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.
A dense cluster of purple and white daisy-like Stacy Pink' Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum) flowers with yellow centers fills the frame, creating a vibrant and colorful floral pattern - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA close-up of a cluster of vibrant purple and white Stacy Pink' Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum) flowers with yellow centers, tightly packed together, filling the entire image - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Stacy Pink' Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum)

$12.99
$12.99
Close-up of Stacy™ Dazzling Orange Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum) with vibrant orange and yellow petals. Dewdrops sparkle on the main bloom, making it ideal for fall décor among other blossoms and buds. - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture

Stacy™ Dazzling Orange Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum)

$11.99
$11.99
A close-up of a Starblast Chiffon® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) highlights white blooms with vivid pink streaks at the center, surrounded by lush green leaves, capturing this vibrant flowering shrub in natural sunlight. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of a white Starblast Chiffon® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) shrub with vibrant pink-red streaks radiating from the center, surrounded by green leaves and additional hibiscus blooms in the background. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Starblast Chiffon® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus)

$22.99
$22.99

Tall green stems topped with vibrant, deep purple Starship™ Blue Cardinal Flower (Lobelia) blooms thriving amid greenery and mulch - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Close-up of vivid Starship™ Blue Cardinal Flower (Lobelia) blooms on tall green stems, perfect for attracting hummingbirds, with flower buds and soft-focus foliage in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Starship™ Blue Cardinal Flower (Lobelia)

$17.99
$17.99

Close up of the Bright pink Starship™ Rose Cardinal Flower (Lobelia) blooms with pointed petals stands before dense white clusters of hydrangea blooms and green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Bright magenta flowers of the Starship™ Rose Cardinal Flower (Lobelia) blooms on tall stalks, accented by green and burgundy foliage with white and purple flowers in the background of a sunny garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Starship™ Rose Cardinal Flower (Lobelia)

$16.99
$16.99
Tall plants with deep green and purple leaves, including the vibrant Starship™ Scarlet Bronze Leaf Cardinal Flower (Lobelia), bloom in a mulched garden bed with green grass in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Clusters of vibrant red Starship™ Scarlet Bronze Leaf Cardinal Flower (Lobelia) bloom among dark purple-green leaves in a mulched garden bed, with green grass visible in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Starship™ Scarlet Bronze Leaf Cardinal Flower (Lobelia)

$17.99
$17.99

Close-up of Dense clusters of dark green and reddish-purple leaves cover the compact Stay Classy® Cherry (Prunus), showcasing striking dark purple foliage. A soft-focus yellow flower can be seen in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A branch of the Stay Classy® Cherry (Prunus) with deep red leaves and small white flowers with pink centers stands out against a blurred background, highlighting the dark purple foliage of this compact shrub - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Stay Classy® Cherry (Prunus)

$22.99
$40.99 $22.99
Clusters of white flowers and buds with textured green leaves fill the image, showcasing the dense, blooming Steady Eddy® Doublefile (Viburnum) - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Close-up of the Steady Eddy® Doublefile (Viburnum), a deer-resistant, flowering shrub with clusters of white blooms and green leaves, is blooming in front of a light gray, horizontally paneled wall. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Steady Eddy® Doublefile (Viburnum)

$22.99
$22.99

Close-up of a Still Waters™ Clematis bloom with striking dark purple stamens, surrounded by lush green leaves and additional lavender blue flowers from the vigorous Still Waters™ Clematis vines in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of a Still Waters™ Clematis flower shows its light lavender-blue petals and deep purple stamens, blooming among green leaves in bright sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Still Waters™ Clematis

$22.99
$22.99

A lush garden scene centers on a striking Sting® Arborvitae (Thuja), its tall, narrow form surrounded by leafy green bushes and purple flowers. Sunlight filters through trees, casting dappled light over the foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of dense, vibrant green Sting® Arborvitae (Thuja) branches with overlapping needle-like leaves, creating a lush texture - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Sting® Arborvitae (Thuja)

$22.99
$22.99

A close-up of Stonehenge Dark Druid® Yew (Taxus) shows lush, soft needle-like leaves. The lighter green new growth contrasts with the dark, mature foliage of this evergreen shrub that thrives in sun or shade - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up shows the Stonehenge Dark Druid® Yew (Taxus), a potted evergreen with dense, needle-like green foliage and lighter new growth - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Stonehenge Dark Druid® Yew (Taxus)

$22.99
$22.99

A tall, narrow Stonehenge Skinny® Yew (Taxus), an evergreen shrub with dense, dark green needles, grows in a tidy garden bed bordered by mulch and grass, with other shrubs and trees visible in the background. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA Stonehenge Skinny® Yew (Taxus), an upright, columnar yew with dense needle-like foliage, stands in a mulched garden bed, sunlight illuminating its vibrant green branches. Other plants are softly blurred in the background. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Stonehenge Skinny® Yew (Taxus)

$22.99
$22.99

A tall Stonehenge® Yew (Taxus) evergreen shrubs stands amidst smaller shrubs, landscape fabric visible around its base - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Stonehenge® Yew (Taxus)

$22.99
$22.99

A close-up of the Stratosphere™ Pink Picotee Butterfly Flower (Gaura) displays its pale pink, veined petals, long stamens, and slender green stems on a dark gray background, with buds and soft-focused blooms behind - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A decorative gray pot holds a Stratosphere™ Pink Picotee Butterfly Flower (Gaura), a drought-tolerant plant with slender green stems and many small, delicate pink blooms - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Stratosphere™ Pink Picotee Butterfly Flower (Gaura)

$11.99
$11.99

Stratosphere™ White Butterfly Flower (Gaura) features delicate white blooms with long stamens set against green foliage.Hints of pink in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCStratosphere™ White Butterfly Flower (Gaura) features delicate white and light pink blooms on slender green stems and leaves, creating a soft, airy look - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Stratosphere™ White Butterfly Flower (Gaura)

$11.99
$11.99

Strong Box® Inkberry Holly (Ilex) is a round, green evergreen shrub with dense, glossy leaves growing in brown mulch under sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCStrong Box® Inkberry Holly (Ilex) is a dense green shrub with small, glossy leaves and few brown fallen leaves on top - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Strong Box® Inkberry Holly (Ilex)

$22.99
$22.99

The Sugar Shack® 2.0 Buttonbush (Cephalanthus) is a pollinator-friendly shrub with glossy green leaves and round, spiky white flower balls - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Closeup of Sugar Shack® 2.0 Buttonbush (Cephalanthus) showing round, spiky white flower heads and green buds amid glossy leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Sugar Shack® 2.0 Buttonbush (Cephalanthus)

$22.99
$22.99

Close-up of Sugar Shack® Buttonbush (Cephalanthus), a compact shrub with round, spiky white flowers and glossy green leaves, set against a blurred background of foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of the Sugar Shack® Buttonbush (Cephalanthus) with white, spherical blooms and radiating yellow-tipped stamens among green leaves, as a bumblebee forages on one of its flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sugar Shack® Buttonbush (Cephalanthus)

$22.99
$22.99

A close-up of a pale pink, double-bloom Sugar Tip® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) flower with delicate, layered petals and lush green leaves on this attractive flowering shrub. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCThe Sugar Tip® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) is a dense, flowering shrub with variegated green and white leaves, showcasing light pink double blooms in the summer. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Sugar Tip® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus)

$22.99
$22.99

Sugartina® 'Crystalina' Summersweet (Clethra) is a compact shrub with green leaves and clusters of white, bottlebrush-shaped flowers, making it ideal for adding texture and color to lush garden landscapes. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCSugartina® 'Crystalina' Summersweet (Clethra) is a dense shrub with green leaves and clusters of small white flowers, thriving in mulched garden beds bordered by grass and other plants. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Sugartina® 'Crystalina' Summersweet (Clethra)

$22.99
$40.99 $22.99

Close-up of bright yellow and orange Summer Breeze Peruvian Lily (Alstroemeria) flowers with dark streaks bloom among green leaves in a garden - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Clusters of Summer Breeze Peruvian Lily (Alstroemeria) bloom in yellow and orange amid green foliage, with red flowers in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Summer Breeze Peruvian Lily (Alstroemeria)

$21.99
$21.99
Summer Heat Peruvian Lily (Alstroemeria) features bright red blooms with yellow and black-speckled centers on green leafy stems, creating a vibrant and colorful perennial flower display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.The Summer Heat Peruvian Lily (Alstroemeria) features bright red flowers with yellow centers blooming in lush clusters among green leaves, with a grassy lawn visible in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Summer Heat Peruvian Lily (Alstroemeria)

$19.99
$19.99

Close-up of Summer Wine® Black Ninebark (Physocarpus), a mildew-resistant shrub with deep purple, serrated leaves and red stems. Its dense, healthy foliage stands out against a blurred green background. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Summer Wine® Black Ninebark (Physocarpus)

$22.99
$40.99 $22.99

Summer Wine® Ninebark (Physocarpus) features clusters of small white flowers with pale pink centers that bloom among dark green, serrated leaves, creating a soft, delicate contrast against the dense foliage. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCSummer Wine® Ninebark (Physocarpus) is a dense shrub with deep purple-black foliage and clusters of small white flowers with pink centers that bloom profusely across the plant. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Summer Wine® Ninebark (Physocarpus)

$22.99
$22.99

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.