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Zone 5 Plants

Zone 5 represents an average annual extreme minimum of -20 to -10°F. Our library has 2,000 records whose stored range includes it. This is a growing-range filter, not proof of winter survival. Check lifecycle, cultivar, light and site conditions.

Hoarfrost crystals on a dried hydrangea flower
“Hortensia and hoarfrost” by michaelmueller410 · CC BY 2.0. Resized and saved as WebP.

Not sure which zone you are in? Look it up by ZIP code

Zone 5a and zone 5b

Zone 5a represents -20 to -15°F and 5b -15 to -10°F in average annual extreme minimum temperature. Our records use whole-zone ranges, so this list cannot resolve borderline half-zone cultivar ratings. A zone does not supply first/last frost dates or a planting date; check local weather and extension calendars.

What is actually hard about zone 5

Check drainage and exposure as well as the winter rating. Freeze/thaw and frost heave can affect shallow roots. Follow local extension advice on establishment and mulch rather than inferring a fixed date from the zone.

Showing 36 of 2,000, sorted to span the back, middle and front of a bed. Filter by light to narrow it.

Zone 5

Typical annual minimum
-20 to -10°F(-29 to -23°C)
Matching species in our library
2,000

Typical annual minimum temperature: -20 to -10°F. 2,000 species in our library match this zone and light

Design a zone 5 garden with AI →

  • Amabilis fir

    Abies amabilis

    tree
    Zones
    5–5
    Spacing
    20–30 ft
    Mature height
    98–260 ft
    Est. price
    $150–260

  • Burrow Weed

    Isocoma pluriflora

    shrub
    Zones
    4–6
    Spacing
    1–1.5 ft
    Mature height
    3–5 ft
    Est. price
    $40–85

  • Canadian Wild Ginger

    Asarum canadense

    groundcover
    Zones
    4–6
    Spacing
    0.33–0.5 ft
    Mature height
    0.5–1 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

  • Japanese Spikenard

    Aralia cordata 'Sun King'

    perennial
    Zones
    4–8
    Spacing
    3–6 ft
    Mature height
    3–6 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

  • Blue False Indigo

    Baptisia australis

    perennial
    Zones
    3–9
    Spacing
    3–4 ft
    Mature height
    3–4 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

  • Creeping Phlox

    Phlox subulata

    groundcover
    Zones
    3–9
    Spacing
    1–3 ft
    Mature height
    0.25–0.5 ft
    Est. price
    $5–12

  • Fremont Barberry

    Berberis fremontii

    shrub
    Zones
    5–5
    Spacing
    3–6 ft
    Mature height
    9–16 ft
    Est. price
    $60–150

  • Doghobble

    Leucothoe fontanesiana

    shrub
    Zones
    4–6
    Spacing
    4–8 ft
    Mature height
    2–6 ft
    Est. price
    $40–85

  • Common Heather

    Calluna vulgaris

    shrub
    Zones
    4–6
    Spacing
    1–2 ft
    Mature height
    0.33–2 ft
    Est. price
    $24–55
  • Northwind Switchgrass

    Panicum virgatum 'Northwind'

    grass
    Zones
    5–9
    Spacing
    2–3 ft
    Mature height
    4–5 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

  • Bleeding Heart

    Lamprocapnos spectabilis

    perennial
    Zones
    3–9
    Spacing
    1–3 ft
    Mature height
    2–3 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

  • Cimbru

    Satureja hortensis

    perennialAnnual

    Annual cultivation; the listed range is not a winter-survival rating.

    Zones
    2–11
    Spacing
    1–3 ft
    Mature height
    1.5 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

  • Abies grandis

    Abies grandis

    tree
    Zones
    4–6
    Spacing
    20–26 ft
    Mature height
    130–230 ft
    Est. price
    $150–260

  • Pumila Norway Spruce

    Picea abies 'Pumila'

    shrub
    Zones
    4–6
    Spacing
    2–5 ft
    Mature height
    3–4 ft
    Est. price
    $24–55

  • Woolly Yarrow

    Achillea tomentosa

    groundcover
    Zones
    3–7
    Spacing
    0.67–1.5 ft
    Mature height
    0.5–0.67 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

  • Flying Saucers

    Ipomoea tricolor

    vineAnnual

    Annual cultivation; the listed range is not a winter-survival rating.

    Zones
    2–12
    Spacing
    3–6 ft
    Mature height
    8–10 ft
    Est. price
    $24–55

  • Eastern Red Columbine

    Aquilegia canadensis

    perennial
    Zones
    3–8
    Spacing
    1–1.5 ft
    Mature height
    2–3 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

  • Blunt-lobed Cliff Fern

    Woodsia obtusa

    perennial
    Zones
    1–10
    Spacing
    2–2.5 ft
    Mature height
    1–1.5 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

  • Caucasian Fir

    Abies nordmanniana

    tree
    Zones
    4–6
    Spacing
    15–25 ft
    Mature height
    40–60 ft
    Est. price
    $150–260

  • Fetterbush

    Pieris floribunda

    shrub
    Zones
    4–6
    Spacing
    3–4 ft
    Mature height
    4–6 ft
    Est. price
    $40–85

  • Pheasant's Eye

    Adonis aestivalis

    perennial
    Zones
    3–7
    Spacing
    0.5–1 ft
    Mature height
    0.67–2 ft
    Est. price
    $24–55

  • Everlasting Pea

    Lathyrus

    vine
    Zones
    2–11
    Spacing
    1–3 ft
    Mature height
    1–9 ft
    Est. price
    $24–55

  • Deutschland Astilbe

    Astilbe japonica 'Deutschland'

    perennial
    Zones
    4–9
    Spacing
    1.5–2 ft
    Mature height
    1.5–2 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

  • Cranesbill

    Geranium maculatum

    groundcover
    Zones
    3–11
    Spacing
    1–1.5 ft
    Mature height
    1.17–1.5 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

  • Blue Douglas Fir

    Pseudotsuga menziesii

    tree
    Zones
    4–6
    Spacing
    12–20 ft
    Mature height
    40–80 ft
    Est. price
    $150–260

  • Aromatic Sumac

    Rhus trilobata

    shrub
    Zones
    4–6
    Spacing
    3–8 ft
    Mature height
    2–3 ft
    Est. price
    $24–55

  • Bearberry

    Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

    shrub
    Zones
    3–7
    Spacing
    3–6 ft
    Mature height
    0.5–1 ft
    Est. price
    $24–55

  • Virginia Creeper

    Parthenocissus quinquefolia

    vine
    Zones
    3–10
    Spacing
    5–10 ft
    Mature height
    30–50 ft
    Est. price
    $24–55

  • Eastern Wood Fern

    Dryopteris marginalis

    perennial
    Zones
    3–8
    Spacing
    1.5–3 ft
    Mature height
    1.5–2 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

  • Ajuga

    Ajuga reptans

    groundcover
    Zones
    3–10
    Spacing
    0.5–1 ft
    Mature height
    0.5–1 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

  • Royal Azalea

    Rhododendron schlippenbachii

    shrub
    Zones
    4–6
    Spacing
    6–8 ft
    Mature height
    6–8 ft
    Est. price
    $40–85

  • Aconite

    Aconitum

    perennial
    Zones
    3–7
    Spacing
    1–1.5 ft
    Mature height
    3–4 ft
    Est. price
    $24–55

  • Basket-of-Gold

    Aurinia saxatilis

    groundcover
    Zones
    3–7
    Spacing
    1–1.5 ft
    Mature height
    0.5–1 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

  • Baltimore Belle rose

    Rosa 'Belle de Baltimore'

    perennial
    Zones
    4–11
    Spacing
    6–10 ft
    Mature height
    8–13 ft
    Est. price
    $24–55

  • Blazing Star 'Kobold'

    Liatris spicata 'Kobold'

    perennial
    Zones
    3–8
    Spacing
    0.5–1 ft
    Mature height
    1.5–2.5 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

  • Alpine Violet

    Cyclamen

    perennial
    Zones
    4–11
    Spacing
    0.67–1 ft
    Mature height
    0.33–1 ft
    Est. price
    $8–20

Put these in your own yard

Explore a planting concept from a photo, then compare the image and reference list with the real site. A zone match is not a survival or exact-species guarantee.

Design a garden for zone 5AI Backyard Design for enclosed yards

Neighbouring zones

Zone 4 — one step colderZone 6 — one step milder

Where these numbers come from

The ZIP lookup uses PRISM Climate Group’s 2023 hardiness data (40,502 ZIP records). The catalogue uses stored NC State and Missouri Botanical Garden records. A versioned public extract and filtering method are linked below; upstream lifecycle and plant-type tags can conflict.

Card prices are internal container-size budgeting estimates, not current nursery quotes or stock checks. Verify lifecycle, cultivar, local restrictions, soil, drainage and dimensions. This is not the official USDA map.