Know Your Zone & Beautify Your Home

Missouri is located in USDA Hardiness Zone 6a. This means that the average minimum winter temperature in this area ranges from -10 to -5 degrees Fahrenheit (-23.3 to -20.6 degrees Celsius). Gardeners in Zone 6a can typically grow a wide variety of plants, including cold-hardy vegetables, perennials, and shrubs. However, it's always a good idea to check the specific growing requirements of the plants you want to grow to ensure they are suitable for your local climate and soil conditions.

What trees are suitable for zone 6a?

There are many types of trees that can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zone 6a. Here are a few examples:

1. Red Maple (Acer rubrum) - a popular tree known for its stunning red fall foliage.

2. White Oak (Quercus alba) - a large, slow-growing tree with beautiful bark and foliage.

3. Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) - a small tree with showy pink flowers in early spring.

4. American Beech (Fagus grandi folia) - a large, stately tree with smooth, gray bark and glossy leaves.

5. Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) - a classic shade tree with brilliant fall foliage.

6. Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) - a coniferous tree with a graceful, pyramidal shape.

7. Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) - a fast-growing tree with fragrant white flowers in spring and edible fruit.

8. Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) - a large, valuable tree with flavorful nuts and beautiful wood.

9. White Pine (Pinus strobus) - a tall evergreen with soft, blue-green needles.

10. Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) - a deciduous conifer with distinctive buttressed roots and beautiful fall color.

These are just a few examples, there are many other trees that can thrive in Zone 6a, so it's always best to consult with our specialists for advice on selecting the best trees for your specific growing conditions.

What are the best options for Evergreen planting?

There are many types of evergreens that can be grown well in USDA Zone 6a. Here are a few examples:

1. White Pine (Pinus strobus) - a tall, graceful evergreen with soft, blue-green needles.

2. Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens) - a conical evergreen with striking blue-gray foliage.

3. Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) - a tough, drought-tolerant evergreen with attractive bluish-green foliage.

4. Norway Spruce (Picea abies) - a fast-growing evergreen with dense, dark green needles.

5. Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) - a slow-growing evergreen with delicate, feathery foliage.

6. Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) - a conical evergreen with soft, bluish-green needles and attractive cones.

7. Leyland Cypress (x Cupressocyparis leylandii) - a fast-growing evergreen with dense, bright green foliage.

8. Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica) - a drought-tolerant evergreen with bluish-gray foliage and a distinctive aroma.

9. Serbian Spruce (Picea omorika) - a narrow, upright evergreen with dark green needles and a graceful habit.

10. Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) - a slow-growing evergreen with delicate, fan-like foliage and a graceful habit.

These are just a few examples of evergreens that can thrive in Zone 6a.

Perennial Options- when you want your beds to continue to come back year after year, perennials are the product to get!

There are many hardy and colorful perennials that can thrive in USDA Zone 6a. Here are a few examples:

1. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) - a classic summer-blooming perennial with bright yellow flowers and a black center.

2. Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) - a tough perennial with bold pink, purple, or white flowers and a prominent cone-shaped center.

3. Blanket Flower (Gaillardia spp.) - a long-blooming perennial with red and yellow daisy-like flowers.

4. Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.) - a popular perennial with a wide range of colors, including yellow, orange, pink, and red.

5. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) - a drought-tolerant perennial with silver-gray foliage and lavender-blue flowers.

6. Peony (Paeonia spp.) - a classic spring-blooming perennial with large, showy flowers in shades of pink, red, white, and yellow.

7. Sedum (Sedum spp.) - a versatile perennial with succulent leaves and clusters of pink, white, or yellow flowers in late summer.

8. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) - a tough, long-lived perennial with bold, purple-pink flowers.

9. Coreopsis (Coreopsis spp.) - a low-maintenance perennial with bright yellow, red, or pink daisy-like flowers.

10. Salvia (Salvia spp.) - a sun-loving perennial with spiky flowers in shades of blue, purple, pink, or red.

These are just a few examples of hardy and colorful perennials that can thrive in Zone 6a.

How to beat the shade!

There are many great shade plants that can thrive in USDA Zone 6a. Here are a few examples:

1. Hosta (Hosta spp.) - a classic shade plant with attractive foliage in shades of green, blue, and gold.

2. Ferns (various species) - a group of shade-loving plants with delicate, feathery foliage in shades of green, silver, and bronze.

3. Astilbe (Astilbe spp.) - a perennial with feathery plumes of pink, red, or white flowers that bloom in mid to late summer.

4. Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spp.) - a classic shade plant with heat-shaped flowers in pink or white.

5. Lungwort (Pulmonaria spp.) - a low-maintenance perennial with attractive foliage in shades of green and silver, and clusters of pink or blue flowers.

6. Foamflower (Tiarella spp.) - a groundcover with attractive foliage in shades of green, bronze, or burgundy, and small white or pink flowers.

7. Coral Bells (Heuchera spp.) - a perennial with attractive foliage in shades of green, purple, or bronze, and small spikes of pink, white, or red flowers.

8. Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra) - a low-growing grass with attractive foliage in shades of green, gold, or variegated, that adds texture to shady areas.

9. Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum spp.) - a perennial with arching stems and delicate, bell-shaped flowers in white or green.

10. Wild Ginger (Asarum spp.) - a low-growing groundcover with attractive foliage in shades of green or variegated, and small, inconspicuous flowers.

These are just a few examples of shade plants that can thrive in Zone 6a.

How to soak up the sun!

There are many great full sun plants that can thrive in USDA Zone 6a. Here are a few examples:

1. Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) - a tough perennial with bold pink, purple, or white flowers and a prominent cone-shaped center.

2. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) - a classic summer-blooming perennial with bright yellow flowers and a black center.

3. Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.) - a popular perennial with a wide range of colors, including yellow, orange, pink, and red.

4. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) - a drought-tolerant perennial with silver-gray foliage and lavender-blue flowers.

5. Salvia (Salvia spp.) - a sun-loving perennial with spiky flowers in shades of blue, purple, pink, or red.

6. Yarrow (Achillea spp.) - a hardy perennial with feathery foliage and clusters of tiny flowers in shades of pink, yellow, or white.

7. Blanket Flower (Gaillardia spp.) - a long-blooming perennial with red and yellow daisy-like flowers.

8. Sedum (Sedum spp.) - a versatile perennial with succulent leaves and clusters of pink, white, or yellow flowers in late summer.

9. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) - a perennial with clusters of bright orange or yellow flowers that attract butterflies.

10. Beardtongue (Penstemon spp.) - a sun-loving perennial with tall spikes of tubular flowers in shades of pink, purple, or red.

These are just a few examples of full sun plants that can thrive in Zone 6a.

Contact us today to discuss all your available options!