Gardening Zone 6

If you garden in zone 6, you can grow a great variety of plants. Many parts of zone 6 have a range of temperatures that will allow both cold-weather and warm-weather plants to flourish. Many cold-loving plants will not oversummer in warmer zones. Many heat-loving plants, such as common boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) and Japanese apricot (Prunus mume) will not overwinter in colder zones. In zone 6, both groups can grow happily in the same garden!

Hardiness zones deal with average low temperatures. Remember, however, that winter temperatures are only one of many elements that determine a plant’s health. Other factors – like soil, sunlight, water, high temperature, number of days without frost – can vary greatly even within one hardiness zone, and each will have an impact on plants.

Remember also that microclimates are found in every zone, and you may find that your garden, or parts of it, has higher or lower temperatures than other zone 6 areas. Don’t be afraid to try a plant that is not recommended for zone 6 winters if you really love it.

The average coldest winter temperature in zone 6 averages 0 to -10 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 to -23 Celsius). The plants listed here will do well in those winter temperatures if their other growing requirements are met.

Perennials

Alumroot (Heuchera)
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 sp.)
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 sp.)
Bugloss (Anchusa)
Calamint, lesser (Calamintha nepetoides)
Campion, catchfly (Lychnis)
Candytuft (Iberis)
Cardinal flower (Lobelia)
Chamomile (Anthemis)
Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum)
Cinquefoil, Nepal (Potentilla nepalensis)
Colewort (Crambe)
Columbine (Aquilegia)
Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Coral bells (Heuchera) hybrids)
Coreopsis (Coreopsis grandiflora and Coreopsis verticillata)
Cranesbill (Geranium)
Crocosmia (Crocosmia crocosmiiflora) hybrids)
Daylily (Hemerocallis)
Delphinium (Delphinium)
Dianthus, pink, carnation (Dianthus)
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)
Hibiscus (Hibiscus)
Hosta (Hosta) hybrids)
Hyssop (Agastache rupestris)
Iris (Iris)
Lady's mantle (Alchemilla)
Lamb's ears (Stachys)
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Lavender cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus)
Leadwort (Ceratostigma)
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)
Poppy (Papaver)
Primrose (Primula)
Red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria)
Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
Sandwort (Arenaria)
Sea holly (Eryngium)
Sea lavender (Limonium)
Sea pink (Armeria)
Solomon's seal (Polygonatum)
Speedwell (Veronica)
Swordleaf (Inula ensifolia)
Valerian (Centranthus)
Verbena (Verbena)
Violet (Viola)
Windflower (Anemone)
Wormwood (Artemisia)
Yarrow (Achillea)

Deciduous Shrubs for Zone 6

Alabama Croton (Croton alabamensis)
American cranberry bush (Viburnum trilobum)
Azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum)
Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)
Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora)
Buckthorn (Rhamnus carolinianus)
Buffalo-berry (Shepherdia canadensis)
Burning bush (Euonymus alatus)
Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii)
Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)
Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa)
Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster)
Dogwood (Cornus)
Enkianthus Enkianthus campanulatus)
Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia)
Fothergilla (Fothergilla)
Fringetree(Chionanthus)
Groundsel bush (Baccharis halimifolia)
Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima)
Huckleberry (Vaccinium elliottii)
Hydrangea (Hydrangea)
Indigo (Indigofera heteranthera)
Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)
Kerria (Kerria japonica)
Lilac (Syringa)
Plum (Prunus angustifolia)
Quince (Chaenomeles speciosa)
Rhododendron (Rhododendron mucronulatum)
Rose (Rosa) hybrids
Rose-of-Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)
Rusty blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum)
Silverberry (Elaeagnus commutata)
Smokebush (Cotinus coggygria)
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
Spirea (Spiraea)
Staghorn Suma, (Rhus hirta)
Summersweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)
Sweet fern (Comptonia peregrina)
Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus)
Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima)
Viburnum (Viburnum)
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
Winterhazel (Corylopsis glabrescens)
Witchhazel (Hamamelis)

Conifers for Zone 6

Arborvitae (Thuja)
Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica)
Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum), deciduous conifer
Cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica)
Cypress (X Cupressocyparis leylandii)
Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) (deciduous conifer)
Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
Eastern Red cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
Falsecypress (Chamaecyparis)
Fir (Abies)
Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
Juniper (Juniperus)
Pine, Japanese red pine (Pinus)
Yew (Taxus)

Deciduous Trees for Zone 6

Alder (Alnus tenuifolia)
Amur maackia (Maackia amurensis)
Ash (Sorbus aucuparia)
Beech (Fagus)
Birch (Betula)
Box elder (Acer negundo)
Buckeye (Aesculus)
Butternut (Juglans cinerea)
Carolina Silverbell (Halesia tetraptera)
Cherry (Prunus)
Chokecherry (Prunus maackii)
Cottonwood (Populus balsamifera)
Crabapple (Malus)
Dove-tree (Davidia involucrata)
Dogwood (Cornus)
Elm (Ulmus)
Evodia (Evodia sp.)
Flowering Apricot, Japanese (Prunus mume)
Franklinia (Franklinia alatamaha)
Fringetree (Chionanthus)
Goldenchain tree (Laburnum x watereri)
Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
Hawthorn (Crataegus viridis)
Hickory (Carya glabra)
Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis)
Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana)
Hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata)
Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
Horsechestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)
Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba)
Katsuratree
Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)
Linden (Tilia cordata)
Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
Magnolia (Magnolia)
Maple (Acer)
Oak (Quercus)
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
Pear (Pyrus sp.)
Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)
Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)
Pistache (Pistacia chinensis)
Plum, blireiana (Prunus x blireiana)
Poplar (Populus alba)
Possumhaw (Ilex decidua)
Quaking Aspen, (Populus tremuloides)
Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
Snowbell (Styrax)
Soapberry (Sapindus drummondii)
Stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia)
Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)
Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata)
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Tupelo (Nyssa)
Walnut (Juglans)
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
Witchhazel (Hamamelis)
Yellowwood (Cladrastis lutea)
Zelkova (Zelkova serrata)

Vines for Zone 6

perennial

Akebia (Akebia quinata)
Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata)
Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)
Clematis (Clematis), selected varieties
Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata)
Dutchman's pipe (Aristolochia durior)
Goldflame honeysuckle (Lonicera x heckrottii x 'Goldflame')
Passionflower (Passiflora)
Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans)
Wisteria (Wisteria sp.)

Annual

Gourd (Curcubita, Lagenaria and Luffa), annual
Purple hyacinth bean (Lablab purpurea, formerly Dolichos lablab), annual

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