Selecting Hearty, Winter-Resistant Plants For Your Memphis Landscaping
People say that Memphis winters are mild until a snowstorm hits in January. The truth is, no matter what kind of climate you’re in, freezing and snow can occur. This can wreck havoc on your perfectly designed landscaping. If your new plants aren’t winter-hardy to the random Memphis snowstorm, your perennials will brown out or could even die. At Victory, we work with our clients to consider every angle of a landscape design. The beautiful selection of plants below can survive whatever the cold climate throws at your landscape.
How Cold-Resistant Should Memphis Landscaping Be?
You might ask exactly how worried you should be about current landscaping projects. The answer? You don’t need to lose sleep over it. Especially after a full year of growth, landscaping plants have usually established their roots well enough that they can last even through a snowstorm. A freeze is a bigger concern if you’re looking into new landscaping, as new plantings are the most vulnerable. If you want to plant some new plants, choosing options like these that are hearty and winter-resistant increases the chance that even new plants can survive.
The Hardiness Zone
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone charts the United States and divides it into zones. Zone 1 is the coldest (think Alaska) and Zone 13 is the hottest (think Texas). As of 2023, East Memphis falls into the 8a range, with some neighboring areas falling into the 7b range. Most plants have certain ranges that they thrive the most in, but the ranges don’t expect Tennessee to have more than a mild winter. This means that if your selected plants can also thrive in colder climates, they can be prepared for whatever the climate can throw at you. The plants on our list below are cold-resistant and might even give your landscaping some special winter bonuses.
Freeze-Resistant Bushes
This is a collection of bushes that are freeze-resistant – they generally won’t flower, but they will consistently provide a green source of color. Whether for privacy or to break up a landscaping design with some height, these are bushes that are perfect for any season.
Boxwood
Image Source: North Carolina Cooperative Extension
Despite the name, boxwoods are generally round, small shrubs. They are perfect for a rock or mulch bed to break things up. They can even grow into hedges if you’re interested, and there are some varieties like the evergreen variety that have additional winter resistance.
Bugleweed / Ajuga
Image Source: Clemson Cooperative Extension
These purple leaves and flowers thrive in the open sun. They spread quickly to suppress weeds while also thriving in cooler climates than ours.
Miscanthus Silvergrass
Image Source: Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Silvergrass grows in tall, fuzzy bunches that stand proud across your landscaping. The roots are well-acclimated to cooler hardiness zones.
Winterberry
Image Source: University of Maryland Extension
This is an extra special winter treat for your lawn! Not only are these leaves resistant, but the red berries blossom specifically in the winter. This provides a pop of color throughout the season, whether or not there is snow on the ground.
Groundcovers That Don’t Mind Snow Cover
Groundcovers are flowers that grow low to the ground, which makes them a great transition between hedges and grass or a wonderful alternative to mulch. However, if these were to die out during a freeze, you would be left with piles of dead, brown leaves. Choosing these plants makes sure that you’ll have a different color than if you went with mulch.
Liriope
Image Source: Clemson Cooperative Extension
Liriope, also known as lillyturfs, have long lanky leaves that can create almost a coastal effect. Despite looking so summery, these plants can still be hearty throughout a winter storm because they are used to colder growing regions.
Creeping Phlox
Image Source: Missouri State University
These flowers creep over bare spots on your landscaping with vibrant, purple flowers. It makes a great groundcover and provides natural edging and lines for your design.
Pachysandra
Image Source: Oregon State University
If you want a cover of leafy greens across your lawn, this is the perfect plant! These thick, green bunches of leaves make a beautiful cover.
Flowers for Fall and Winter Blooms
Taste in flowers can be very subjective. With all the landscaping designs we’ve worked with as a company, we know no two clients are the same. We’ve included a few more flowers on this list to give you a wide range of aesthetic options to choose from. Don’t worry – all of them can last the winter climate.
Camellias
Image Source: LSU AG Center
Camellias have vivid circular bunches of flowers that provide a bright pop of color. The unique thing about these is that they also bloom in the fall or early winter! This combined with their heartiness makes a great combination. Make sure that you select modern or hybrid breeds to increase their cold resistance!
Daylilies
Image Source: University of Tennessee
There are so many types of daylilies, not just of color but of heatiness. A dormant daylily will not grow in the winter, but this allows the roots to take hold during the cold season and keeps it alive for multiple years across your landscape.
Purple Coneflowers
Image Source: University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
From the fuzzy dark centers to the bright pink petals, these hearty plants are also amazing pollinators. This makes them not ideal if you are scared of honeybees, but they can help your other plants to be pollinated.
Black-eyed Susan
Image Source: Clemson University
What appears like a twin of the purple coneflower could accompany it throughout the seasons on your landscape. Both plants are hearty and adept to cold climates.
Russian Sage
Image Source: Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension
This plant can thrive as both a bush and a thin, beautiful purple flower. These thin flowers are easy to grow and can have a nice, sage-like scent while looking like lavender.
Shasta Daisy
Image Source: University of Illinois Extension
Make life and your landscape a field of daisies with these beautiful blooms! This specific variety can handle both the heat and the cold easily.
Hellebores
Image Source: Penn State Extension
These gentle white and pink petaled plants can thrive in heartiness zones 3 through 9, meaning they can withstand whatever the Memphis climate can throw at them.
Azaleas
Image Source: University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
The evergreen variety of azaleas is able to handle cold better while also being adept for our heartiness zone. Between that and the beautiful pink blossoms, that gives you an amazing landscaping highlight.
Hydrangeas
Image Source: University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
It’s hard to find a hater of these beautiful, giant flower clusters. The bigleaf and lacecap varieties are cold resistant and while also being suited for the climate.
We’re The Memphis Landscaping Company for Every Season!
If you want a landscaping company to incorporate these plants into your design, why not call us? We at Victory Landscaping Service have years of experience and a close knowledge of the East Memphis climate. Contact us today for a free quote where we walk through every step of your landscaping design. With us, your outdoor property will shine in every season!