Flowering shrubs for zone 9

7 of the 14 flowering shrubs in our guide survive a zone 9 winter.

All plants Perennials Annual flowers Herbs BulbsFlowering shrubsVegetables

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

Full sun: hardy in zone 9

Shrub roseZones 5 to 10 · Late spring to frost Butterfly bushZones 5 to 9 · Summer to fall

Part shade: hardy in zone 9

Bigleaf hydrangeaZones 5 to 9 · Summer AzaleaZones 5 to 9 · Spring CamelliaZones 7 to 9 · Late fall to spring GardeniaZones 8 to 11 · Late spring to summer

Shade: hardy in zone 9

Smooth hydrangeaZones 3 to 9 · Early to late summer

Not reliably hardy in zone 9

These need a colder winter. Some can be grown in pots and moved inside.

Panicle hydrangeaZones 3 to 8 Common lilacZones 3 to 7 ForsythiaZones 5 to 8 RhododendronZones 4 to 8 SpireaZones 4 to 8 WeigelaZones 4 to 8 NinebarkZones 3 to 7

When to plant in zone 9

In zone 9a, plant in spring from about Feb 16 to Apr 13, or in early fall from about Sep 17 to Oct 15.

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 9a.

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.