Hardiness zone 5a
Plants for zone 5a.
122 plants in this guide grow in USDA hardiness zone 5a, where the coldest winter nights reach about -20 °F (-29 °C). Each one survives a zone 5a winter outdoors.
Annual
Bulb
Climber
- Boston ivyParthenocissus tricuspidata, zones 4a–8b
- ClematisClematis × jackmanii, zones 4a–9b
- Climbing hydrangeaHydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris, zones 4a–8b
- Climbing roseRosa 'New Dawn', zones 5a–9b
- Trumpet honeysuckleLonicera sempervirens, zones 4a–9b
- Virginia creeperParthenocissus quinquefolia, zones 3a–9b
- WisteriaWisteria sinensis, zones 5a–9b
Fern
Groundcover
Ornamental grass
- Blue fescueFestuca glauca, zones 4a–8b
- Blue oat grassHelictotrichon sempervirens, zones 4a–8b
- Fountain grassCenchrus alopecuroides, zones 5a–9b
- Japanese forest grassHakonechloa macra, zones 5a–9b
- Karl Foerster feather reed grassCalamagrostis × acutiflora, zones 4a–9b
- Little bluestemSchizachyrium scoparium, zones 3a–9b
- Maiden grassMiscanthus sinensis, zones 5a–9b
- Prairie dropseedSporobolus heterolepis, zones 3a–9b
- SwitchgrassPanicum virgatum, zones 4a–9b
Perennial
- AstilbeAstilbe chinensis, zones 4a–8b
- Autumn Joy stonecropHylotelephium spectabile, zones 3a–9b
- Bearded irisIris germanica, zones 3a–9b
- Bee balmMonarda didyma, zones 4a–9b
- Black-eyed SusanRudbeckia fulgida, zones 3a–9b
- Blanket flowerGaillardia × grandiflora, zones 3a–10b
- Blazing starLiatris spicata, zones 3a–9b
- Bleeding heartLamprocapnos spectabilis, zones 3a–9b
- BrunneraBrunnera macrophylla, zones 3a–8b
- Butterfly weedAsclepias tuberosa, zones 3a–9b
- CatmintNepeta × faassenii, zones 3a–8b
- ChivesAllium schoenoprasum, zones 3a–9b
- ColumbineAquilegia canadensis, zones 3a–8b
- Coral bellsHeuchera americana, zones 4a–9b
- DaylilyHemerocallis fulva, zones 3a–9b
- DelphiniumDelphinium elatum, zones 3a–7b
- FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea, zones 4a–9b
- Foxglove beardtonguePenstemon digitalis, zones 3a–8b
- Garden phloxPhlox paniculata, zones 4a–8b
- GoldenrodSolidago rugosa, zones 4a–8b
- Hardy geraniumGeranium sanguineum, zones 3a–8b
- HelleboreHelleborus niger, zones 3a–8b
- HollyhockAlcea rosea, zones 3a–9b
- HostaHosta plantaginea, zones 3a–9b
- Japanese anemoneAnemone × hybrida, zones 4a–8b
- Joe Pye weedEutrochium purpureum, zones 4a–9b
- Lady's mantleAlchemilla mollis, zones 3a–8b
- Lamb's earStachys byzantina, zones 4a–9b
- Lenten roseHelleborus × hybridus, zones 4a–9b
- LiriopeLiriope muscari, zones 5a–10b
- LungwortPulmonaria officinalis, zones 3a–8b
- LupineLupinus polyphyllus, zones 4a–8b
- MintMentha spicata, zones 5a–9b
- New England asterSymphyotrichum novae-angliae, zones 3a–8b
- PeonyPaeonia lactiflora, zones 3a–8b
- Purple coneflowerEchinacea purpurea, zones 3a–8b
- Russian sageSalvia yangii, zones 5a–9b
- Shasta daisyLeucanthemum × superbum, zones 5a–9b
- Siberian irisIris sibirica, zones 3a–8b
- Solomon's sealPolygonatum biflorum, zones 3a–9b
- StrawberryFragaria × ananassa, zones 5a–9b
- Swamp milkweedAsclepias incarnata, zones 3a–9b
- Threadleaf coreopsisCoreopsis verticillata, zones 3a–9b
- Woodland sageSalvia nemorosa, zones 4a–8b
- YarrowAchillea millefolium, zones 3a–9b
Shrub
- BlueberryVaccinium corymbosum, zones 4a–8b
- Butterfly bushBuddleja davidii, zones 5a–9b
- Catawba rhododendronRhododendron catawbiense, zones 4a–8b
- Common boxwoodBuxus sempervirens, zones 5a–9b
- Common lilacSyringa vulgaris, zones 3a–7b
- English lavenderLavandula angustifolia, zones 5a–9b
- ForsythiaForsythia × intermedia, zones 5a–8b
- Japanese hollyIlex crenata, zones 5a–8b
- Mountain laurelKalmia latifolia, zones 4a–9b
- NinebarkPhysocarpus opulifolius, zones 2a–8b
- Oakleaf hydrangeaHydrangea quercifolia, zones 5a–9b
- Panicle hydrangeaHydrangea paniculata, zones 3a–8b
- Rose of SharonHibiscus syriacus, zones 5a–9b
- Sage (culinary)Salvia officinalis, zones 5a–9b
- Shrub roseRosa rugosa, zones 2a–7b
- SmokebushCotinus coggygria, zones 5a–9b
- Smooth hydrangeaHydrangea arborescens, zones 3a–9b
- SpireaSpiraea japonica, zones 4a–8b
- Star magnoliaMagnolia stellata, zones 4a–8b
- WinterberryIlex verticillata, zones 3a–9b
Succulent
Tree
- American hollyIlex opaca, zones 5a–9b
- AppleMalus domestica, zones 4a–8b
- ArborvitaeThuja occidentalis, zones 2a–7b
- Eastern redbudCercis canadensis, zones 4a–9b
- Eastern white pinePinus strobus, zones 3a–8b
- English yewTaxus baccata, zones 5a–8b
- Flowering dogwoodCornus florida, zones 5a–9b
- Japanese cherryPrunus serrulata, zones 5a–8b
- Japanese mapleAcer palmatum, zones 5a–8b
- Kousa dogwoodCornus kousa, zones 5a–8b
- Red mapleAcer rubrum, zones 3a–9b
- River birchBetula nigra, zones 4a–9b
- ServiceberryAmelanchier canadensis, zones 4a–8b
- Thornless honeylocustGleditsia triacanthos, zones 3a–8b