Gardening Zone 5

You can grow a wide variety of plants in zone 5! No, you can’t grow poinsettias in your garden, but you can grow all the spring bulbs that will not bloom in frost-free climates. Your buddleias will never be large enough to be called ‘summer lilacs’, since zone 5 winters freeze the branches and new growth develops from the root each year, but your real lilacs (Syringa) will be glorious.

Gardening Zone 5

Remember that USDA hardiness zones only address winter temperatures. These zone maps assume that the other factors that make plants flourish or fail – soil, sunlight, water, high temperature, number of days without frost – are ideal.

Also remember that your yard, or parts of it, may be a bit warmer or colder than zone 5 averages. A plant that normally thrives in zone 5 may die in a particularly cold spot. On the other hand, if there’s a plant that you really covet, go ahead and try it in a warm spot!

If you live in zone 5, your coldest winter days are -20 to -10 F (-29 to -23 C). The plants on this list will survive those temperatures if their other growing requirements are met. They’re listed by their common names, but remember that the same plant can have several common names. They’re also listed by their botanical names, so you can check their other preferences in the index. You don’t have to limit yourself to these plants to garden in zone 5, but these are the ones most likely to overwinter successfully.

Alumroot (Heuchera)

Aster (Aster sp.)

Astilbe (Astilbe sp.)

Baby's breath (Gypsophila paniculata)

Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus)

Barrenwort (Epimedium)

Basket-of-gold (Aurinia saxatilis)

Beardtongue (Penstemon)

Bear's breeches (Acanthus sp.)

Bee balm (Monarda)

Bellflower (Campanula sp.)

Bergenia (Bergenia sp.)

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida)

Blanket flower (Gaillardia x grandiflora)

Bleeding heart (Dicentra)

Bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana)

Boltonia (Boltonia asteroides)

Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla)

Bugbane (Cimicifuga)

Bugleweed (Ajuga)

Bugloss (Anchusa)

Campion (Lychnis)

Candytuft (Iberis)

Cardinal flower (Lobelia)

Carnation (Dianthus)

Chamomile (Anthemis)

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum)

Cinquefoil (Potentilla nepalensis)

Columbine (Aquilegia)

Coral bells (Heuchera) hybrids

Coreopsis (Coreopsis grandiflora and Coreopsis verticillata)

Cranesbill (Geranium)

Daylily (Hemerocallis)

Delphinium (Delphinium)

False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)

Fleabane (Erigeron)

Flowering Onion (Allium)

Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)

Foxglove (Digitalis)

Gas plant (Dictamnus)

Gayfeather (Liatris)

Globeflower (Trollius)

Goatsbeard (Aruncus sp.)

Golden-ray (Ligularia)

Hellebore (Helleborus)

Hosta (Hosta)

Hyssop (Agastache rupestris)

Iris (Iris and Iris cristata and Iris reticulata)

Joe Pye Weed (Echinacea purpurea)

Lady's mantle (Alchemilla)

Lamb's ears (Stachys)

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Leopard's-bane (Doronicum)

Lily (Lilium)

Lilyturf (Liriope muscari)

Lupine (Lupinus)

Meadow rue (Thalictrum)

Meadowsweet (Filipendula)

Moss pink (Phlox subulata)

Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis)

Peony (Paenoia)

Phlox (Phlox paniculata)

Pincushion flower (Scabiosa)

Pink (Dianthus)

Poppy (Papaver)

Plumbago (Ceratostigma)

Primrose (Primula)

Red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria)

Rose mallow (Hibiscus)

Sage (Salvia officinalis and Perovskia atriplicifolia)

Salvia, perennial (Salvia x superba)

Sandwort (Arenaria)

Sea holly (Eryngium)

Sea lavender (Limonium)

Solomon's seal (Polygonatum)

Speedwell (Veronica)

Sunflower (Helianthus)

Swordleaf (Inula ensifolia)

Thrift (Armeria)

Valerian (Centranthus)

Violet (Viola)

Windflower (Anemone)

Wormwood (Artemisia)

Yarrow (Achillea)

Bearberry (Cotoneaster dammeri)

Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens)

Broom (Cytisus purgans)

Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens)

Garland flower (Daphne cneorum)

Euonymus (Euonymus)

Germander (Teucrium chamaedrys)

Holly (Ilex), some kinds

Inkberry (Ilex glabra)

Japanese Pieris (Pieris japonica)

Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum)

Leucothoe (Leucothoe fontanesiana)

Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia)

Oregon Grapeholly (Mahonia aquifolium)

Rhododendron (Rhododendron), some kinds

Yucca (Yucca)

American cranberry bush (Viburnum trilobum)

Azalea (Rhododendron), some types

Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)

Beautyberry (Callicarpa japonica)

Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora)

Broom (Cytisus scoparius)

Buckthorn (Rhamnus carolinianus)

Buffaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis)

Burning bush (Euonymus alatus)

Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii)

Carolina Allspice (Calycanthus floridus)

Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa)

Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster)

Dogwood (Cornus)

Enkianthus (Enkianthus campanulatus)

Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles speciosa)

Fothergilla (Fothergilla)

Honeysuckle (Lonicera)

Hydrangea (Hydrangea), some types

Kerria, Japanese (Kerria japonica)

Lilac (Syringa)

Plum (Prunus angustifolia)

Rhododendron (Rhododendron), some kinds

Rockspray (Cotoneaster horizontalis)

Rose (Rosa)

Rose-of-Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)

Serviceberry (Amelanchier)

Silverberry (Elaeagnus commutata)

Smoketree (Cotinus coggygria), in protected areas

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

Spirea (Spiraea)

Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)

Staghorn Sumac (Rhus)

Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima)

Viburnum (Viburnum)

Weigela (Weigela florida)

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

Winterhazel, fragrant (Corylopsis glabrescens)

Witchhazel (Hamamelis)

Arborvitae (Thuja)

Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)

False Cypress (Chamaecyparis)

Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri)

Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

Juniper (Juniperus)

Pine (Pinus)

Red Cedar Eastern (Juniperus virginiana)

Spruce (Picea)

Yew (Taxus canadensis)

Alder (Alnus)

Ash (Sorbus)

Beech (Fagus)

Birch (Betula)

Box elder (Acer negundo)

Buckeye (Aesculus)

Butternut (Juglans cinerea)

Cherry (Prunus)

Cottonwood (Populus balsamifera)

Crabapple (Malus)

Dogwood (Cornus)

Elm (Ulmus)

Franklinia (Franklinia alatamaha)

Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus)

Goldenchain tree (Laburnum x watereri)

Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

Hawthorn (Crataegus viridis)

Hickory (Carya glabra)

Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis)

Hophornbeam, Eastern, American hophornbeam, ironwood (Ostrya virginiana)

Hornbeam (Carpinus)

Horsechestnut (Aesculus)

Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)

Larch (Larix laricina)

Linden (Tilia cordata)

Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Magnolia (Magnolia)

Maple (Acer buergerianum)

Oak (Quercus)

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

Pear (Pyrus sp.)

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)

Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

Plum (Prunus)

Poplar (Populus alba)

Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides)

Redbud (Cercis)

Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)

Stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia)

Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)

Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)

Walnut (Juglans)

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

Witchhazel (Hamamelis)

Akebia (Akebia quinata)

Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata)

Clematis (Clematis), selected varieties

Dutchman's pipe (Aristolochia durior)

Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans)

Wisteria (Wisteria sp.)

Gourd (Curcubita, Lagenaria and Luffa), annual

Morning glory (Ipomoea tricolor), annual

Purple hyacinth bean (Lablab purpurea), annual

• Winter Squash Plants Photos
• Sugar Maple Tree Picture
• What Plants Grow in Winter

• Gardenia Plant Care
• Jasmine
• How to Build an Outdoor Fireplace
• Honeysuckle
• Maple Tree Diseases

• What to Grow in the Southern Fall Garden
• Fothergilla
• Stewartia
• Cornus Florida
• Category:Gardening Zones