| Plant | Zone 8a | Zone 8b |
|---|---|---|
| Zinnia | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 Start seeds indoors: around Mar 8 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 23 |
| French marigold | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 22 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 9 |
| Petunia | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 25 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 12 |
| Cosmos | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 |
| Sunflower | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 |
| Impatiens | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 8 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 26 |
| Wax begonia | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 11 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 1 |
| Zonal geranium | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 8 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 26 |
| Snapdragon | Plant outside: Mar 1 to Mar 29 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 4 Fall planting: Sep 19 to Oct 17 | Plant outside: Feb 16 to Mar 16 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 1 Fall planting: Sep 26 to Oct 24 |
| Pansy | Plant outside: Mar 1 to Mar 29 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 1 Fall planting: Sep 19 to Oct 17 | Plant outside: Feb 16 to Mar 16 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 1 Fall planting: Sep 26 to Oct 24 |
| Sweet alyssum | Plant outside: Mar 1 to Mar 29 Fall planting: Sep 19 to Oct 17 | Plant outside: Feb 16 to Mar 16 Fall planting: Sep 26 to Oct 24 |
| Celosia | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 22 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 9 |
| Scarlet sage | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 8 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 26 |
| Lantana | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 25 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 12 |
| Madagascar periwinkle | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 25 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 12 |
| Nasturtium | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 |
| Sweet pea | Plant outside: Mar 1 to Mar 29 Fall planting: Sep 19 to Oct 17 | Plant outside: Feb 16 to Mar 16 Fall planting: Sep 26 to Oct 24 |
| Larkspur | Plant outside: Mar 1 to Mar 29 Fall planting: Sep 19 to Oct 17 | Plant outside: Feb 16 to Mar 16 Fall planting: Sep 26 to Oct 24 |
| Pot marigold | Plant outside: Mar 1 to Mar 29 Fall planting: Sep 19 to Oct 17 | Plant outside: Feb 16 to Mar 16 Fall planting: Sep 26 to Oct 24 |
| Coleus | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 25 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 12 |
| Garden verbena | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 8 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 26 |
| Spider flower | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 |
| Floss flower | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 Start seeds indoors: around Feb 8 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 Start seeds indoors: around Jan 26 |
| Moss rose | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 10 | Plant outside: Mar 23 to Apr 27 |
Zones measure winter cold, not season length, so your own frost dates can be a week or two off the zone median. Look up your frost dates by ZIP code, or read all about zone 8a.
Hardiness ranges, light and size are typical figures from university extension services and botanic garden plant records; a named variety can differ, so check its tag. Planting dates come from each zone's median frost dates (NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals) and the timing rules in how we check.