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Fire and Ice: 8 Plants That Blaze Once Frost Hits
Not everything in the garden sleeps in the cold — these plants rise and shine in fall and winter, bringing bright color to beat the blahs
Houzz Contributor. I'm a Vermont based garden writer and designer with a background in public horticulture. I love experimenting with plant combinations and am inspired by the colors of plants, their forms, and beauty.
Houzz Contributor. I'm a Vermont based garden writer and designer with... More »
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Let's face it: Fall can usher in a feeling of loss and sadness as the landscape slumps toward decay. Finding the right plants that perform at this time of year, when temperatures dip below freezing, can help you beat the blahs.
For gardeners in northern climates, extending the color show just a few more weeks past the first nip of frost and into winter isn't hard to do; it just takes planning. Think about how your landscape plants will perform throughout the year, and look for varieties and cultivars that offer good form and color, then locate them in key areas where they'll make an exceptional show.
For gardeners in northern climates, extending the color show just a few more weeks past the first nip of frost and into winter isn't hard to do; it just takes planning. Think about how your landscape plants will perform throughout the year, and look for varieties and cultivars that offer good form and color, then locate them in key areas where they'll make an exceptional show.
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by Paintbox Garden
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| Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) Winterberry is a deciduous North American shrub that's adaptable, easy to grow and one of the best for cold-weather conditions. This is 'Berry Nice', which needs the male plant 'Southern Gentleman' for pollination (the shrubs are dioecious, with both female and male plants needed for optimal fruit set). USDA zones: 3 to 9 (find your zone) Water requirement: Average Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: 6 to 8 feet tall Planting tips: Especially good for low, wet areas where drainage is an issue; winterberry also makes a good hedge or wildlife border, as its fruit is favored by birds. |
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by Paintbox Garden
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| Showy Stonecrop (Sedum 'Autumn Joy') A must for the fall garden. Pair it with a contrasting plant like fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) for a knockout combination. The cut flowers are great for arrangements, too — put them in a vase without water and let them dry for a Thanksgiving display. USDA zones: 3 to 8 Water requirement: Average Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: 18 inches tall Planting tips: Stonecrops are clump forming and benefit from regular divisions to keep within bounds. Dig and divide in spring when foliage first appears. |
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by Paintbox Garden
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| Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) Strawberry plants make a good ground cover, standing up to frost and light snow. They turn delicious shades of crimson once cold weather hits. USDA zones: 5 to 8 Water requirement: Average, but may need supplemental watering in warmer zones Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: Plants are low growing; they spread by runners and form clumps to 8 inches tall. Planting tips: Plant crowns in early spring in well-drained soil amended with compost. Keep the plants within bounds by cutting out runners and transplanting them (or giving them to grateful neighbors). |
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by Paintbox Garden
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| Coral Bell (Heuchera macrorhiza) Semievergreen coral bells make tough ground covers. This is the cultivar 'Autumn Bride', which blooms late and then turns color around bulb-planting time. In my garden it makes a great companion with purple ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius 'Diablo'). USDA zones: 3 to 9 Water requirement: Average Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade Mature size: 'Autumn Bride' grows to 12 inches tall. Planting tips: Adaptable to different soil types. Grow coral bells as a versatile ground cover around taller shrubs for year-round interest. |
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by Paintbox Garden
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| Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima') Native chokeberry is an underused shrub that will dress up a border with its display of carmine fruit and glossy foliage in late fall. Go for maximum impact by planting evergreens for contrast. USDA zones: 4 to 9 Water requirement: Average Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: 6 to 10 feet tall Planting tips: A member of the rose family, Aronias produce a delicate white flower in June followed by a fruit display in October. The fruit persists after the leaves fall, making this a great plant for winter interest. |
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by Paintbox Garden
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| Smooth Witherod (Viburnum nudum 'Winterthur') Viburnum 'Winterthur' is one of my favorite shrubs and the earliest to turn color in my garden once the thermometer dips below 35 degrees Fahrenheit. The glossy, elliptical leaves are simply stunning with the small, dark blue fruit clusters, and they hold their burgundy color in the fall for a really long time. USDA zones: 5 to 9 Water requirement: Average Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: 6 to 8 feet tall Planting tips: Cold-climate gardeners on the edge of USDA zone 5 can grow this shrub best in protected microclimates. |
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by Paintbox Garden
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| Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) No other word for it but "crazy"! A shrub that definitely stands out, the cultivar 'Laciniata' goes from ordinary green during the summer to this shade in late October in my Vermont garden. It looks kind of spooky, turning blood red right around Halloween. USDA zones: 4 to 8 Water requirement: Needs regular watering (weekly); water more in hot conditions Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade Mature size: 10 to 12 feet tall Planting tips: I grow this shrub on the edge of a wooded area, where it receives partial sun. Use it in areas where it can sprawl, as its branching is irregular. |
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by Paintbox Garden
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| Witch alder (Fothergilla x gardenii) For gardeners in the Northeastern U.S., Fothergilla is a great selection that offers unparalleled color in October and November. This is 'Mt. Airy', which was named by the great plantsman Michael Dirr for a sport he found at the Mt. Airy Arboretum in Cincinnati, and it's one of the best. USDA zones: 4 to 8 Water requirement: Average Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: 5 to 6 feet tall Planting tips: Nothing seems to bother this plant — neither insects nor diseases — and it holds up well in areas where winter temperatures can dip to 20 degrees below. |
Comments
ZH Design Another cultivar of the Staghorn Sumac that will offer even more interest throughout the year is 'Tiger Eyes' (seen below, picture courtesy of colesville nursery). Rhus typhina 'Tiger Eyes' has a stunning chartreuse leaf color all year long and still maintains the vibrant red fall color as shown above. Great architectural plant in the landscape and it makes a big statement in mass. Pair it with a dark green low growing groundcover or a blue toned shrub. 
7 months ago · Like
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ZH Design When considering the chokeberry, they are beautiful with their fall color and berries, and agreed underused, however keep in mind they are a bit leggy, producing most of their foliage at the top of the plant and the lower branches are bare. Saw a great example of how to use ornamentally where they were paired with 'Wintergreen' boxwoods. The boxwoods offered the lower level of interest and masked the bare stems of the chokeberry. Tuck them into a mixed border for a good fall display.
7 months ago · Like
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Paintbox Garden 'Tiger Eyes' sumac is an outstanding cultivar with great texture, very unusual, worth seeking out for that special landscape accent - thanks for your comments!
7 months ago · Like
Timothy Lee landscape design nice job - all great choices
7 months ago · Like
Gabrielle Fladd Rhus typhina can be very invasive, depending on where you are located. It is not recommended to be planted near natural waterways because it can take over. There are some better, very beautiful, less invasive options in this list. I love the dogwoods and witch hazel is another nice one.
7 months ago · Like
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camperoo Down here in zone 8 strawberries can be fall planted so they take off as soon as it warms. I planted Chandler plugs in October and have been thrilled with how well they're doing for my winter garden.
7 months ago · Like
Ideabook published on Nov. 7, 2012.
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