Zone 6 Plants: What to Plant in USDA Hardiness Zone 6

A hardiness zone is a geographic area in the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (designated by the US Department of Agriculture) that maintains consistent climate conditions encouraging specific plants to thrive. The USDA map has thirteen growing zones, each representing a ten-degree range of temperatures based on the average annual minimum winter temperature in these areas.

Gardeners can evaluate their plant’s specific planting zone preferences to determine the warmest and coldest temperatures they can withstand. Typically, you can find this information on the instructions on the back of seed packets or the labels on new plants. Most gardening catalogs will also feature a USDA Hardiness Zone Map.

Zone 6 is one of the thirteen climate zones that compose the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which outlines the regional average temperatures and frost dates in the US and Puerto Rico. This specific zone number covers much of the central United States, beginning in the mid-Atlantic region, extending across the central latitude line of the country, snaking down through temperate regions of the Southwest, and ending in the Pacific Northwest.

USDA Hardiness Zone 6 planting areas represent mild climates with cold winters and warm summers. The average minimum temperatures in winter for Zone 6 fall between zero and negative ten degrees Fahrenheit. This area’s growing season lasts from early spring to early fall, with the last frost occurring in mid-March and the first frost falling in November. (If you reside in this zone, winterizing your plant’s roots with a layer of mulch will protect them from the winter’s freezing temperatures.)

Zone 6 has two subzones: 6a and 6b. Zone 6a has an average minimum temperature of negative five to negative ten degrees Fahrenheit. Zone 6b experiences minimum temperatures of zero to negative five degrees Fahrenheit.

Zone 6 starts in the Mid-Atlantic United States (including parts of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia) and extends slightly down the Atlantic Coast to include North Carolina, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. It extends through parts of the South (Georgia) and the Midwest (Ohio, Kentucky, Kansas) and covers temperate regions of the Southwest (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah). It ends in the Northwest (Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Oregon). Parts of Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire also fall into Zone 6.

Whether you’re tending to a flower bed, curating a vegetable garden, or landscaping an entire yard, the cold winters and warm summers of Zone 6 are conducive to many plants, including:

1. 1. Apple trees: Apples thrive best in Hardiness Zones 3–8. Growers in central and northern regions should plant apple trees in early spring, when the soil begins to warm; regions with mild winters may also see success planting in early fall.
2. 2. Aster: During the fall, perennial aster flowers commonly sprout daisy-like flower heads that come in lilac and other shades of purple. Aster keeps your garden vibrant and eye-catching in the late summer through the fall.
3. 3. Azalea: Also known as rhododendrons, azaleas are perennial shrubs showcasing dark green leaves against bright blooms in various colors, including red, pink, orange, purple, and white. Some azalea varieties are cold-hardy, but most grow best in regions with mild winters and hot summers.
4. 4. Bee balm: Bee balm––also known as monarda plant, bergamot, horsemint, or Oswego tea––belongs to the Lamiaceae or mint family. This perennial flowering herb is native to prairie and woodland areas of North America. Bee balm has square stems that appear in shades of red, lavender, white, pink, or purple, and its leaves are often blue-green.
5. 5. Campanula: Campanula flowers, commonly called bellflowers, are popular garden plants with showy flowers and green leaves that make a popular ground cover. Bellflowers feature blooms with an upturned, bell-like shape, and they typically appear in shades of purple, blue, pink or white. They grow as wildflowers but are also popular in rock gardens, cottage gardens, or as garden border plants.
6. 6. Coneflower: Coneflowers are any of three genera of the daisy, aster, and sunflower (Asteraceae) family: Echinacea, Ratibida, and Rudbeckia (also known as black-eyed Susans). The name “coneflower” refers to the flower’s cone-shaped center, or disk. Coneflowers are perfect for home gardens because they are drought- and heat-tolerant and can grow in frigid temperatures. They also attract pollinators such as butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees.
7. 7. Coreopsis: The coreopsis species, also known as tickseed, is a yellow flower with green foliage that blooms all summer long. This yellow, flowering plant offers natural birdseed for chickadees, finches, and sparrows, while its flowers entice hummingbirds, butterflies, and ladybugs. In addition to their visual appeal, coreopsis flowers tolerate heat, humidity, and droughts. The plant is both rabbit- and deer-resistant and grows well in shallow, rocky soil.
8. 8. Dahlia: Dahlia flowers come in a range of colors and sizes, including the popular waterlily, collarette, pompon, peony, and cactus varieties. Smaller bedding dahlias feature flowers that are only a few inches wide. Taller dinner plate dahlias can grow blooms up to fifteen inches in diameter.
9. 9. Daisy flowers: Daisies (Bellis perennis) include a few species of flowering plants within the Asteraceae family, also known as the aster, sunflower, or daisy family. Home growers also classify related flowers (including certain varieties of chrysanthemums) as daisies.
10. 10. Daylily: Daylilies (Hemerocallis) are low-maintenance perennial flowers that open during the day, wither by night, and produce new blooms the next day. Daylily flowers typically have three petals and three sepals—leaf-like petals that protect the flower buds. The blossoms can grow anywhere from three to fifteen inches across and come in an extensive range of colors and fragrances.
11. 11. Delphinium: Delphiniums are herbaceous perennials that produce tall flower spikes in a range of colors. Plant delphiniums in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 7, but they grow best in climates with cooler summers. Delphinium flowers bloom between late spring to late summer, depending on the planting time.
12. 12. Hosta: If you’re looking for a low-maintenance foliage plant to provide your garden with some ornamental ground cover, hostas are a great option. Hosta leaves usually come in broad-leaf shapes, from pointed, oval leaves to heart-shaped to circular ones. In addition to their waxy, bright green leaves, hostas bloom showy flowers in pink, lilac, and lavender colors.
13. 13. Hydrangea: Panicle hydrangeas (H. paniculata) bloom in the late summer in colder climates like Zone 5. Deciduous hydrangeas can grow up to fifteen feet tall without pruning. The Hydrangea paniculata thrives in direct sunlight and forms cone-shaped flower heads.
14. 14. Sage: Sage is a hardy perennial herb, meaning you can plant it once and harvest for years. Sage features fuzzy leaves and an intense herbal aroma, which makes Salvia officinalis a bold addition to many dishes. Cultivars of common sage include purple sage, which has purple-hued leaves, and tricolor sage, which has variegated leaves.

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