The arrival of winter, a season characterized by shorter days, icy winds, frost-kissed mornings, crisp air, and intense cold, sees many of us bring potted plants indoors to protect them from harsh winters.
Winter often leaves landscapes devoid of life, but your garden or yard doesn’t have to be bare when there are many cold-hardy plants. Brighten your outdoor spaces with potted plants that are hardy enough to brave the winter chill outdoors.
Below are 20 cold-hardy potted plants suitable for your snow-covered outdoor spaces.
20 Potted Plants That Survive Winter Outside
1. Pansies
You can rely on pansies to bring cheer to your outdoor spaces, whether in warmer or cooler climates. Pansies thrive in cooler temperatures and bloom before other plants wake from winter slumber. These stunning flowers can tolerate temperatures below 23F (-5C).
Pansies make excellent filler plants for your winter display. Their blue and burgundy winter colors look mesmerizing. Their petals are edible and full of nutrients.
Hardiness zones: 7-10
2. Juniper
The evergreen foliage of junipers will give your winter landscape some color and texture. The needle-like leaves are deep green to blue-gray or even golden-yellow. Juniper are drought-tolerant and incredibly hardy once established, making them suitable for winter weather.
Since Junipers come in many shapes and sizes, you can fit them into different landscaping designs. Some varieties make excellent specimen plants, while others are great ground covers.
Hardiness zones: 3-9
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3. Sedum
You are probably surprised to see sedum in this list; after all, it is renowned for loving the sun. However, you’ll be glad that some species do well in winter. Add these succulents to your potted winter arrangement for their diverse colors, textures, and shapes.
Consider the Autumn Joy that grows upright as a filler plant. In contrast, Angelina sedum will trail down your winter containers gracefully.
Hardiness zones: 3-11
4. Dwarf English Boxwood
This evergreen boxwood comes in numerous varieties, but choose the Dwarf English Boxwood for your winter container garden since it only grows 2-4 feet wide and tall. Its luxurious, glossy, oval, dark green leaves will give your winter displays a lush, evergreen backdrop.
You can shape Dwarf English Boxwood’s dense growth into formal, elegant designs. ‘Green Velvet’ and ‘Green Mountain’ boxwoods are worthy alternatives.
Hardiness zones: 5-8
5. Ornamental Kale
Add ornamental kale to your potted winter plant arrangement for a colorful display that lasts all winter. This round plant is splashed with beautiful purple, white, pink, and green hues. Also, its ruffled, frilly leaves contrast plants with smooth textures beautifully.
Ornamental kale can be the focal point of your winter potted garden or complement other plants. This plant handles frost and snow pretty well.
Hardiness zones: 2-11
6. Coral Bells
Although coral bells won’t display their colorful bell-shaped blooms in winter, they flaunt their stunning leaves with unique patterns and textures. The foliage comes in mesmerizing colors like deep burgundy, pinkish-red, green, and yellow, creating a captivating look.
With the ability to handle cold weather and frosty conditions easily without losing their vibrancy, coral bells are exceptional winter plants.
Hardiness zones: 4-9
7. Algerian Irises
Few plants flower in winter; among them is the Algerian Iris. This is a welcome sight in a typically dull, gray month. This plant’s flowers are vibrant, graceful, and violet-blue or lavender.
Algerian Iris still looks good even without flowers, thanks to its narrow, arching leaves. Native to North Africa, this low-maintenance plant doesn’t need much watering.
Hardiness zones: 7-9
8. Winter Heath
Like Algerian Irises, the Winter Heath blooms in winter, producing bell-shaped pink, purple, and white flowers, giving this plant a cheerful display. The small, needle-like, evergreen leaves also give this plant a lovely look. Winter Heath spots tendril-like branches that grow upwards.
You can arrange the Winter Health creatively and layer it with other plants for a splendid winter container garden.
Hardiness zones: 5-7
9. Yew
Yews are cherished for their versatility and longevity. The evergreen tree with dense, dark green leaves is remarkably adaptable, thriving in various conditions, including harsh frosts and the coldest temperatures.
For your outdoor winter container garden, grow Yews in large pots. These remarkably long-lived plants suit informal and formal landscaping settings. Yews tolerate heavy pruning, so you can shape it as you desire.
Hardiness zones: 3-8
10. Baby Blue Spruce
As an evergreen plant, you can rely on the Baby Blue Spruce to brighten your winters. Its silvery-blue needles provide a great contrast to winter’s muted brown or white shades.
You can plant all Blue Spruce varieties in containers, but the Baby Blue Spruce is perfect for this setting because it stays compact. Baby Blue Spruce will give your winter garden a majestic presence.
Hardiness zones: 3-7
11. Lemon Cypress
What I love most about this plant is its gentle, citrusy fragrance emitted when the foliage is brushed. This delightful scent is much welcomed, especially in winter when floral scents are uncommon.
You can keep Lemon Cypresses outdoors in winter because they can tolerate up to 20°F (-6°C). Lemon Cypresses adapt exceptionally to pot life, growing neatly, small, and forming a pyramidal shape.
Hardiness zones: 7-10
12. Primrose
Turn grey winters into a lively spectacle comprising pink, purple, yellow, and red flowers by growing Primrose in pots outdoors. This low-growing, flowering plant makes a great, low-cost filler plant for containers.
Primroses will ensure your garden transitions beautifully between seasons as it continues blooming into spring. This remarkable winter bloomer is easy to grow; it thrives with less water and sunlight.
Hardiness zones: 4-8
13. Cyclamen Coum
An outdoor potted winter garden wouldn’t be complete without Cyclamen Coum. This plant thrives in chilly temperatures as low as 5°F (-15°C). Its cheerful, pink, white, or purple, upturned flowers persist from Fall to Spring.
Cyclamen Coum’s heart-shaped leaves with intricate silver marbling are equally captivating. This plant is happy with occasional watering (winter rain will suffice) and well-drained soil.
Hardiness zones: 4-8
14. Rosemary
This hardy herb overwinters outdoors quite effortlessly without needing any special treatment. Rosemary pushes through winter like a champ, braving cold temperatures up to 10°F (-12°C). Its aromatic, needle-like leaves stay fresh and green.
Grow rosemary in pots outdoors for an all-year-round supply of herbs and a piney, pleasant scent. Rosemary handles drought impressively. Prune your rosemary plants in late spring to prepare them for winter.
Hardiness zones: 7-9
15. Red Hook Sedge
Foliage color is limited in winter, but one plant stands out. Red Hook Sedge brightens landscapes with brilliant red foliage. The narrow, fine, arching blades give this plant a flowing, elegant appearance.
You can put this plant at the center of your winter plant pot arrangement or use it as a filler plant. Potted Red Hook Sedge looks great on patios and balconies.
Hardiness zones: 7-10
16. Spanish Dagger
From afar, The Spanish Dagger looks like a plant for hot deserts, and while it thrives in warm weather, it surprisingly suits areas that experience cold winters. This hardy plant can tolerate temperatures below -20°C without undergoing damage.
Consider leaving this plant outdoors in winter for its beautiful bluish-green leaves. However, shelter your potted Spanish Dagger plants from winter winds.
Hardiness zones: 7-11
17. Thyme
Thyme is so resilient that it can withstand cold temperatures and even frost; hence, it is ideal for winter gardens. Most thyme varieties have a creeping growth habit, so you can use them as ground cover in pots.
While this herb doesn’t flower in winter, its foliage stays green throughout the year.
Hardiness zones: 5-9
18. Red Twig Dogwood
Although dogwoods lose their leaves in winter, I wanted to include the Red Twin Dogwood in this list for its strikingly colorful stems. This deciduous shrub’s striking red stems, coupled with winter’s white snow and gray skies, make for a stunning sight.
Red twig Dogwood produces multiple stems with upright branches that can reach 6 to 9 feet tall, which makes it perfect for giving your winter garden some height and structure.
Hardiness zones: 3-8
19. Dwarf Mugo Pine
Enjoy a green landscape even in the thick of winter with this evergreen shrub. Dwarf Mugo Pine forms a rounded, neat, dome-shaped appearance, comprising short, dark green needles that grow in pairs.
Unlike tall Mugo Pine cultivars, dwarf varieties stay small, which makes them perfect for pots. Dwarf Mugo Pine grows slowly, meaning it doesn’t require frequent pruning. This shrub grows to 3 to 5 feet wide and 2 to 5 feet tall.
Hardiness zones: 2-7
20. Snowdrops
What’s more fitting for your outdoor winter container garden than a plant with ‘snow’ in its name? This plant gets its name because it blooms while snow is still on the ground, and the flowers hang down like ice drops.
Snowdrop’s bell-shaped, white flowers mark the arrival of spring. Snowdrops can handle cold temperatures and thrive with little care. Established snowdrop plants come back year after year.
Hardiness zones: 3-7
Final Remarks
That concludes our list of potted plants that survive winter outdoors. Winter can indeed take a toll on even the toughest plants, but these plants are a testament that some species are hardy enough to handle and thrive in this cold, unforgiving season. Grow your winter plants in pots made of frost-resistant materials like heavy plastic, stone, and fiberglass.
Hey there, fellow plant enthusiasts! I’m Rachel, the green-thumbed writer behind Rooted In Garden. With a deep-rooted love for all things botanical, I’ve made it my mission to help you cultivate a thriving collection of houseplants. As a devoted plant parent myself, I understand the joys and challenges that come with nurturing these leafy wonders. Whether you’re a succulent aficionado, an orchid enthusiast, or simply adore all potted flora, join me on this journey as we explore the secrets to growing and caring for our beloved green companions. Together, let’s create a flourishing oasis indoors.