Perennials for zone 5

All 36 perennials in our guide survive a zone 5 winter.

All plantsPerennialsAnnual flowers Herbs Bulbs Flowering shrubs Vegetables

Zone 3 Zone 4Zone 5Zone 6 Zone 7 Zone 8 Zone 9 Zone 10

Full sun: hardy in zone 5

Garden peonyZones 3 to 8 · Late spring Perennial salviaZones 4 to 8 · Late spring to summer CatmintZones 3 to 8 · Late spring to fall

English lavenderZones 5 to 8 · Early to midsummer Shasta daisyZones 5 to 9 · Early summer to late summer Creeping phloxZones 3 to 9 · Early to mid spring Autumn Joy sedumZones 3 to 9 · Late summer to fall YarrowZones 3 to 9 · Early summer to early fall TickseedZones 3 to 9 · Early summer to fall Russian sageZones 4 to 9 · Midsummer to fall Hardy hibiscusZones 4 to 9 · Mid to late summer Blue false indigoZones 3 to 9 · Late spring New England asterZones 3 to 8 · Late summer to fall Anise hyssopZones 4 to 8 · Summer to fall Blanket flowerZones 3 to 10 · Early summer to fall Bearded irisZones 3 to 9 · Late spring SwitchgrassZones 4 to 9 · Late summer (grown for form)Little bluestemZones 3 to 9 · Late summer (grown for form)Lamb's earZones 4 to 8 · Early summer Spike speedwellZones 3 to 8 · Early to late summer DelphiniumZones 3 to 7 · Early summer

Sun or part shade: hardy in zone 5

Purple coneflowerZones 3 to 8 · Early summer to early fall Black-eyed SusanZones 3 to 9 · Midsummer to fall DaylilyZones 3 to 9 · Early to late summer Bee balmZones 4 to 9 · Midsummer Garden phloxZones 4 to 8 · Mid to late summer Siberian irisZones 3 to 9 · Late spring to early summer LupineZones 4 to 8 · Late spring to early summer

Part shade: hardy in zone 5

ColumbineZones 3 to 8 · Mid to late spring FoxgloveZones 4 to 8 · Late spring to early summer

Shade: hardy in zone 5

HostaZones 3 to 9 · Summer (grown for leaves)Coral bellsZones 4 to 9 · Late spring to summer (grown for leaves)AstilbeZones 4 to 8 · Early to midsummer Bleeding heartZones 3 to 9 · Mid to late spring Lenten roseZones 4 to 9 · Late winter to early spring Ostrich fernZones 3 to 7 · None (grown for leaves)

When to plant in zone 5

In zone 5a, plant in spring from about Apr 19 to Jun 14, or in early fall from about Jul 27 to Aug 24.

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 5a.

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.