Zone 6 Plants for Color, Structure, and Seasonal Interest

USDA Zone 6 gives gardeners plenty of options for building colorful, layered landscapes. The zone is defined by an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of -10°F to 0°F, with Zone 6a covering -10°F to -5°F and Zone 6b covering -5°F to 0°F.

Garden Crossings offers Zone 6 plants suited to these winter conditions, including flowering shrubs, evergreens, and other landscape choices. The current collection includes plants for full sun, part shade, and full shade, making it easier to match your selections to the conditions in your yard.

Lavender Bubbles' Allium, an ornamental onion with round, vivid purple blooms, creates a striking display against green grass, adding bold color and interest with blurred grass in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.
Primo® 'Peachberry Ice' Coral Bells (Heuchera) with ruffled reddish-bronze leaves and delicate white flowers on slender stems, thriving in soil with green foliage as a backdrop - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Primo® 'Peachberry Ice' Coral Bells (Heuchera) with ruffled, lobed red and pink leaves, thriving in mulch-covered soil among pine needles - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Primo® 'Peachberry Ice' Coral Bells (Heuchera)

$18.99
$18.99

A vibrant outdoor garden showcases Primo® 'Pistachio Ambrosia' Coral Bells (Heuchera), its lush light green foliage in soil and surrounded by diverse plants with varied leaf shapes and colors - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Primo® 'Pistachio Ambrosia' Coral Bells (Heuchera) features clusters of bright yellow-green, rounded leaves that grow close to the soil, contrasting with surrounding darker foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Primo® 'Pistachio Ambrosia' Coral Bells (Heuchera)

$16.14
$18.99 $16.14

Primo® 'Wild Rose' Coral Bells (Heuchera) is a striking perennial with deep pink and burgundy leaves featuring visible veins, topped by delicate white flowers on tall stems above the vibrant foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of Primo® 'Wild Rose' Coral Bells (Heuchera) leaves shows vibrant purple and pink shades with ruffled texture and distinct veins. Green and purple foliage from more Coral Bells appears in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

Primo® 'Wild Rose' Coral Bells (Heuchera)

$18.99
$18.99
A close-up of Proud Berry® Coralberry (Symphoricarpos) reveals clusters of pink berries dusted with frost against lush green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of a Proud Berry® Coralberry (Symphoricarpos) branch from Proven Winners, featuring clusters of round pink berries and green leaves against a softly blurred foliage background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Proud Berry® Coralberry (Symphoricarpos)

$22.99
$22.99

Clusters of small, round white berries on green leafy stems—some tinged light green and pink—adorn the Proud Berry® Pearl Coralberry (Symphoricarpos), set against a blurred green background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Close-up of clusters of small, round white berries on a compact Proud Berry® Pearl Coralberry (Symphoricarpos) shrub with dark green leaves, set against a blurred foliage background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Proud Berry® Pearl Coralberry (Symphoricarpos)

$22.99
$22.99

Large, white Puffer Fish® Panicle Hydrangea flowers in full bloom with green leaves, set in a landscaped garden with other flowering shrubs, green grass, and neatly trimmed bushes in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of Puffer Fish® Panicle Hydrangea blooms shows delicate white petals and a small black ant near the center of this hardy shrub - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Puffer Fish® Panicle Hydrangea

$22.99
$22.99

A close-up of Pugster Blue® Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) shows dense clusters of blue flowers with orange centers, surrounded by green leaves and blurred purple flower spikes in the background of this compact shrub - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A garden with neatly mowed grass, colorful flowerbeds, and a vibrant Pugster Blue® Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) in the foreground. Flowering shrubs and more blooms add charm to the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Pugster Blue® Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

$22.99
$22.99

A close-up of the Pugster Periwinkle® Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) shows vivid purple blooms clustered on cone-shaped spikes surrounded by lush green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of clusters of vibrant purple flowers bloom on the leafy green Pugster Periwinkle® Butterfly Bush (Buddleia). Dense, cone-shaped blossoms stand out against the foliage, highlighting the charm of this dwarf flowering shrub - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Pugster Periwinkle® Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

$22.99
$22.99

Two vibrant purple flower spikes of the Pugster Pico Punch™ Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) with green leaves stand out against a blurred white floral background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Close-up of a vibrant Pugster Pico Punch™ Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) flower cone with clustered purple blooms and green leaves. This compact shrub attracts butterflies, while the blurred background shows yellow and green hues - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Pugster Pico Punch™ Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

$22.99
$22.99
Close-up of vibrant pink Pugster Pinker® Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) flowers with clustered blossoms and green leaves in bright outdoor light - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. A compact Pugster Pinker® Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) blooms with bright purple flower clusters in a mulched garden bed. Its green, elongated leaves and surrounding plants highlight the shrub's vibrant charm - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Pugster Pinker® Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

$22.99
$40.99 $22.99

Clusters of pale purple, tube-shaped flowers with orange centers bloom on the Pugster Sorbet™ Butterfly Bush (Buddleia), a compact dwarf shrub, set against a backdrop of blurred flowers and foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Clusters of pale purple, tube-shaped flowers with orange centers bloom on the Pugster Sorbet™ Butterfly Bush (Buddleia), a compact dwarf shrub, taken in a garden - Photo Courtesy of Garden Crossings

Pugster Sorbet™ Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

$22.99
$22.99

Pugster White® Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) blooms with white flowers among green leaves, complemented by pink hydrangea blooms and tan rocks in the background, creating a striking flowering shrub display - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of a white cone-shaped flower cluster on the Pugster White® Butterfly Bush (Buddleia), a flowering shrub with small blooms, surrounded by green leaves and stems - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Pugster White® Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

$17.24
$22.99 $17.24

Purple butterfly bush blooms, like the hardy Pugster® Amethyst Butterfly Bush (Buddleia), show long flower clusters above green leaves, with pink and orange coneflowers providing colorful background accents - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of a Pugster® Amethyst Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) flower cluster among green leaves, with sunlight highlighting its vibrant colors and softly blurred background flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Pugster® Amethyst Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

$22.99
$22.99

Close-up of Purple Glow Cranesbill (Geranium) showing vibrant violet-purple blooms with delicate veins, set against a softly blurred backdrop of green leaves and other purple flowers - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

Purple Glow Cranesbill (Geranium)

$20.99
$20.99

A close-up of Purple Pillar® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) in bloom, with vibrant pink flowers featuring deep red centers and lush green leaves, showcases the columnar shrub - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCPurple Pillar® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) is a deer-resistant, columnar shrub with abundant purple and pink flowers and green leaves, creating a vibrant garden display beside a light-colored wooden fence. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Purple Pillar® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus)

$22.99
$22.99
Fiery orange and yellow flower spikes of drought-tolerant Pyromania® 'Backdraft' Kniphofia rise above long green leaves, with dark foliage in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of vibrant Pyromania® 'Backdraft' Kniphofia stands out with tall, spiky orange and yellow blooms and narrow green leaves, creating a striking drought-tolerant display amid bright yellow daisy-like flowers in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Pyromania® 'Backdraft' Kniphofia

$18.99
$18.99

A close-up of Pyromania® 'Hot and Cold' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia) reveals vivid orange and yellow blooms among lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Pyromania® 'Hot and Cold' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia) with vibrant orange and yellow blooms, long green leaves, and stems in sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Pyromania® 'Hot and Cold' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia)

$18.99
$18.99

The Pyromania® 'Orange Blaze' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia) features vibrant orange blooms amid tall, narrow green leaves, creating a striking display stands out against blurred background foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Pyromania® 'Orange Blaze' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia) with its vivid flower spike blooming in a mulched garden bed, surrounded by blurred greenery - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Pyromania® 'Orange Blaze' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia)

$18.99
$18.99
A close-up of Pyromania® 'Rocket's Red Glare' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia), a drought-tolerant perennial with vibrant red and yellow spikes, surrounded by long green leaves and potted plants in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Pyromania® 'Rocket's Red Glare' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia) features tall clusters of red and yellow torch-like flowers with narrow green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.n.

Pyromania® 'Rocket's Red Glare' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia)

$18.99
$18.99

A close-up of Pyromania® 'Solar Flare' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia), displaying densely packed, cone-shaped yellow tubular blossoms against a blurred green background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Two clumps of Pyromania® 'Solar Flare' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia), a drought-tolerant perennial, show tall green leaves in a garden bed among other plants, with purple flowers in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Pyromania® 'Solar Flare' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia)

$18.99
$18.99

Quick Fire Fab® Panicle Hydrangea features cone-shaped flower clusters in white, pale pink, and light green, surrounded by green foliage and similar flowering shrubs in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Top-view of Quick Fire Fab® Panicle Hydrangea is a lush shrub with large, cone-shaped clusters of pale pink and white flowers among green leaves in a mulched bed, with other blooming Quick Fire Fab® Panicle Hydrangeas in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Quick Fire Fab® Panicle Hydrangea

$22.99
$22.99

A close-up of Rainbow Rhythm® 'Blazing Glory' Daylily (Hemerocallis) featuring ruffled orange-yellow petals with a deep red center, set among green leaves and perennial flower buds - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A close-up of Rainbow Rhythm® 'Blazing Glory' Daylily (Hemerocallis) with orange petals and a deep red center, blooming among perennials and green leaves in a garden with blurred flowers in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Rainbow Rhythm® 'Blazing Glory' Daylily (Hemerocallis)

$16.99
$19.99 $16.99
A close-up of the vibrant Rainbow Rhythm® 'Blood, Sweat and Tears' Daylily (Hemerocallis), a reblooming perennial with ruffled pink petals, a yellow center, and prominent stamens amid green leaves and soil - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Rainbow Rhythm® 'Blood, Sweat and Tears' Daylily (Hemerocallis), a vibrant reblooming perennial with ruffled red and yellow blooms, set among long green leaves and sunlit outdoor foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Rainbow Rhythm® 'Blood, Sweat and Tears' Daylily (Hemerocallis)

$16.99
$19.99 $16.99
A hand holds a Rainbow Rhythm® 'Fearfully and Wonderfully Made' Daylily (Hemerocallis) with ruffled petals, a dark red center, yellow throat, and visible stamens against green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A close-up of Rainbow Rhythm® 'Fearfully and Wonderfully Made' Daylily (Hemerocallis) displays coral-pink ruffled petals with a deep red center, set amid green leaves and unopened buds in a vivid perennial garden - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Rainbow Rhythm® 'Fearfully and Wonderfully Made' Daylily (Hemerocallis)

$16.99
$19.99 $16.99
silver-green cotoneaster shrub adding texture to a Zone 6 garden

Choosing Zone 6 Flowers for Your Garden

When selecting zone 6 flowers, hardiness is only the starting point. Also consider sunlight, soil moisture, bloom time, mature size, and how each plant will fit into the surrounding landscape.

Perennials can help create a zone 6 flower garden that returns with fresh color and texture from year to year. Browse our perennial plants to compare options for beds, borders, and mixed plantings.

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is designed to help gardeners estimate which perennial plants are most likely to survive winter in a given location, but individual growing requirements still matter.

Pink Yuki Cherry Blossom deutzia flowering in a Zone 6 garden

Add Long-Lasting Structure With Zone 6 Shrubs

Zone 6 shrubs can add height, screening, flowers, foliage color, and year-round structure. The live collection includes deciduous and evergreen choices, along with plants suited for borders, mass plantings, specimens, containers, and other landscape uses.

When planning a larger bed or foundation planting, explore our shrubs alongside other zone 6 plants. Look at mature height and width before planting so each shrub has enough room to develop naturally.

FAQs

Zone 6 is based on average annual extreme minimum winter temperatures from -10°F to 0°F. Individual varieties may differ in cold tolerance, so always check the listed hardiness range for the specific plant.

Many flowering perennials grow well in Zone 6. The best choices depend on your garden’s sunlight, moisture, bloom season, mature size, and the color or texture you want to add.

Many deciduous and evergreen shrubs are suitable for Zone 6. Choose varieties whose hardiness range includes your location, then match their sun, moisture, and mature-size requirements to your planting site.