rhoeas (red) Full sun to partial shade
Rose Mallow Lavatera trimestris Full sun to light shade.
Scarlet Flax Linum grandiflorum rubrum Full sun to light shade.
Sweet Alyssum Lobularia maritima Full sun to light shade.
Sweet William Dianthus barbatus Full sun to partial shade
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Wildflowers for Full Shade
This list is made up of wildflowers that are either true shade plants, such as woodland species that must have full shade, plus a few which can tolerate shade as well as partial sun.
Common Name Botanical Name Light Requirement
Forget-me-Not Myosotis sylvatica Full sun or almost full shade. (not under evergreens.)

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