PerennialPurple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Tough, drought-tolerant summer daisy that feeds pollinators and goldfinches.
Zones 3–9Full sun
Plants You Can Grow
Popular perennials, shrubs and trees that thrive in your USDA hardiness zone. Pick your zone to see what will make it through your winters.
Step 1
Select Your USDA Hardiness Zone
Not sure which zone you are in? Find your growing zone on the USDA map ↗
Plants for your zone
All Plants
Pick a zone above to see what grows where you live.
Showing 32 of 32 plants
Perennial
PerennialHosta
Hosta spp.
The classic shade foliage plant, in every size from mini to giant.
Zones 3–9Part shade · Shade
PerennialDaylily
Hemerocallis spp.
Nearly indestructible clumps with weeks of trumpet flowers.
Zones 3–9Full sun · Part shade
PerennialBlack-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia fulgida
Golden flowers from midsummer into fall, and seed heads for winter birds.
Zones 3–9Full sun
PerennialPeony
Paeonia lactiflora
Lavish, fragrant late-spring blooms that need winter chill to flower well.
Zones 3–8Full sun
PerennialCatmint
Nepeta × faassenii
Soft lavender-blue mounds for edging; shear after the first flush to rebloom.
Zones 3–8Full sun
PerennialRussian Sage
Salvia yangii
Silvery stems and a haze of blue flowers that shrug off heat and drought.
Zones 4–9Full sun
PerennialMeadow Sage
Salvia nemorosa
Upright violet spikes in early summer; bees love it, deer leave it alone.
Zones 4–8Full sun
PerennialAstilbe
Astilbe spp.
Feathery plumes for moist, shady beds. Keep it watered in dry spells.
Zones 4–8Part shade · Shade
PerennialCoral Bells
Heuchera spp.
Foliage in lime, burgundy and silver that colors shady spots all season.
Zones 4–9Part shade · Shade
PerennialEnglish Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
Fragrant and drought-tolerant once settled. Needs sharp drainage.
Zones 5–9Full sun
PerennialLily of the Nile
Agapanthus spp.
Blue or white globes on tall stems; grow it in pots where winters are colder.
Zones 8–10Full sun · Part shade
ShrubPanicle Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata
The hardiest hydrangea, blooming reliably on new wood each summer.
Zones 3–8Full sun · Part shade
ShrubCommon Lilac
Syringa vulgaris
Old-fashioned spring fragrance; it needs cold winters to bloom well.
Zones 3–7Full sun
ShrubNinebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
A tough native with purple or gold leaves and peeling bark.
Zones 3–7Full sun · Part shade
ShrubBoxwood
Buxus spp.
Evergreen structure for hedges and clipped shapes.
Zones 5–8Full sun · Part shade
ShrubBigleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla
Mophead or lacecap blooms, blue in acidic soil and pink in alkaline soil.
Zones 5–9Part shade
ShrubOakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia
White cones in summer and wine-red fall color, for four-season interest.
Zones 5–9Part shade · Shade
ShrubRose of Sharon
Hibiscus syriacus
Late-summer hibiscus flowers when most shrubs are finished.
Zones 5–9Full sun · Part shade
ShrubCamellia
Camellia japonica
Glossy evergreen with rose-like blooms in late winter and early spring.
Zones 7–9Part shade
ShrubGardenia
Gardenia jasminoides
Intensely fragrant white flowers; it wants acidic soil and steady moisture.
Zones 8–10Part shade
ShrubBougainvillea
Bougainvillea spp.
Vivid papery bracts on a vigorous climber that loves heat.
Zones 9–10Full sun
TreePaper Birch
Betula papyrifera
Bright white bark that glows in winter. Best where summers stay cool.
Zones 3–7Full sun
TreeRed Maple
Acer rubrum
Fast-growing shade tree with brilliant scarlet fall color.
Zones 3–9Full sun · Part shade
TreeServiceberry
Amelanchier spp.
White spring blossoms, summer berries for birds and orange fall leaves.
Zones 4–9Full sun · Part shade
TreeEastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Magenta-pink flowers line bare branches in early spring.
Zones 4–9Full sun · Part shade
TreeSaucer Magnolia
Magnolia × soulangeana
Huge pink-and-white cups before the leaves appear.
Zones 4–9Full sun · Part shade
TreeJapanese Maple
Acer palmatum
Delicate leaves and a graceful shape for a focal point or courtyard.
Zones 5–8Part shade
TreeFlowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Native understory tree with white spring bracts and red fall berries.
Zones 5–9Part shade
TreeCrape Myrtle
Lagerstroemia indica
Months of summer flowers and smooth, peeling bark.
Zones 7–10Full sun
TreeSouthern Magnolia
Magnolia grandiflora
Glossy evergreen leaves and plate-sized, lemon-scented flowers.
Zones 7–10Full sun · Part shade
TreeOlive
Olea europaea
Silver-green Mediterranean tree for hot, dry gardens and large pots.
Zones 8–10Full sun
No plants of this type are listed for this zone yet. Try another type.
Good to know
Understanding USDA Plant Hardiness Zones
Hardiness zones tell you one thing: how cold your winters get. Each zone covers a 10°F band of average annual minimum temperature, so a plant rated to your zone should survive a typical winter where you live. That makes the zone the right place to start, but it is not the whole story.
Zones say nothing about summer heat, humidity, rainfall or soil. Zone 9 includes both inland California and much of Florida, yet one is hot and dry while the other is hot and wet, and plants that thrive in one can struggle in the other. Check your local conditions, from soil type to how much rain falls in summer, alongside your zone before you plant.
Plants for Your Zone
| Zone | Average winter low | Plants |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | −40 to −30°F−40 to −34°C | 11 plants → |
| Zone 4 | −30 to −20°F−34 to −29°C | 18 plants → |
| Zone 5 | −20 to −10°F−29 to −23°C | 25 plants → |
| Zone 6 | −10 to 0°F−23 to −18°C | 25 plants → |
| Zone 7 | 0 to 10°F−18 to −12°C | 28 plants → |
| Zone 8 | 10 to 20°F−12 to −7°C | 28 plants → |
| Zone 9 | 20 to 30°F−7 to −1°C | 22 plants → |
| Zone 10 | 30 to 40°F−1 to 4°C | 6 plants → |
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