Gardening Zone 8

Zone 8 has relatively even temperatures in the British Isles and the Pacific Northwest. Generally, summers have warm days and cool nights. In the southern United States, summer heat is the limiting factor for plant growth. In the southeast, summers are hot and humid; in the southwest, they are hot and dry. Some plants become dormant in the summer.

This is the warmest zone for plants like smoke tree, Kousa dogwood, and astilbe. Lilacs (Syringa) do not flower in zone 8. It is the coldest zone for other plants, like rock rose or strawberry tree. Many tender bulbs, like gladiolus and dahlias, can overwinter in the garden.

Remember that USDA zones are based entirely on winter temperatures. Many other factors contribute to plant growth. It is also possible that parts of your garden form microclimates, areas that are colder or warmer than surrounding regions. Don’t be afraid to try plants recommended for slightly warmer or colder zones in your zone 8 garden!

Perennials for Zone 8

Angel's trumpet (Brugmansia)
Aster or Hardy Aster (Aster sp.)
Astilbe (Astilbe sp.)
Baby's breath (Gypsophila paniculata)
Balloon flower or Chinese bellflower (Platycodon grandiflorus)
Barrenwort (Epimedium)
Basket-of-gold (Aurinia saxatilis)
Beardtongue, penstemon (Penstemon)
Bear's breeches (Acanthus sp.)
Bee balm (Monarda sp.)
Bellflower (Campanula sp.)
Bergenia (Bergenia sp.)
Blanket flower (Gaillardia x grandiflora)
Bleeding heart (Dicentra)
Bluestar, or amsonia (Amsonia tabernaemontana)
Boltonia (Boltonia asteroides)
Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla)
Bugbane (Cimicifuga)
Bugleweed (Ajuga sp.)
Bugloss (Anchusa)
Calamint, lesser (Calamintha nepetoides)
Canna (Canna sp.)
Campion, catchfly (Lychnis)
Candytuft (Iberis)
Cardinal flower (Lobelia)
Chamomile (Anthemis)
Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum)
Columbine (Aquilegia)
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)
Elephant's ear (Colocasia)
Fleabane (Erigeron)
Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)
Foxglove (Digitalis)
Gas plant (Dictamnus)
Gayfeather (Liatris)
Globeflower (Trollius)
Goatsbeard (Aruncus sp.)
Golden-ray (Ligularia)
Hedgenettle, scarlet or Texas betony (Stachys coccinea)
Hellebore (Helleborus)
Hibiscus, rose mallow (Hibiscus) Hosta (Hosta) hybrids
Inula, swordleaf (Inula ensifolia)
Iris (Iris)
Lady's mantle (Alchemilla)
Lamb's ears (Stachys)
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Lavender cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus)
Leopard's-bane (Doronicum)
Lily (Lilium)
Lilyturf (Liriope muscari)
Meadow rue (Thalictrum)
Meadowsweet (Filipendula)
Onion, flowering (Allium)
Paperflower, woolly (Psilostrophe tagetina)
Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis)
Peony (Paenoia)
Phlox (Phlox paniculata)
Pincushion flower (Scabiosa)
Plumbago, leadwort (Ceratostigma)
Poppy (Papaver)
Primrose (Primula)
Red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria)
Sandwort (Arenaria)
Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
Salvia, perennial (Salvia x superba)
Sea holly (Eryngium)
Sea lavender (Limonium)
Solomon's seal (Polygonatum)
Speedwell (Veronica)
Sunflower (Helianthus)
Swordleaf (Inula ensifolia)
Thrift, moss pink (Phlox subulata)
Thrift, sea pink (Armeria)
Valerian (Centranthus)
Verbena (Verbena)
Violet (Viola)
Windflower (Anemone)
Wormwood (Artemisia)
Yarrow (Achillea)

Deciduous Shrubs for Zone 8

Anisacanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus)
Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
Beautyberry (Callicarpa)
Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora)
Buckthorn (Rhamnus carolinianus)
Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii)
Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)
Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia), compact types
Croton, Alabama (Croton alabamensis)
Duster, fairy or pink fairy; also, mock mesquite (Calliandra eriophylla), semi-evergreen
Euonymus, winged, also called burning bush (Euonymus alatus)
Filbert, European (Corylus avellana)
Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia)
Fothergilla (Fothergilla)
Fringetree, Chinese (Chionanthus retusus)
Fringetree, white (Chionanthus virginicus)
Groundsel bush (Baccharis halimifolia)
Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima)
Huckleberry (Vaccinium elliottii)
Hydrangea (Hydrangea)
Indigo (Indigofera heteranthera)
Japanese Aralia (Fatsia)
Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)
Kerria (Kerria japonica)
Plum (Prunus angustifolia)
Quince (Chaenomeles speciosa)
Rhododendron, Catawba (Rhododendron catawbiense)
Rose (Rosa) hybrids
Rose-of-Sharon, shrub althea (Hibiscus syriacus)
Rusty blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum)
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
Snowbell, bigleaf (Styrax grandifolius)
Spirea (Spiraea)
Sumac (Rhus)
Summersweet clethra, sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)
Sweetleaf, horse-sugar (Symplocos tinctoria)
Sweetshrub, Carolina allspice, spicebush (Calycanthus floridus)
Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima)
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
Viburnum (Viburnum)
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
Winterhazel (Corylopsis glabrescens)

Broadleaf Evergreen Shrubs and Trees for Zone 8

Glossy Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora)
Aucuba (Aucuba japonica)
Boxwood, Littleleaf (Buxus microphylla)
Broom (Cytisus purgans)
Butcher's broom (Ruscus aculeatus)
Butterfly bush (Buddleia lindleyana)
Camellia, Japanese (Camellia)
Cherrylaurel, common or English (Prunus laurocerasus)
Coral bean, Cherokee bean (Erythrina herbacea)
Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana)
Daphne, fragrant or winter (Daphne odora)
Escallonia (Escallonia)
Euonymus (Euonymus)
Fatsia (Fatsia)
Firethorn (Pyracantha)
Germander (Teucrium fruticans)
Guava (Feijoa sellowiana)
Hawthorn (Raphiolepis)
Heath (Erica)
Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica)
Holly (Ilex)
Inkberry (Ilex glabra)
Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)
Loblolly bay (Gordonia lasianthus)
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)
Magnolia (Magnolia)
Myrtle (Myrtus)
Photinia (Photinia)
Pieris (Pieris japonica)
Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira)
Podocarpus (Podocarpus macrophyllus)
Redbay (Persea)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus)
Rusty lyonia (Lyonia ferruginea)
Sarcococca (Sarcococca orientalis)
Sparkleberry, farkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum)
Ternstroemia, Japanese, also called Japanese cleyera (Ternstroemia gymnanthera)
Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora)
Texas Pistache (Pistacia texana)
Texas Sage, Texas Ranger (Leucophyllum frutescens)
Yucca (Yucca)

Conifers for Zone 8

Arborvitae (Thuja orientalis)
Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica)
Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum), deciduous conifer
Cypress (X Cupressocyparis leylandii)
Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara)
Falsecypress (Chamaecyparis)
Japanese plum Yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia)
Juniper (Juniperus)
Pine, Japanese red pine (Pinus)
Red cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
Redwood, dawn (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) (deciduous conifer)
Torreya, Florida, stinking cedar (Torreya taxifolia)

Deciduous Trees for Zone 8

Apricot (Prunus mume)
Beech (Fagus)
Birch (Betula)
Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
Box elder (Acer negundo)
Buckeye (Aesculus)
Buckthorn, tough (Bumelia tenax)
Bumelia (Bumelia anomala)
Cherry (Prunus)
Chittamwood, gum bumelia (Bumelia lanuginosa)
Coffeetree, Kentucky (Gymnocladus dioicus)
Cottonwood, black (Populus balsamifera)
Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia)
Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) (deciduous conifer)
Dogwood (Cornus)
Elm (Ulmus)
Eucalyptus, gum tree (Eucalyptus sp.)
Evodia (Evodia sp.)
Fig (Ficus carica)
Franklinia (Franklinia alatamaha)
Fringetree (Chionanthus)
Golden Raintree
Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
Hickory (Carya glabra)
Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis)
Hophornbeam, ironwood (Ostrya virginiana)
Hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata)
Jerusalem thorn, Mexican palo verde (Parkinsonia aculeata)
Jujube, Chinese date (Ziziphus jujuba)
Katsuratree
Magnolia (Magnolia)
Maple (Acer)
Oak (Quercus)
Osage orange (Maclura pomifera)
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
Pear (Pyrus sp.)
Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)
Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)
Pistachio (Pistacia vera)
Plum (Prunus)
Pomegranate, punica (Punica)
Poplar (Populus alba)
Possumhaw (Ilex decidua)
Redbud (Cercis)
Sassafras, common (Sassafras albidum)
Silverbell, Carolina (Halesia tetraptera)
Snowbell (Styrax)
Soapberry (Sapindus drummondii)
Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)
Southern prickly Ash, Hercules' club (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis)
Stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia)
Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata)
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Tupelo (Nyssa)
Walnut (Juglans)
Water Ash (Fraxinus caroliniana)
Willow (Salix caroliniana)
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
Witchhazel (Hamamelis
Yellowwood (Cladrastis lutea)
Zelkova (Zelkova serrata)

Vines for Zone 8

Perennial Vines

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.)
Passionflower (Passiflora)

Annual Vines

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