Zone 7 Plants for Lasting Color and Garden Structure

Gardeners in USDA Zone 7 can choose from a wide variety of flowering perennials, shrubs, and other landscape plants. Zone 7 is defined by an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature between 0°F and 10°F, with Zone 7a covering 0°F to 5°F and Zone 7b covering 5°F to 10°F.

Garden Crossings offers zone 7 plants suited to these winter conditions, making it easier to build beds, borders, and landscapes with plants selected for your growing zone. Hardiness is an important starting point, but sunlight, soil moisture, mature size, and seasonal interest should also guide your choices.

A close-up of vibrant orange tubular blooms on Summerlong™ Peach Hummingbird Mint (Agastache), with green stems and leaves, showing multiple flowering spikes - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.
Clusters of light pink, trumpet-shaped flowers and red-tinged leaves distinguish Poco Loco® Abelia, a compact shrub with green and reddish foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Close-up of Poco Loco® Abelia is a compact shrub with clusters of small, tubular pink and white flowers and reddish-green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Poco Loco® Abelia

$21.99
$21.99

A lush Polar Gold® Arborvitae (Thuja) stands out in a landscaped garden, its golden foliage shimmering among other shrubs and colorful plants, with sunlight and shade enhancing this striking evergreen hedge - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A close-up of Polar Gold® Arborvitae (Thuja) shows its bright green, dense, feathery foliage in a landscaped garden, surrounded by other shrubs and softly blurred tall trees in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Polar Gold® Arborvitae (Thuja)

$22.99
$22.99

A close-up of the Pollypetite® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) displays a compact flowering shrub with light lavender-purple hibiscus blooms, delicate ruffled petals, a yellow-tipped stamen, and lush green leaves and buds. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCThe Pollypetite® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) is a compact shrub featuring abundant lavender-purple blooms, perfect for bright gardens amid lush greenery and trees under a clear blue sky. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Pollypetite® Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus)

$22.99
$22.99
Close-up of the vibrant Boulevard® Poseidon™ Clematis, featuring bi-colored pointed petals and a detailed pale yellow center, with green leaves in the background - Photo Courtesy of Donahue's Clematis

Poseidon™ Boulevard® Clematis

FREE
FREE

Large clusters of pale green Powerball™ Panicle Hydrangea flowers, tinged with pink, bloom densely on leafy stems - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. A close-up of a Powerball™ Panicle Hydrangea flower cluster featuring soft green and pale pink petals, surrounded by lush green leaves. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Powerball™ Panicle Hydrangea

$22.99
$40.99 $22.99

Prairie Winds® 'Apache Rose' Switch Grass (Panicum) forms a dense clump of green leaves and airy, purple-tinted flower spikes, bringing ornamental beauty to garden beds with rich soil and vibrant companion plants - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A large clump of Prairie Winds® 'Apache Rose' Switch Grass (Panicum) with thin green blades and wispy flowerheads stands among various flowering plants in the garden - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Prairie Winds® 'Apache Rose' Switch Grass (Panicum)

$18.99
$18.99

A dense clump of tall, upright Prairie Winds® 'Blue Paradise' Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium) with reddish-purple stems and leaves grows in a garden bed featuring plant markers and other plants in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Two clumps of Prairie Winds® 'Blue Paradise' Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium) with reddish-purple stems stand upright in the garden bed, surrounded by a mix of green and yellow plants - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Prairie Winds® 'Blue Paradise' Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of tall, narrow green stalks of Prairie Winds® 'Blue Spear' Switch Grass (Panicum) with feathery yellowish seed heads grow densely in an outdoor garden, set against a background of blurred greenery - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A tall, dense clump of Prairie Winds® 'Blue Spear' Switch Grass (Panicum) displays thin upright green leaves and feathery tan flower spikes, growing in a landscaped garden amid other shrubs and greenery - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Prairie Winds® 'Blue Spear' Switch Grass (Panicum)

$18.99
$18.99
Purple Prairie Winds® 'Blue Steel' grass with slender stems and dark purple-brown seed heads, photographed outdoors against a blurred green garden background. - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Purple-tonedPrairie Winds® 'Blue Steel' grass with fine, wispy seed heads and narrow blue-green leaves, photographed outdoors against a blurred green foliage background. - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Prairie Winds® 'Blue Steel' Big Bluestem (Andropogon)

$19.99
$19.99
Prairie Winds® 'Brush Strokes' Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium) features tall, narrow bluish-green blades with reddish-purple tips, thriving in a mulched garden bed among green plants - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A clump of upright, narrow, blue-green Prairie Winds® 'Brush Strokes' Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium) grows in a mulched garden bed, surrounded by leafy green plants in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Prairie Winds® 'Brush Strokes' Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium)

$18.99
$18.99
A large clump of Prairie Winds® 'Candy Floss' Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia), with its airy pinkish-purple plumes, stands in a garden amid green grasses and yellow flowers in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A field of Prairie Winds® 'Candy Floss' Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia) displays wispy pink plumes, creating a soft, cloud-like effect with green ornamental grass and trees blurred in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Prairie Winds® 'Candy Floss' Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia)

$18.99
$18.99
A clump of Prairie Winds® 'Cheyenne Sky' Switch Grass (Panicum), with green and reddish-purple blades, grows in a mulched garden bed surrounded by other flowering plants in the softly blurred background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A large clump of Prairie Winds® 'Cheyenne Sky' Switch Grass (Panicum) with tall, thin green blades and reddish-purple seed heads grows in a garden bed, surrounded by other green plants - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Prairie Winds® 'Cheyenne Sky' Switch Grass (Panicum)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of Prairie Winds® 'Desert Plains' Fountain Grass (Pennisetum) with tall green blades and fuzzy seed heads, growing densely in a sunlit outdoor setting that highlights the plants’ texture - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A large clump of Prairie Winds® 'Desert Plains' Fountain Grass (Pennisetum) displays slender green leaves and bottlebrush-like flower spikes, growing in a garden bed with mulch and surrounding greenery - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Prairie Winds® 'Desert Plains' Fountain Grass (Pennisetum)

$18.99
$18.99

A large clump of Prairie Winds® 'Lemon Squeeze' Fountain Grass (Pennisetum), with tall feathery plumes and long green blades, grows in a garden bed bordered by a wooden fence and surrounded by other plants - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A large clump of Prairie Winds® 'Lemon Squeeze' Fountain Grass (Pennisetum) shows off its tall, slender green leaves and feathery tan plumes amid a backdrop of assorted garden plants and flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Prairie Winds® 'Lemon Squeeze' Fountain Grass (Pennisetum)

$18.99
$18.99
A dense cluster of Prairie Winds® 'Niagara Falls' Switch Grass (Panicum) features narrow green leaves and silvery, airy flower plumes, showcased outdoors in a natural setting - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Prairie Winds® 'Niagara Falls' Switch Grass (Panicum), with long, slender green leaves and airy flower plumes, grows in a garden amid other foliage and a lush green lawn - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Prairie Winds® 'Niagara Falls' Switch Grass (Panicum)

$19.99
$19.99
A Prairie Winds® 'October Sky' Switch Grass (Panicum) features tall, narrow green leaves and wispy reddish-purple plumes, growing in a mulched garden with green grass - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A large clump of Prairie Winds® 'October Sky' Switch Grass (Panicum) with tall, thin green and reddish blades grows in a landscaped garden bed among plants and trees, with buildings and parked cars visible in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Prairie Winds® 'October Sky' Switch Grass (Panicum)

$18.99
$29.99 $18.99
Close-up of Prairie Winds® 'Switcheroo' Switch Grass (Panicum) features long, narrow leaves with creamy-white edges in a mulched garden bed, highlighted against a backdrop of blurred green grass - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Prairie Winds® 'Switcheroo' Switch Grass (Panicum)

$19.99
$19.99
Prairie Winds® 'Totem Pole' Switch Grass (Panicum) stands tall in a garden bed with green foliage and red lilies with a house visible in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A clump of tall, bluish-green Prairie Winds® 'Totem Pole' Switch Grass (Panicum) grows in a garden bed among flowering plants and greenery - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Prairie Winds® 'Totem Pole' Switch Grass (Panicum)

$19.99
$19.99

A tall Prairie-Palooza™ Copper Tones Beardtongue (Penstemon), a green perennial featuring reddish leaves and clusters of small white flowers in garden settings alongside other greenery - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A field of delicate white flowers of Prairie-Palooza™ Copper Tones Beardtongue (Penstemon) with green and yellow foliage, photographed in a natural outdoor setting. - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Prairie-Palooza™ Copper Tones Beardtongue (Penstemon)

$19.99
$19.99
A dense patch of Prelude™ Blue Catmint (Nepeta) displays vibrant purple blooms amid lush foliage set against softly blurred trees - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.Close-up of Prelude™ Blue Catmint (Nepeta) with vibrant purple flower clusters and delicate spotted petals, set among green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

Prelude™ Blue Catmint (Nepeta)

$17.99
$17.99

A close-up of Prima Belarina® Carnival Primrose (Primula) displays vibrant double yellow blooms with ruffled petals and green centers, surrounded by lush leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.The Prima Belarina® Carnival Primrose (Primula) features ruffled double yellow and red blooms amid green leaves, growing low to the ground in early spring, brightening gardens with vibrant color - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Prima Belarina® Carnival Primrose (Primula)

$18.99
$18.99
A Prima Belarina® Spring Sun Primrose (Primula) potted shade perennial displays many bright yellow, ruffled double flowers and green leaves, set against blurred green foliage and hints of purple blooms - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Close-up of Prima Belarina® Spring Sun Primrose (Primula) features bright yellow double flowers with layered petals and dark green textured leaves, making it an ideal shade perennial for vibrant spring color - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Prima Belarina® Spring Sun Primrose (Primula)

$18.99
$18.99
Close-up of two Heuchera types: the top shows vivid pink leaves, while below are ruffled, nearly black Primo® 'Black Pearl' Coral Bells - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Primo® 'Black Pearl' Coral Bells (Heuchera) features dark leaves and tall stems topped with pinkish-white flowers along the garden bed edge, creating striking contrast beside green grass - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Primo® 'Black Pearl' Coral Bells (Heuchera)

$16.14
$18.99 $16.14

Primo® 'Mahogany Monster' Coral Bells (Heuchera) features ruffled, deer-resistant leaves in deep purple and bronze hues, creating a striking perennial display for your garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of overlapping reddish-brown leaves with ruffled edges and visible veins; Primo® 'Mahogany Monster' Coral Bells (Heuchera) creates a dense, textured foliage pattern - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Primo® 'Mahogany Monster' Coral Bells (Heuchera)

$18.99
$18.99
Red bush cherries growing on a leafy Zone 7 shrub

Choosing Zone 7 Flowers for Your Garden

When selecting zone 7 flowers, think about when you want color and how much sun the planting area receives. Combining plants with different bloom times can help keep the garden interesting from spring through fall.

Perennials are especially useful for creating recurring color and texture from year to year. Browse our perennial plants to explore options for sunny borders, shaded spaces, and mixed plantings.

The USDA hardiness zone system is designed primarily to help gardeners judge whether perennial plants are likely to withstand winter cold in a particular location. It does not account for every growing condition, so always check the individual plant’s light and moisture requirements as well.

Lavender butterfly bush flowers blooming on a compact Zone 7 shrub

Add Structure With Zone 7 Shrubs

Zone 7 shrubs can provide height, screening, flowers, foliage, and long-lasting structure in the landscape. The current Garden Crossings Zone 7 collection includes choices such as butterfly bush, arborvitae, juniper, dogwood, roses, lilacs, holly, and rhododendron.

When choosing the best shrubs for Zone 7, consider mature size, sun exposure, moisture needs, and whether you want flowers, evergreen foliage, or multi-season interest. Explore our shrubs to compare options for different garden uses.

FAQs

Zone 7 is based on average annual extreme minimum winter temperatures from 0°F to 10°F. Individual cold tolerance still varies by plant and variety.

Many flowering perennials grow well in Zone 7. Your best choices depend on sunlight, soil moisture, bloom season, mature size, and the look you want for your garden.

Many deciduous and evergreen shrubs are suitable for Zone 7, including certain varieties of hydrangea, lilac, holly, arborvitae, rose, and butterfly bush. Always confirm that the specific variety lists Zone 7 within its recommended hardiness range.