Gardening Zone 9

In the western parts of zone 9, summers are hot and dry. Plants that thrive in the Mediterranean, like rosemary, thyme, lavender, also do well in the Southwest. Many zone 9 plants go dormant in the summer. Gardeners should be more concerned about tolerance to summer heat and drought than cold-hardiness.

Summers are hot and humid in the Florida peninsula and the southern edges of Louisiana. Plants like clematis, daylilies and coreopsis are at their heat limit; they may not survive particularly warm summers.

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 9 averages. A plant that normally thrives in zone 9 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 9, your coldest winter temperatures are 20 to 30 F (-7 to -1 C). The plants on this list will do well in these winters 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.

Perennials for Zone 9

African Lily (Agapanthus)

Aster (Aster sp.)

Angel's trumpet (Brugmansia)

Baby's breath (Gypsophila paniculata)

Balloon flower (Platycodon)

Basket-of-gold (Aurinia saxatilis)

Beardtongue (Penstemon)

Bear's breeches (Acanthus sp.)

Bee balm (Monarda sp.)

Begonia (Begonia grandis)

Blanket flower (Gaillardia x grandiflora)

Bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana)

Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla)

Bugleweed (Ajuga sp.)

Canna (Canna sp.)

Cardinal flower (Lobelia)

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum)

Colewort (Crambe)

Coral bells (Heuchera) hybrids

Coreopsis (Coreopsis grandiflora and Coreopsis verticillata)

Daylily (Hemerocallis)

Elephant's ear (Colocasia)

False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)

Fire bush (Hamelia patens)

Flowering Onion (Allium)

Gayfeather (Liatris)

Goatsbeard (Aruncus sp.)

Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

Indigo bush (Dalea pulchra)

Iris (Iris)

Lamb's ears (Stachys)

Lantana (Lantana)

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Lily (Lilium)

Lilyturf (Liriope muscari)

Meadow rue (Thalictrum)

Meadowsweet (Filipendula)

Mealy-cup Sage (Salvia farinacea)

New Zealand Flax (Phormium)

Paperflower (Psilostrophe tagetina)

Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis)

Pincushion flower (Scabiosa)

Plumbago (Ceratostigma)

Poppy (Papaver)

Red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria)

Rose Campion (Lychnis)

Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)

Salvia, perennial (Salvia x superba)

Sandwort (Arenaria)

Scarlet Hedgenettle (Stachys coccinea)

Sea holly (Eryngium)

Sea lavender (Limonium)

Solomon's seal (Polygonatum)

Sunflower (Helianthus and Helianthus angustifolius )

Swordleaf (Inula ensifolia)

Texas betony (Stachys coccinea)

Thrift (Phlox subulata)

Violet (Viola)

Wormwood (Artemisia)

Shrubs for Zone 9

Broadleaf Evergreen Shrubs

Acacia (Acacia farnesiana)

Anise-tree (Illicium parviflorum)

Aucuba (Aucuba japonica)

Avocado (Persea americana)

Azalea (Rhododendron sp.)

Banana shrub (Michelia figo)

Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis)

Bird-of-Paradise (Caesalpinia mexicana)

Blackbead (Pithecellobium flexicaule)

Bottlebrush (Callistemon)

Boxthorn (Severinia buxifolia)

Boxwood (Buxus microphylla)

Broom (Cytisus purgans)

Butcher's broom (Ruscus aculeatus)

Butterfly bush (Buddleia lindleyana)

Camellia (Camellia)

Carolina Cherrylaurel (Prunus caroliniana)

Century plant (Agave americana)

Coontie (Zamia floridana)

Coral-bean (Erythrina)

Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana)

Daphne (Daphne odora)

Devil's backbone (Pedilanthus tithymaloides)

Escallonia (Escallonia)

Euonymus (Euonymus japonicus)

Fairy Duster, (Calliandra eriophylla), semi-evergreen

Fatsia (Fatsia japonica)

Firethorn Pyracantha)

Florida Leucothoe (Leucothoe populifolia)

Florida Rosemary (Ceratiola ericoides)

Fraser Photinia (Photinia x fraseri)

Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides)

Germander (Teucrium fruticans)

Gimlet (Eucalyptus spathulata)

Guava (Feijoa sellowiana)

Hawthorn (Raphiolepis)

Heath (Erica)

Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)

Holly (Ilex)

Japanese Ternstroemia, also called Japanese cleyera (Ternstroemia gymnanthera)

Jasmine (Jasminum)

Leadwort (Plumbago auriculata)

Lemon eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora)

Lemonade berry (Rhus integrifolia)

Loblolly bay (Gordonia lasianthus)

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)

Macadamia nut (Macadamia integrifolia)

Magnolia (Magnolia)

Myrtle (Myrtus communis)

Oak (Quercus)

Oleander (Nerium oleander)

Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira)

Podocarpus (Podocarpus nagi and Podocarpus macrophyllus)

Redbay (Persea)

Redleaf Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum)

Rosemary (Rosmarinus)

Rusty lyonia (Lyonia ferruginea)

Sasanqua (Camellia sasangua)

Senna (Cassia) (semi-evergreen)

Shower of gold (Galphimia gracilis, or Thryallis glauca)

Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum)

Stinking cedar (Torreya taxifolia)

Tea (Camellia sinensis)

Tea-olive, fragrant (Osmanthus fragrans)

Teatree (Leptospermum scoparium)

Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora)

Texas Pistache (Pistacia texana)

Texas Ranger (Leucophyllum frutescens)

Waxmyrtle, southern (Myrica cerifera)

Yucca (Yucca)

Deciduous Shrubs

Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora)

Aralia (Fatsia)

Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii)

Carolina Buckthorn (Rhamnus carolinianus)

Chickasaw Plum (Prunus angustifolia)

Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

Coral tree (Erythrina crista-galli)

Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia), compact types

Fig (Ficus carica)

Flame Anisacanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus)

Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus)

Groundsel bush (Baccharis halimifolia)

Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla, Hydrangea quercifolia, and Hydrangea arborescens

Jasmine (Jasminum officinale and Jasminum nudiflorum)

Lantana (Lantana camara), semi-evergreen

Rusty blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum)

Senna (Cassia) (semi-evergreen)

Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea)

Snowbell (Styrax grandifolius)

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

Staghorn sumac (Rhus hirta)

Sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)

Sweetleaf (Symplocos tinctoria)

Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus)

Texas Olive (Cordia boissieri)

Variegated Tapioca (Manihot esculenta)

Viburnum (Viburnum davidii)

Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

Conifers for Zone 9

Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica)

Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)

Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum), deciduous conifer

Japanese Plum Yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia)

Juniper (Juniperus)

Leyland Cypress (X Cupressocyparis leylandii)

Oriental Arborvitae (Thuja orientalis, or Platycladus orientalis, or Biota orientalis)

Pine (Pinus)

Red cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Southern red cedar (Juniperus salicicola)

Deciduous Trees for Zone 9

Ash water (Fraxinus caroliniana)

Beech (Fagus grandifolia)

Birch (Betula nigra)

Box elder (Acer negundo)

Buckthorn (Bumelia tenax)

Bumelia (Bumelia anomala)

Catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides)

Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis)

Chittamwood (Bumelia lanuginosa)

Citrus (Citrus sp.)

Coral tree (Erythrina crista-galli)

Cottonwood (Populus balsamifera), West coast

Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia)

Dogwood (Cornus florida)

Elm (Ulmus americana and Ulmus alata)

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sp.)

Fig (Ficus carica)

Flatwoods Plum (Prunus umbellata)

Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus)

Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

Hickory (Carya)

Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis)

Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana)

Hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata)

Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)

Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia), Zone 9b only

Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume)

Japanese Persimmon (Diospyros kaki)

Jerusalem thorn (Parkinsonia aculeata)

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba)

Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)

Magnolia (Magnolia)

Maple (Acer)

Oak (Quercus)

Osage orange (Maclura pomifera)

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)

Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

Pistachio (Pistacia vera)

Pomegranate (Punica)

Poplar (Populus alba)

Possumhaw (Ilex decidua)

Redbud (Cercis canadensis and Cercis occidentalis)

Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)

Silk Oak (Grevillea robusta)

Soapberry (Sapindus drummondii)

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)

Southern Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis)

Stewartia (Stewartia malacodendron)

Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata)

Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)

Texas Olive (Cordia boissieri)

Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)

Walnut (Juglans nigra)

Water Elm (Planera aquatica)

Weeping Cherry (Prunus subhirtella var. pendula)

Willow (Salix caroliniana)

Vines for Zone 9

Perennial Vines

Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata)

Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea sp.)

Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)

Calico Dutchman's pipe (Aristolochia elegans)

Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata)

Honeysuckle (Lonicera x heckrottii x 'Goldflame')

Mandevilla (Mandevilla sp.)

Moonvine (Ipomoea alba)

Passionflower (Passiflora)

Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans)

Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens and Wisteria floribunda)

Annual Vines

Gourd (Curcubita, Lagenaria and Luffa), annual

Purple hyacinth bean (Lablab purpurea, formerly Dolichos lablab), annual