Zone 5 Plants for Color, Structure, and Cold-Hardy Performance

Gardeners in USDA Zone 5 have plenty of options for creating colorful, layered landscapes. Zone 5 is defined by an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of -20°F to -10°F, with Zone 5a covering -20°F to -15°F and Zone 5b covering -15°F to -10°F.

Garden Crossings offers zone 5 plants suited to those colder winter conditions, including flowering shrubs, evergreens, and other landscape choices. When planning your garden, start with hardiness, then consider sunlight, soil moisture, mature size, and seasonal interest.

Zone 5 Plants for Color, Structure, and Cold-Hardy Performance
A close-up of the Sombrero® Lemon Yellow Coneflower (Echinacea), featuring vibrant yellow petals and a green-orange center amid lush foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Top-down view of Sombrero® Lemon Yellow Coneflower (Echinacea) is a striking native perennial with vivid yellow petals and lush green foliage. Its vibrant blooms stand out in the garden, especially when accented by dark mulch and colorful surrounding flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sombrero® Lemon Yellow Improved Coneflower (Echinacea)

$19.99
$19.99

A blooming Sombrero® 'Mandarin Mambo' Coneflower (Echinacea) shows off vibrant petals and a dark textured center, surrounded by lush green leaves with a softly blurred background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.A terra cotta pot holds blooming orange Sombrero® 'Mandarin Mambo' Coneflower (Echinacea) with dark centers and green leaves, set outdoors against a blurred natural background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Sombrero® Mandarin Mambo Coneflower (Echinacea)

$18.99
$18.99
Close-up of a vibrant pink Sombrero® Rosada Coneflower (Echinacea) with a large pink purple pinnk petals and spiky orange-brown center, set against a blurred green background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.A cluster of Sombrero® Rosada Coneflower (Echinacea), a vibrant, purple-pink flowering perennial, grows in a garden bed amid green leaves and brown soil - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

Sombrero® Rosada Coneflower (Echinacea)

$20.99
$20.99

Sombrero® Salsa Red Coneflower (Echinacea) features bright red blooms with spiky dark orange centers above green foliage, with a few pale buds below the vibrant petals of this stunning native perennial - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of a vibrant Sombrero® Salsa Red Coneflower (Echinacea), featuring pointed bright red petals, a dark spiky center, and green leaves with blurred red blooms in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Sombrero® Salsa Red Coneflower (Echinacea)

$19.99
$19.99

Bright red Sombrero® Sangrita Coneflower (Echinacea) blooms with dark centers and yellow-tipped stamens rise above green foliage, bringing vibrant color to sunny gardens - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A group of colorful Sombrero® Sangrita Coneflower (Echinacea) with dark centers blooms in a sunny garden bed, set among lush green leaves and rich soil - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Sombrero® Sangrita Coneflower (Echinacea)

$19.99
$19.99

A close-up of the vibrant Sombrero® Tango Tangerine Coneflower (Echinacea) in full bloom, displaying bright orange petals and a green center, surrounded by green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.Close-up of vibrant orange coneflowers with spiky, dark centers, surrounded by green foliage and other blooming flowers in the background.

Sombrero® Tango Tangerine Coneflower (Echinacea)

$17.99
$17.99
Vibrant pink and orange Sombrero® Tres Amigos Coneflower (Echinacea), a striking perennial with spiky centers, blooms among green foliage, surrounded by buds at various stages of opening - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.A cluster of vibrant Sombrero® Tres Amigos Coneflower (Echinacea), a striking native perennial with bold dark centers, blooms among lush green foliage in the garden - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

Sombrero® Tres Amigos Coneflower (Echinacea)

$20.99
$20.99

Close-up of clusters of bright pink trumpet-shaped flowers surrounded by green leaves adorn the Sonic Bloom Wine® Weigela shrub - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.The Sonic Bloom Wine® Weigela features clusters of bright pink, trumpet-shaped flowers and dark green leaves, thriving in gardens with lush greenery and ideal near buildings - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sonic Bloom Wine® Weigela

$22.99
$22.99

A cluster of vibrant pink flowers with yellowish-white stamens and green leaves blooms densely on the Sonic Bloom® Pink Weigela, a repeat-blooming shrub. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA large Sonic Bloom® Pink Weigela, with clusters of pink flowers and green foliage, blooms alongside purple plants in a garden bed beneath a mostly cloudy sky. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Sonic Bloom® Pink Weigela

$22.99
$22.99
Close-up of clusters of vibrant pink, trumpet-shaped flowers with yellow centers bloom among green leaves on the compact Sonic Bloom® Punch Weigela shrub, set against a dark, blurred background. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. A dense, compact Sonic Bloom® Punch Weigela shrub with bright pink flowers and green leaves grows in a garden by a mulched area and grass. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Sonic Bloom® Punch Weigela

$22.99
$22.99
Clusters of vibrant red tubular flowers and green leaves emerge among tall, thin grass-like foliage in the garden, highlighting the beauty of repeat-blooming Sonic Bloom® Red Weigela. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCSonic Bloom® Red Weigela is a dense flowering shrub with abundant bright red blooms and green leaves, thriving in garden beds among mulch, trees, and other plants. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Sonic Bloom® Red Weigela

$22.99
$22.99

A dense cluster of vibrant green Spearmint' Mint (Mentha) leaves with textured, serrated edges and visible veins growing together in sunlight - Photo Courtesy of Pixabay

Spearmint' Mint (Mentha)

$9.99
$9.99
Spice Baby™ Koreanspice (Viburnum) is a dense, deer-resistant shrub with glossy purple and green foliage. Its overlapping leaves stand out beautifully outdoors against the backdrop of autumn-colored trees and plants. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA close-up of small, white, star-shaped flowers with light pink hints on the Spice Baby™ Koreanspice (Viburnum) shrub, surrounded by green leaves and softly blurred foliage in the background. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Spice Baby™ Koreanspice (Viburnum)

$22.99
$22.99

A close-up of small white flowers with yellow stamens, from the Spice Cowboy™ Koreanspice Viburnum shrub, surrounded by dark green leaves against a softly blurred deer-resistant green background. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Spice Cowboy™ Koreanspice Viburnum is a large, deer-resistant shrub with many branches bearing fragrant white flower clusters and lush green foliage, perfect for garden settings among other trees. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Spice Cowboy™ Koreanspice Viburnum

$22.99
$22.99
A close-up of small, star-shaped pink and white blooms clustered on the fragrant Spice Girl® Koreanspice (Viburnum) shrub, set against a soft green background. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Spice Girl® Koreanspice (Viburnum) is a large, deer-resistant shrub with clusters of fragrant white flowers and green leaves, blooming beautifully outdoors to add charm and scent to your landscape. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Spice Girl® Koreanspice (Viburnum)

$22.99
$22.99

Close-up of vibrant pink flowers with white centers blooming on Spilled Wine® Weigela, set against dark green leaves. This shrub offers striking color contrast with its rich foliage. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCSpilled Wine® Weigela with dense clusters of bright pink flowers and dark foliage in a mulched bed surrounded by young greenery and grass - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Spilled Wine® Weigela

$22.99
$40.99 $22.99

A cluster of Spintop® Orange Halo Blanket Flower (Gaillardia) displays vivid red petals with bright yellow tips, green leaves, and buds - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.Close-up of vibrant Spintop® Orange Halo Blanket Flower (Gaillardia) features pointed red and yellow petals with a dark center, surrounded by green leaves and buds on this hardy perennial - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

Spintop® Orange Halo Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)

$17.99
$17.99
A cluster of Spintop® Red Blanket Flower (Gaillardia) with vivid blooms and green foliage in full bloom against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.Spintop® Red Blanket Flower (Gaillardia) features bright red and orange blooms with yellow-tipped petals in dense clusters above green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Spintop® Red Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)

$17.99
$17.99

A planting of Spintop® Red Starburst Blanket Flower (Gaillardia) with yellow petals, red centers, green leaves, and unopened buds - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc. Decorative pot not included.Close-up of Spintop® Red Starburst Blanket Flower (Gaillardia) features bright yellow petals with red centers and dark brown disk florets by green leaves and buds at various stages of bloom - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

Spintop® Red Starburst Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)

$17.99
$17.99

Close-up of Spring Bling® 'Pink Sparkles' Hybrid Creeping Phlox features a dense cluster of vibrant blooms atop green stems - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Top-down view of Spring Bling® 'Pink Sparkles' Hybrid Creeping Phlox forms a dense mat of small, five-petaled purple and light pink flowers, creating a vibrant groundcover amid green and occasional brown leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Spring Bling® 'Pink Sparkles' Hybrid Creeping Phlox

$18.99
$18.99
A close-up of numerous vibrant Spring Bling® 'Rose Quartz' Hybrid Creeping Phlox flowers, each with five petals, densely clustered together to create a lush and colorful floral display - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Close-up of Spring Bling® 'Rose Quartz' Hybrid Creeping Phlox forms a dense mat of small, vibrant purple five-petaled flowers above green foliage, creating a colorful, carpet-like effect in spring - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Spring Bling® 'Rose Quartz' Hybrid Creeping Phlox

$17.99
$17.99
Close-up of Spring Bling® 'Ruby Riot' Hybrid Creeping Phlox showcases clusters of vibrant pink, five-petaled blooms with yellow centers, forming a dense floral display - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A dense cluster of vibrant purple-pink Spring Bling® 'Ruby Riot' Hybrid Creeping Phlox blooms on a low mound, creating an eye-catching, drought-tolerant perennial display in garden beds with soil and grass - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Spring Bling® 'Ruby Riot' Hybrid Creeping Phlox

$18.99
$18.99

Two tall Spring Grove® Arborvitae (Thuja) with dense, conical forms stand side by side on a lawn under a clear sky, creating an appealing evergreen privacy screen with additional trees in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Spring Grove® Arborvitae (Thuja)

$21.99
$39.99 $21.99
A neatly trimmed, round Sprinter® Boxwood (Buxus) with dense foliage grows in a landscaped garden bed, surrounded by mulch and other similar evergreen shrubs in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A dense, round Sprinter® Boxwood (Buxus) with glossy green leaves grows in a square metal planter near light-colored siding and another potted plant in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Sprinter® Boxwood (Buxus)

$22.99
$22.99

White snowberry clusters growing on a leafy Zone 5 shrub

Choosing Zone 5 Flowers for Your Garden

When selecting zone 5 flowers, think about more than bloom color alone. Matching plants to your garden’s sun exposure and moisture conditions can make a big difference in long-term performance.

Perennials are especially useful for adding color and texture that returns year after year. Explore our Zone 5 perennials to find options for beds, borders, and mixed plantings.

If you’re comparing the best flowers for Zone 5, look for varieties with bloom times that complement one another. Combining spring, summer, and fall interest can help keep the garden colorful for a longer stretch of the growing season.

Lavender chastetree flowers blooming on a leafy Zone 5 shrub

Add Structure With Zone 5 Shrubs

Zone 5 shrubs can bring height, screening, flowers, foliage color, and year-round structure to the landscape. The current collection includes both deciduous and evergreen choices, with options for full sun, part shade, and even some full-shade locations.

Browse our shrubs alongside other zone 5 plants to compare mature size, light needs, and landscape uses before choosing the right varieties for your space.

FAQs

Zone 5 is based on average annual extreme minimum winter temperatures from -20°F to -10°F. Individual varieties may differ in cold tolerance, so always confirm the hardiness range for the specific plant.

Many flowering perennials grow well in Zone 5. Your best options depend on sunlight, soil moisture, bloom season, mature size, and the overall look you want for your garden.

Many deciduous and evergreen shrubs are suitable for Zone 5, including certain butterfly bush, arborvitae, hydrangea, lilac, juniper, and other varieties. The live Garden Crossings collection currently includes both flowering and evergreen shrub options for this zone.