Perennials for zone 6

Smugung

6 years ago

What perennials can be planted in spring and left in the ground for zone 6?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
The list is far too long to detail here :-)) But you can try a Google search to get you started: perennials for zone 6.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
when i was first starting ... i just visited all the local nurseries .... [rather than bigbox] ... and bought one of everything that interested me ...

the thought is that local peeps sell things that should grow locally....

z6 is about half the US.. and rather diverse ... so bigcity name would sure help ...

the forums have been a bit dead due to winter.. so i am sure many peeps might like to chime in ... but it will sure help you to add as much info as you can so we can hone in ...

do you know your soil type ... bad clay??? ... after that.. how big is your space.. are the beds already to go .... how much height are you looking for.. color preferences ???? .. etc ...

ken
Related Discussions
Summer Perennials - Zone 6
Q
Comments (15)
I'm a lot more familiar with Ulster and Greene, but I'll try and fake Orange. How much soil is there in those locations? Deeper soil means more soil to hold onto water. Pat Lanza developed lasagna gardening to take on the challenge of growing things on rock with very little soil. If there isn't at least six inches, then the first place I'd start is by building up the walls so the plants are on top of a deeper reservoir. One thing about annuals is that they can be very dependent on exactly what kind of summer we have. For many years, my other garden planted wax begonias, white petunias and blue salvias as annuals in a formal garden. The begonias loved summers like this one - cool, and reasonable wet. The petunias like hot and dry. The salvia was the only one that didn't seem to care and did well every year. You might want to visit Stonecrop in Putnam Co for some idea regarding rock garden plants, and things to grow over stone. Its a generally cool place to walk around, also.
...See More
Is Swamp Milkweed perennial in zone 6?
Q
Comments (4)
Harry, that is absolutely normal for Swamp Milkweed to lag behind it's plant neighbors. You will be surprised at how fast it catches up. Swamp Milkweed is perennial wherever it grows, and is very hearty. So, once planted, you will have those clumps for as long as you want them. Some people say they are somewhat short-lived, but I get volunteer seedlings that take the place of any aging plants long before they show signs of kicking the bucket. I have never had a plant fail to return, for old age or any other reason. Martha
...See More
Can I Divide and Replant Perennials Now in Zone 6?
Q
Comments (16)
Jenn, You are getting snow? We are getting another sprinkle. This year has been ridiculous. So based on the comments here, I guess the plan is to do as much as possible with raking leaves and cleaning dead things out and working on the compost piles. Our ground is soft so maybe we should dig the new bed awhile. That way I can still get some things accomplished without disturbing plants. Laceyvail - Wow! We stopped trying to grow soft fruit trees like apricots for that very reason. The blueberries are grown in pots so I can move them to a sheltered location if strange weather threatens, though moving 32 huge pots presents its own challenges. The strawberries so far have not affected by late spring freezes but again, I have trees on that one side so it does create a microclimate. I wish the weather would make up its mind!
...See More
Low maintenance, long blooming perennial flowers for Zone 6?
Q
Comments (10)
I second the recommendation for the Rozanne cranesbill and coreopsis. Coreopsis come in different flower forms, all long blooming. I have had the best luck with a yellow threadleaf coreopsis called Zagreb. It's supposed to be extra hardy. I have also had bad luck overwintering Gaillardia. I had five Arizona Red Shade plants last year, and all of them died over the past winter. I also second the recommendation about the reblooming daylilies such as Stella D'Oro (golden yellow). They are very long blooming, and they should be fairly easy to find and probably cheaper than some of the fancier daylilies. There are other "Stella" varieties in other colours, too: I have purple and red Stellas. Up here, I see Stella D'Oro daylilies planted in places like shopping mall parking lot medians. That says something about how low-maintenance and useful these plants are. I doubt they get a lot of TLC in places like that, and they probably provide colour more cheaply than annuals that must be replaced every year. Some salvias are relatively long blooming, especially if you cut off the old blooms. Blue Hills salvia and East Friesland salvia have been good for me, but there are probably others that also bloom well. Salvia are pretty tough.
...See More
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
6 years ago
As GG48 mentioned, there are thousands of zone 6 hardy perennials, so we need more guidance to put some limits on suggestions for you to check out.

- Most perennials don't bloom all season, so you can either choose one season to have lots of bloom or have different plants that bloom at different times over the course of the season. Some folks grow perennials that have beautiful foliage such as Aralia 'Sun King' which is a mound of bright gold foliage that can get over 6' tall each season.

- Soil is important in determining what will grow well for you. So is it sandy or sticky clay or something in between? Is the soil acid or alkaline? Do you get regular summer rain or year round moisture or most of the year's precipitation in winter, or is your area dry year round? Knowing generally where you are may help us guess at some of these soil factors and you can tell us what you have observed in your yard about your soil. Utah, Illinois, and Massachusetts all have zone 6, but other factors make gardening quite different.

- Tell us about the area you want to plant. Sun, shade, part sun? How large is it, both how wide and how deep front to back? Do you have limitations on height due to needing to maintain or block sight lines? Is it near pavement or a building which can change temperatures immediately adjacent?

- How much work do you want to do? Some plants will look better or bloom longer with additional maintenance such as cutting off old flowers as they fade, while others will require only occasional weeding and removal of old foliage at the season's end.

- Do you want a nice winter view? If so, having plants that remain evergreen, either perennials or adding a few shrubs with winter interest will be one of your considerations.

So the more you can tell us about your goals and situation, the more likely you are to get helpful advice.

Some botanical gardens and online nurseries have the option of sorting plants by growing zone. Here is the Missouri Botanic Garden's Plant Finder. Just type in or select the factors that are important to you such as zone 6, plant type=herbaceous perennial, any info about sun and moisture levels, and anything else that is important to you, and leave everything else blank. Then hit the search button at the bottom to get a long list of plants, each linked to a full page about the plant.

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/plantfinder/plantfindersearch.aspx

Here are a couple of online nurseries that have ways to sort their offerings. I am not suggesting that you do online ordering as a novice gardener (Ken's good suggestion of wandering around a good local nursery will get you larger plants) but it is one way to look for types of plants that you find appealing.

Bluestone Perennials Plant Finder: https://www.bluestoneperennials.com/n_search.html

High Country Gardens has plants mostly for the high desert southwest and you can filter plants by region of the US and zone:

https://www.highcountrygardens.com

Related Stories

SUMMER GARDENING 6 Water-Wise Perennials for Blazing High-Altitude Summers

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Scorching weather and high elevations don't have to mean scraggly plantings. These blooms are as gorgeous as they are tough

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Lovely Water-Wise Perennials for High Altitudes

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Even if your climate is cold and dry, you can still celebrate spring with these hardy and colorful perennials

Full Story

PRODUCT PICKS Guest Picks: 20 Gorgeous Perennials to Plant Now

By The Estate of Things

Take advantage of warm spring weather to create a colorful garden with blooming plants, succulents and ornamental grasses

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Top 12 Summer-Blooming Perennials for Deer-Resistant Drama

By Le jardinet

Can you have garden color, fragrance and exciting foliage with hungry deer afoot? These beauties say yes

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Cold- and Heat-Tolerant Perennials and Shrubs for the Arid West

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

These flowering native plants shrug off the cold of winter and heat of summer while adding beauty to the drought-tolerant landscape

Full Story

PLANTING IDEAS Want a More Colorful, Natural Garden? Try a Perennial Meadow

By Frank Organ

Spend less time tending and more time taking in the sights by improving on Victorian and prairie garden designs

Full Story

DINING ROOMS New This Week: 6 Modern Dining Zones in Homes Big and Small

By Mitchell Parker

Look to splashy accent walls, right-sized tables and indoor slides to make the most of your open layout

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES 8 Perennials for Great Fall Color

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Trees haven't cornered the market on autumn splendor. Add these flowering perennials for a foliage sight to behold

Full Story

SUMMER GARDENING 10 Perennials to Extend Your Garden's Summer Color

By LuAnn Brandsen

Revive summer-weary gardens with outstanding late bloomers such as toad lily, Russian sage, blanket flower and more

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Great Garden Combo: 6 Beautiful Plants for a Shady, Wet Site

By Le jardinet

Transform a shade garden with moisture-loving golden grasses, textural leaves and a sprinkling of flowers

Full Story

Perennials for zone 6

Comments (3)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

Related Discussions

NHBabs z4b-5a NH

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US