10 Herbs to Grow in Shade (Not an Oxymoron) – Gardenista

There is a prevailing garden myth: Herbs must be grown in full sun. It may be a symptom of unconscious bias, one that perceives the Mediterranean as the center of it all, and whose native herbs have become staples in many kitchens. And it is true that rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram, and savory demand full sun (despite what some listicles about shade-loving herbs will tell you). But many other aromatic and flavorful plants that are used as herbs or spices thrive in shade. For culinary gardeners (or horticultural cooks?), this is exciting. This (by-no-means exhaustive) shortlist of herbs for shade includes plants that evolved in conditions where they receive protection from the sun, be it in valleys, mountainous ravines, or lush tropical forests. They can all be grown at home.

Photography by Marie Viljoen.

Over the course of several gardens, two of which were defined by shade, I learned that my own view of culinary herbs was narrow. But some great teachers broadened my own perspective: experience (in those gardens), curiosity (what is that, and how can it be used?), and the immense variety of cuisines that simmer within the five boroughs of New York City. (Seeing what is on your plate can be highly inspiring and motivating for a gardener obsessed with flavors.)

Pepper Elder

And then there are gifts. Michele Palladino, the founder of Brooklyn’s Gowanus Nursery, gave me some unfamiliar, rooted seedlings one spring. With a native range that includes much of the globe (tropical Australia, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Caribbean), pepper elder—Peperomia pelucida—is a tender annual in cold climates (it is hardy from USDA zones 9b – 11). Its glossy leaves on sappy stems are gently aromatic, crunchy, very tender, and juicy. It has many common names, in many languages, and it is used medicinally as well as eaten in a slew of cooking traditions. In Jamaica pepper elder may be cooked with jerk pork. In Vietnam it could top a hot-sweet-sour salad. I add its glossy leaves to quick pickles, serve them in a heap alongside spicy food, or wrap them into summer rolls, for their bulk, flavor, and crunch. Pepper elder’s flower spikes set dozens of tiny black seeds, and they germinate readily. In climates without freezing winters this gives pepper weed invasive potential. Keeping it in a pot will narrow its range and add green grace to your shade garden. And it makes a handsome houseplant.

Sand Ginger

Lesser galangal, aromatic ginger, kencur, and resurrection lily are a few of sand ginger’s many common names. Kaempferia galanga is native to forest edges in South and Southeast Asia, and is used fresh in Malaysia and Indonesia. In China, the dried rhizome is important, particularly in Sichuan cuisine. And it is deployed widely in its native range as a botanical medicine. Sand ginger is frost-tender, and only hardy to USDA zone 9a, but it is easily overwintered indoors: it goes dormant, losing all its leaves, and requires no water for the duration. Move it outdoors once nights are about 50 degrees Fahrenheit again. Outdoors, it prefers high, dappled, or full shade; left in the sun its leaves will curl inwards in protest. It relishes humid summers. Its delicious leaves are crunchy in salads, make wonderful edible plates, and infuse cooling drinks.

Read our full story about how to grow and eating sand ginger.

Galangal and Friends

Meet the houseplant you didn’t know you needed. Galangal—Alpinia galanga—is known for its tough, aromatic rhizome. At least, tough when you are lucky enough to find it in a supermarket in the US. When you harvest your own, as I can once or twice a year, you understand the appeal of the fresh root. It is highly perfumed and very sliceable. And it keeps for weeks wrapped in the fridge. Native to Indonesia, galangal is widespread in South and Southeast Asia. It is a key ingredient in a variety of curry pastes and dipping sauces, defines tom yum soup, and is delicious grated into any lime-based salad dressings. Cold-averse, galangal must overwinter indoors, out of direct sunshine, in climates colder than USDA zone 9. My own plant is divided once, sometimes twice, a year, and that is when I collect the rhizomes. The huge leaves—rolled and crushed lightly—are delicious infused in coconut-based curries, Filipino-style adobes, or your favorite drink.