Japanese blueberry (Elaeocarpus decipens) is a broadleaf evergreen tree that grows to a mature height and width of 30 to 40 feet. It’s hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8B to 10B. When left to develop naturally, the limbs cover the back from the ground up. Shade-tolerant ground-cover plants could be good to place under a Japanese olive tree with all its branches. The lower limbs can be pruned, though, giving the tree a well-defined canopy and opening up room under for plants.
Ground Cover Plants
Partridge berry (Mitchella repens) and wandering Jew (Tradescantia zebrina) could be good shade-tolerant ground cover plants to place under a Japanese blueberry. Partridge berry, also known as twinberry, twinflower or jogging box, grows to a height of 2 inches with little, dark green, shiny leaves. It blooms in the summer and spring, producing little, pale pink blooms that are followed by bright red berries. Wandering Jew, also known as inch plant, which grows to between 6 and 9 inches tall with silvery-turquoise and purple striped leaves. Partridge berry is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9 while wandering Jew is hardy in USDA zones 8 to 11.
Upright Plants
Japanese blueberry trees that have had the lower limbs removed still will provide a shady surroundings directly under them when they’ve reached their mature width. Shorter shade-tolerant plants are a good choice in this circumstance. Begonias (Begonia spp.) and impatiens (Impatiens spp.) Are upright plants that provide floral attention from spring through fall and prosper in shady situations. The “Bepared” or “Dragon Wing Red” begonia, and begonias in the Tuberosa group grow to between 1 and 1 1/2 feet tall. “Dragon Wing Red” blooms in red while Tuberosa begonias are available in orange, pink, crimson, white or yellow. “Dragon Wing Red” begonias are hardy in USDA zones 10 and 11 while Tuberosa begonias are hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11. Impatiens grow to between 6 inches and 4 feet tall and are available with nearly any flower shade, depending on the species or cultivar. I. walleriana impatiens and those in the Hawkeri group are hardy in USDA zones 10 and 11, but all impatiens can be grown as annuals.
Foliage Plants
Ferns are good plants to place in complete shade areas under Japanese Cherry trees. They can be planted with flowering plants to provide greenery or alone where floral interest isn’t desired. Cinnamon ferns (Osmunda cinnamomea) have little, light green leaflets that provide fine, feathery texture. They grow to between 5 and 3 feet tall and are hardy in USDA zones 3 to 10. Japanese holly ferns (Cyrtomium falcatum) have bigger, shiny dark green leaflets that provide coarse texture. They grow to 2 feet tall and are hardy in USDA zones 6 to 11.
Partial- or Full-Shade Plants
Plants that thrive in partial or full shade are good to place under young Japanese blueberry trees that have had lower limbs removed, but still haven’t created a wide canopy. Dancing women sage (Globba winitii) along with hostas (Hosta spp.) Will endure the brief periods of direct sunlight they are likely to be exposed to while the tree is young. When the tree grows a broader canopy, dancing girls gingers and hostas will continue to prosper at the fully shaded place. Dancing girls gingers, also known as ballet ladies, grow to 2 feet tall and bloom in pink, purple or white all summer and fall. They are hardy in USDA zones 8 to 11. Hostas or plantain lilies grow to 6 inches and 3 feet tall, depending on the species or cultivar, and bloom in blue, purple or white in the spring and summertime. They are hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9.
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