If you live in zone 5, like me, you know how harsh the winters can be. Because of these harsh winters not all perennial plants will survive. Here is a list of plants that will survive zone 5 winters and the great things is you just have to plant them once!
What Is a "Zone"
Have you ever heard someone talking about USDA zones, but aren't sure what they mean? The USDA splits the United States into growing zones.
The zones show the minimum temperature your area has in the winter. Nurseries will then label plants for the specific zone if they can survive the cold winter conditions.
As you can see the USDA zones only concern perennial plants. Annual plants are not rated for zones, because they will never survive the winter. You can find your USDA zone here.
Perennial vegetable plants for zone 5
Here are just a few vegetable plants that are perennials even down to our zone 5 conditions. These plants will produce vegetables for years and you only have to plant them once!
Asparagus
I love asparagus especially in the spring time. Asparagus is a very hardy plant and it can survive the zone 5 winter conditions. It even grows naturally in the forests where I live.
Asparagus does take a long time to grow before you can harvest it, so it is best to plant asparagus crowns to get a jump start! You can learn how to grow asparagus here.
Egyptian Walking Onions
Egyptian Walking Onions are one of the strangest perennial plants that I grow! These onions grow large stalks that get a big bulbil cluster on top. These bulbils will make the stalk fall over and the bulbils will grow in the new spot.
So the onions literally can walk across your garden! While these onions have smaller bulbs they have a great onion flavor and you can use the green stalks as green onions! These plants are hardy all the way down to zone 3!
Hardneck Garlic
I grow enough garlic in my garden to supply us all year long! Garlic is a very compact plant that looks very structured. You can learn how to plant hardneck garlic here.
Rhubarb
If you are a fan of rhubarb it is a great plant that can survive the zone 5 conditions. These plants are very productive and can produce a lot. Personally I can't stand the taste of rhubarb, so I don't grow any.
Perennial herb plants for zone 5
There are many herb plants that are perennials in zone 5. There are so many, in fact, that I had to write a whole different post showcasing each herb. You can read that article here.
Perennial zone 5 flowers
Flowers can really add beauty to your garden, and they attract a host of beneficial insects which will pollinate more of your vegetable's flowers. To get greater yields from your garden try growing some of these flowers that will come back every year!
Chamomile
Both an herb and a flower, chamomile is a great addition to any garden. This plant attracts pollinators, smells great, and makes a wonderful tea when dried.
Chamomile is very easy to start from seed and you can find chamomile seeds here. Chamomile will come back every year by reseeding itself in the garden.
Echinacea
Echinacea (AKA Coneflower) comes in many different colors and sizes. This plant also has many medicinal qualities!
To save money on plants I recommend you start your plants from seed which you can learn how to do here. I grow this plant because it is beautiful and it attracts many pollinators to my garden.
Lavender
Lavender can be hardy down to zone 5. Make sure that you grow English Lavender, because not all lavender varieties are perennial. Some lavender varieties can also be used to flavor dishes or scent closets.
Holly Hock
Holly Hock plants have a very rustic look to them and look great in cottage style gardens. These flowers grow very tall and are biennials in zone 5.
Yarrow
Yarrow flowers are grown for both their looks and medicinal qualities. Yarrow is still on my list of flowers that I want to plant in my garden! You can find yarrow seeds here.
Perennial fruit plants for zone 5
Juicy fresh fruit from your backyard is a wonderful treat especially in the heat of the summer! The good news is, we can grow many different fruits in zone 5. I have found that many of these fruit plants really thrive in our conditions!
Strawberries
Strawberries will start producing fruit the first year that you plant them, but the second year is when they really start producing. These plants are great low-care fruit plants and are great for beginner gardeners.
You can find plants at your local greenhouse, just make sure that the tag says they are hardy down to zone 5.
Pears
A few years ago we planted some pear trees close to our garden and we finally got our first pear! Pear trees grow very well in zone 5 and ours have done great! Remember that you need to grow two pear trees, so they can cross pollinate.
Apples
Apples actually require the long winters to grow correctly. There is a wide plethora of apples that you can grow in our zone! We love growing apples and we have so many that we often freeze them for pies or make apple butter with them.
Blackberries
Blackberries can even grow in the wild where I live. These fruits are so juicy and I love snacking on them! If you don't want thorns on your blackberries,
you can grow thornless varieties.
Raspberries
Raspberries are one of my favorite berries to eat. Their flavor is like a mix between a strawberries and a blackberry. Raspberry canes spread quickly and can produce a bounty of fruit.
Elderberries
Elderberries have really been popular lately because of their health benefits! Again, there are many wild elderberry plants where I live, but growing your own plants is a great idea. You can get elderberry cuttings shipped right to your home.
Blueberries
Blueberries are known to grow well in Maine and Michigan and that is where most of them are grown. My soil is not acidic enough to grow them and I have tried it before. If your soil PH is low enough blueberries would be a great addition to your garden! You can buy a PH soil test kit here. Your soil should be between 3.8 to 5.5 PH for blueberries to grow well.
Where to buy perennial plants for zone 5
If you are going to buy already growing plants for your garden you can usually find them at a local greenhouse. We have many local greenhouses that offer plants well suited for our climate.
While they should offer plants that are hardy down to your zone, it is important to double check the plant tag before you buy them.
Many of the above plants can also be started from seed and that is a great way to save money on plants. Seeds For Generations offers a wide selection of heirloom seeds and they even sell live plants!
Tips to Keep Them Coming Back Every Year
Even though these plants are perennials that does not guarantee that they will come back every year. Here are a few things that you can do to help them grow better and make sure that they come back every spring.
Mulching
Mulching around your perennial plants will not only keep the weeds away, but it also builds soil life which in turns helps to make your plants grow abundantly. Here is a full post on different things you can use as mulch in the garden.
In the fall after the plants have died back and the weather is below freezing at night you should cover all your perennial plants in a 3-4 inch layer of mulch.
This will help insulate the soil so that there is not constant thawing and freezing which can damage perennial plants. The mulch will also help keep the soil moisture in balance so the roots will not rot.
In the spring remember to uncover all your plants so they can grow easily, but make sure to keep some mulch around them all summer to keep the weeds at bay.
Compost and Compost Tea
While it is not necessary to fertilize your perennial plants, occasionally doing it will help them grow. Once or twice every year I will either water my herbs with compost tea or side dress them with compost.
If you do not have compost you could also use diluted fish emulsions for fertilizer. You can buy the same fish emulsions I use here. Make sure to use this when you know that you will not be harvesting for awhile because you do not want to be eating fish flavored plants (Yuck!).
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