What are some berries you all are succesfully cultivating in the more difficult shady spots of the garden?
It can be anything, from brambles to the more unusual edible berberis and viburnum species.
I live in Western Europe, so most regular fruiting shrubs require sunnier positions for better yield.
Based on reading, I found these so far:
A list of few plants that can produce light yield in broken dappled sunlight ā usually native understory plants: Downy Serviceberry (A. arborea) for drier spots, Allegheny Serviceberry (A. laevis) for better fruit, and Saskatoon Serviceberry (A. alnifolia) but highly susceptible to Cedar-Apple Rust, Canadian Serviceberry (A. canadensis), Black Cap Raspberry, native Gooseberry, Michigan Huckleberry, wild lowbush Blueberry, Rhubarb.
Of these, native gooseberries (Missouri Gooseberry Ribes missouriense) have been growing on my site for decades under trees in the dry sandy soil, surviving many droughts. And their big thorns protect them from deer and rabbits. Theyāre native, so the crop isnāt amazing, but itās nice having something that doesnāt need a fence.
I grow several varieties of gooseberry, currant, golden currant (Ribes aureum ), and alpine strawberry in about three hours of sun per day. I also have some of the same plants in full sun. The fullāsun berries are larger and more plentiful, and the plants reach a much larger size more quickly, but the shaded ones still produce plenty of tasty fruit.
alpine strawberry grows great in part sun in my experience. Same with lowbush blueberry. Lingonberry, i think you could swing wineberry, but check if its invasive by you (it is by me but i woudl guess not in western europe?). Black raspberry, gooseberries and jostaberry. Bunchberry? Wintergreen is a fun one too but not sure how hard it is to find.
Other edibles to consider: Rhubarb (my mom grows it under her apple trees, hazelnuts (do amazing in shade, the most of any nut)
Honeyberry/Haskaps even though the internet will say different.
Thanks for the information.
I recently replanted my Amelanchier Alnifolia āSmokeyā in its permanent more shady location.
Michigan huckleberries seem very interesting to me, but I guess they need acidic soil right?
I didnāt know about the R. missouriense? Do they taste well?
Iāve had 3 plants Michigan Huckleberry, 5 plants Lingonberry, and 3 Highbush Blueberry for 2 years. I neglected to acidify the soil and all 11 showed almost no growth. I finally acidified the soil going into fall, so I hope to see growth next year.
The Missouri Gooseberry R. missouriense taste fine. Itās the only kind Iāve had except for a jar of something grown in Sweden I got at Ikea. When they change from green to black in August, for about 1-2 weeks they loose the tartness and taste like good fresh plums. If they hang longer, the flavor deteriorates but they stay non-tart.
I didnāt know that about R. Aureum. Iāve one variety named āGwensā. Maybe Iāll take cuttings when it is bigger and place some in shade.
I have some mystery variety thorny blackberries that seem to do better without being in the sunniest spots. They still get 6 hours sun in summer though - so not really shade but shadier.
I wrote a post about Ribes aureum. The cultivar I have is āCrandall,ā but the write up focuses on how mine grows with very little sun. I would recommend propagating it by stool layering, as Iāve read that rooting cuttings can be difficult.
We have a wild dewberry here that does well and bears fruit in shadey areas. It taste similar to blackberry. It would need support.
There is a guy on youtube growing red currants in the more shadey areas of his garden and they were producing a good load of fruit.
TNHunter