flat sea holly "Blue Hobbit"

Destinctively shade-loving plants are those intolerant of direct sun, because they are addapted to life in tree undergrowth or in other shadowy undergrowth. It si usual for shadow, that air moisture is higher, while temperature is lower than in sunny undergrowth. According to the ammount of sunlight, that reaches plants, we divide shadow in to light/soft or deep/strong shadow (deep shadow is found under dense and low treetops of evergreen trees, in undergorwth between bigger shrubs, can also be found in narrow north corners between buildings and trees etc).

Herbaceous plants are not woody. Their stems are soft, usually remaining green. With some herabceous older stems may harden and look like woody stems (e. g. bamboo).

Leaves or needles remain on the plant throughout the winter and fall down in spring when new ones emerge. Part of leaves or needles may fall already in autumn or winter. The falling off depends on winter temperature, so some plants are evergreen in mild winter, yet decidous in cold winter

Plant can in otherwise appropriate environment survive cold down to - 23 °C.

Porous or dry soils are normally light and loose, there is no stagnant water but relatively quickly flows in deeper layers; such ground are more airy and warmer, yet drier and usually contain less humus and for such undergrowth it is often to for drought to appear (e. g. rockgardens, walls, by paths and roads, on gravel, also on gravel surface in towns and close to buildings ...), plants of such undergrowth need well-drained soil, they tolerate drought but cannot tolerate constant moisture or even flooding.

Herbaceous, not woody plant. Stems and leaves may be evergreen or deciduous - thus regrowing every spring. Perennials may blossom consecutively for several years. Some perennials develop special underground organs - bulbs, corms or rootstocks and these species are treated separetelly, not with geophyte and tuberous plants.