Shop With Confidence: FREE Growing & Glowing Guarantee

Free Shipping on Orders $199+
View as

  • Forever® Purple Coral Bells

    Heuchera 'Forever Purple'

    Sold out
    (1)
    $4371

  • Fire and Ice Hosta

    Hosta 'Fire and Ice'

    Sold out
    (1)
    $3278

  • His Royal Highness Tall Bearded Iris

    Iris germanica 'His Royal Highness'

    Sold out
    $4097

  • Lady in Red Fern

    Athyrium felix-forma 'Lady in Red'

    Sold out
    (2)
    $3435

  • Blue Ivory Hosta

    Hosta 'Blue Ivory'

    Sold out
    $3090
  • Concertina Tall Bearded Iris (Iris germanica 'Concertina'), a perennial featuring purple, pink flowers and perennial.

    Concertina Tall Bearded Iris

    Iris germanica 'Concertina'

    Sold out
    $4102

  • Virginia Bluebell

    Mertensia virginiana

    Sold out
    $4096

  • Wine Festival Bearded Iris

    Iris x germanica 'Wine Festival'

    Sold out
    $4092

  • Pagoda Dogwood

    Cornus alternifolia

    Sold out
    (8)
    $11184

  • Garden Candy™ Pineapple Fizz™ Itoh Peony

    Paeonia x 'Garden Candy Pineapple Fizz'

    Sold out
    (1)
    $13820

  • Cotton Candy™ Phlox

    Phlox paniculata 'Cotton Candy'

    Sold out
    (5)
    $3499
  • Close-up of a fully open Double Bubble Pink Itoh Peony bloom with layered magenta petals and golden stamens.

    Garden Candy™ Double Bubble Pink™ Itoh Peony

    Paeonia x 'Garden Candy Double Bubble Pink'

    Sold out
    (1)
    $13817

  • Guacamole Hosta

    Hosta 'Guacamole'

    Sold out
    $3106
  • Elegant Candy Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Elegant Candy'), a perennial featuring pink flowers and perennial.

    Elegant Candy Daylily

    Hemerocallis 'Elegant Candy'

    Sold out
    $4107

  • Little Lady™ Lilac

    Syringa x 'Little Lady'

    Sold out
    $6845
  • Serene Lilac Catmint (Nepeta 'Serene Lilac'), a perennial featuring clumping, spreading form.

    Serene Lilac Catmint

    Nepeta 'Serene Lilac'

    Sold out
    $2614
  • Five Finger Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum aleuticum 'Five Finger'), a perennial featuring perennial and clumping, creeping form.

    Five Finger Maidenhair Fern

    Adiantum aleuticum 'Five Finger'

    Sold out
    (2)
    $3429

  • Pleasant Peasant Tall Bearded Iris

    Iris germanica 'Pleasant Peasant'

    Sold out
    $4088
  • Garden Candy™ Peach-A-Licious™ Itoh Peony bursting with large peachy-apricot, semi-double ruffled blooms and glossy deep green foliage in the garden.

    Garden Candy™ Peach - A - Licious™ Itoh Peony

    Paeonia x 'Garden Candy Peach-A-Licious'

    Sold out
    (1)
    $13822
  • Double Rose™ Clematis

    Double Rose™ Clematis

    Clematis 'Double Rose'

    Sold out
    $5828

  • Bubblegum Pink™ Phlox

    Phlox paniculata 'Bubblegum Pink'

    Sold out
    (5)
    $3505

  • Empress™ Clematis

    Clematis 'Empress'

    Sold out
    $6743

  • Flaming Carpet™ Catawba Sedum

    Sedum 'Flaming Carpet Catawba'

    Sold out
    $3489

  • Prairie Splendor™ Coneflower

    Echinacea purpurea 'Prairie Splendor'

    Sold out
    (7)
    $3859

  • Kodiak Spiced™ Diervilla

    Diervilla x 'Kodiak Spiced'

    Sold out
    $2699
  • Sweet and Sour Sedum (Sedum kamtschaticum 'Sweet and Sour'), a perennial featuring yellow flowers and perennial.

    Sweet and Sour Sedum

    Sedum kamtschaticum 'Sweet and Sour'

    Sold out
    $2631

  • Clarence Bearded Iris

    Iris germanica 'Clarence'

    Sold out
    $4960

  • White Gayfeather

    Liatris spicata 'Alba'

    Sold out
    $3245

  • Dark Towers Penstemon

    Penstemon 'Dark Towers'

    Sold out
    (2)
    $3462
  • Scarlet Heaven Itoh Peony (Paeonia x 'Scarlet Heaven'), a perennial featuring red flowers and perennial.

    Scarlet Heaven Itoh Peony

    Paeonia x 'Scarlet Heaven'

    Sold out
    $13154

Zone 3 Plants, Trees & Shrubs

Zone 3 Plants: Built to Survive the Coldest Winters

USDA Hardiness Zone 3 covers some of the coldest inhabited regions in the continental United States, with average annual minimum temperatures plunging to -40°F. From northern Minnesota and Montana to the high-elevation valleys of Wyoming and the Dakotas, gardening in Zone 3 demands plants with exceptional cold hardiness and deep root resilience.

Every plant in this collection has been hand-selected by our horticulture team for proven Zone 3 performance. These are not borderline survivors. They are vigorous growers that establish strong root systems even in short growing seasons and emerge each spring ready to deliver the color, shade, and beauty your landscape deserves.

What Thrives in Zone 3?

Cold hardy trees like Paper Birch, Colorado Blue Spruce, and Quaking Aspen anchor Zone 3 landscapes with year-round structure. For spring color, cold hardy magnolia varieties and ornamental crabapples deliver stunning blooms despite harsh winters. Cold hardy perennials including Daylilies, Hosta, Echinacea, and Black-Eyed Susans return reliably year after year, while native ornamental grasses add movement and texture through fall.

Cold hardy fruit trees are a Zone 3 highlight. Hardy apple varieties, cold-tolerant cherry and plum trees, and bush fruits like blueberries and currants all produce abundant harvests. Evergreen shrubs like Arborvitae, Juniper, and Boxwood provide critical winter structure and privacy screening.

Zone 3 Gardening Tips

The key to success in Zone 3 is timing. Plant in early spring after soil thaws or in early fall to give roots time to establish before freeze-up. Apply a thick layer of mulch (3-4 inches) to insulate root zones through winter. Choose sheltered planting sites when possible, and consider windbreaks for exposed properties.

FAQ's for Buying Zone 3 Plants FAQs Online

What is USDA Hardiness Zone 3?
Zone 3 is defined by average annual minimum winter temperatures between -40°F and -30°F. It covers northern states like Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and high-elevation areas. Plants rated for Zone 3 are among the most cold-hardy varieties available.

When is the best time to plant in Zone 3?
The best planting windows in Zone 3 are late spring (after the last frost, typically mid-May to early June) and early fall (September). Fall planting gives roots time to establish before winter, while spring planting takes advantage of the full growing season.

What are the easiest plants to grow in Zone 3?
Some of the most reliable, low-maintenance plants for Zone 3 include Daylilies, Hosta, Black-Eyed Susan, Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass, Arborvitae, Colorado Blue Spruce, and Hardy Hydrangeas. These establish quickly and tolerate Zone 3 winters with minimal protection.

Can you grow fruit trees in Zone 3?
Yes. Many apple varieties (Honeycrisp, Zestar, Haralson), hardy plum trees, sour cherry trees, and cold-tolerant pear varieties thrive in Zone 3. Bush fruits like blueberries, currants, and honeyberries are also excellent choices for cold-climate fruit production.

What trees grow best in Zone 3?
Top-performing Zone 3 trees include Paper Birch, Quaking Aspen, Colorado Blue Spruce, White Spruce, Northern Red Oak, Sugar Maple, Amur Maple, and cold-hardy flowering crabapples. These species handle extreme cold and relatively short growing seasons.
Back to top