Posted by Mari - 7: I have very dark shaded woods and would
like to know of some wildflowers that will bloom in the
summer. I have plenty of spring flowers and bulbs in the
woods but in the summer they are bare.

Gwenne Hayes-Stewart - z6: Dense shade does not afford a lot
of blooming. Those spring flowers bloom during times before
the leaves of the trees have developed. Might you consider
ferns and woodland ground covers like wild gingers.

Susan King Z7a: If you have a moist spot, Lobelia cardinalis
or L. syphilitica.

Bill Plummer - 5: Mitchella repens, partridge berry blooms
in summer- white stars in a green sky. Snakeroot,Cimicifuga,
is a late summer bloomer as tall as M. repens is small.
Toad lily, Tricyrtis, Corydalis lutea and C. ochreleuca will
bloom throughout the summer.

mark golden [AL/zone7b]: here are a few I've found to do
well starting in late spring/early summer, some even thru
midsummer: Chrysogonum virginianum - yellow flowers, nice
green foliage. Tiarella codifolia - a few cultivars are
available also. Stylophorum diphyllum - big yellow flowers,
interesting foliage.

Bob in zone 6: Most of the Actaeas (Baneberries) will bloom
even in dense shade. A nice display of scarlet or white
berries will follow.

Bruce Morrison - 4: You might think of giving White Woodland
Milkweed a try (Asclepias exaltata). The Prairie Nursery
catalog describes it in their woodland wildflower section as
a July bloomer and calls it a well behaved plant. (Prairie
Nursery, Westfield, WI (608)296-3679) I would suggest not
overlooking Wild Columbine but in zone 7 perhaps they
wouldn't still be at it by mid summer (they are here in NW
Iowa). You might think about those plants which have color
later on from their fruit. Jack-in-the-pulpits, Solomon
Seal, False Solomon Seal, are examples.

Barb Mich z5: There are a few goldenrods that prefer shade.
Solidago puberula and S. caesia are 2 that would give late
summer, early fall color. Aster puniceous is more blue than
purple and does well in about 2 hours of sun. There are
several small white asters that are comfortable in the open
woods.

A. Tussing - 5: Other woodland plants blooming in summer
include Shortia sp, Oconee Bells, Galax sp, Chelone sp,
Turtleheads, Astilbes, Marshallia sp. would be excellent to
try, but they like a little bit of sun. These are the
Barbara's Buttons. Ligularia and Aruncus sp. also like lots
of shade and moisture, and bloom in summer.

Hatsy Taylor: How about the pipsissewas, Chimaphilia
maculata and C. umbellata? The first is also known as
spotted wintergreen, with a variegated stripe down the
center of each leaf. They both bloom in July and are
evergreen. Here in Northwest Connecticut they are common in
the most woodlands.

Traute the BioGardener: You can get all colors of columbine.
My favorite shade loving flower is the ground-crawling
blue-flowered original periwinkle.

searl: What? No Lily-of-the-Valley? I love this sweet
smeller!

Lynda: who could have shade and not have loads of
forget-me-nots[myosotis?]Remember stars are the
forget-me-nots of angels!

Tamara Guinn: In addition to the above Astrania Major,
Hydrangeas, Meadow Rue for summer and late summer.

Paula: Only plant the forget-me-not if you are willing to
see it come up in a lot of other places. A great low grower
is Sweet Violet. It loves shade. Thalictrums are tall, but
have lovely columbine-like leaves even after the blooms are
finished in June.