18 Winter Plants for Interest in the Coldest Months
Wintertime doesn’t have to be drab in the garden. Include at least a few of these recommended winter garden plants and you’ll have something beautiful to enjoy through the coldest months of the year.
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 3. SWITCH GRASSPrairie Winds® ‘Totem Pole’ Panicum Grasses are an excellent winter pick for adding texture and motion. The seed heads look incredible under a layer of frost or against a blanket of snow. 'Totem Pole' is sturdy and durable and withstands adverse weather conditions. |
 4. BOXWOODNorth Star® Buxus Boxwoods are a popular evergreen shrub for winter gardens. Use them for hedges, borders, and in formal gardens. North Star is cold hardy and maintains good color all winter long. |
 5. FALSE CYPRESSSoft Serve® Gold Chamaecyparis Looking for style and structure for your landscape? Here's the perfect plant for adding year-round interest. Soft Serve Gold makes a great formal accent and is extra magical after a snowfall. |
 6. MIRROR BUSHWaxwing™ Coprosma Enjoy bright, vivid color every day of the year! While it won't survive winter in places colder than USDA zone 9, don't worry! You can bring it inside and enjoy it as a pretty houseplant in cold weather climates. |
 7. RED TWIG DOGWOODArctic Fire® Red Cornus No list of winter interest plants is complete without the colorful stems of dogwood. These deciduous shrubs set the winter months ablaze with rich colors, including red, yellow or a combination of both. And don't forget to cut the stems for winter arrangements! |
 8. SEVEN SON FLOWERTemple of Bloom® Heptacodium You'll love this pretty, low-maintenance tree that is unmatched in its beauty all year round. In winter, the leaves fall and reveal the tree's elegant frame and stunning light tan peeling bark. |
 9. PANICLE HYDRANGEAFire Light® Hydrangea paniculata The dried flowers of hydrangeas look pretty with a fresh coating of snow on top. Pick ones with sturdy, strong stems and let them stand over winter. Fire Light is quite hardy, growing and flowering well even in chilly zone 3. |
 10. INKBERRY HOLLYStrongbox® Ilex glabra These hollies are a great native alternative to boxwood because they're resistant to disease, pests, and winter burn. Strongbox has a naturally mounded shape and grows faster than boxwood. |
 11. BLUE HOLLYCastle Spire® Ilex x meserveae Transform your garden into a winter wonderland with the classic Christmas vibe of blue hollies. Castle Spire serves as a majestic highlight with shiny evergreen leaves that offer interest throughout the year. If grown close to a male pollinator, it will yield vibrant red berries that attract birds. |
 12. WINTERBERRY HOLLYBerry Poppins® Ilex verticillata Winterberry holly is an awesome plant for winter landscapes, but many homeowners don't have room for a traditional variety. Berry Poppins® solves that with a dwarf habit that can be used nearly anywhere. This deciduous holly loses its leaves every autumn but makes up for it with tons of bright red berries in winter. |
 13. JUNIPERGin Fizz® Juniperus This pretty evergreen tree has lots of blue-green berries, adding color and texture to the landscape. It's pyramidal shape makes a striking specimen or a lush hedge for year-round privacy. Thrives in full sun and resists deer. |
 14. SIBERIAN CYPRESSCeltic Pride® Microbiota Looking for an evergreen groundcover? This plant is super hardy, tolerates light shade, dry conditions, and is untouched by deer. In winter, it takes on a russet-purple tone. |
 15. LILY OF THE VALLEY SHRUBInterstella® Pieris This early-blooming plant has pretty ruby-red flowers, that arrive in late winter and bloom for months. Provide protection from the worst of winter winds, especially in the colder parts of its range. A 2-3"/5-7cm layer of mulch is also very beneficial. |
 16. YEWStonehenge® Taxus Stonehenge yew is a versatile shrub with a narrow habit, small footprint, and shade tolerance. Plant one for a nice touch of formality, or plant a dozen as a space-saving hedge. |
 17. ARBORVITAENorth Pole® Thuja Another narrow, upright evergreen, this plant is hardy and resists winter burn. The dark green winter foliage color makes it a perfect choice for adding elegance to your garden. |
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Learn more:
- Check out the Red Twig Dogwood Guide
- Explore elements that make a winter garden more interesting.
- Find evergreen plants for different uses.
- Save pins of plants with winter interest from this Pinterest board.
- See Garden Answer’s picks for 5 plants with winter interest.
