USDA hardiness zone 8: plant guide

Zone 8 has average winter lows of 10°F to 20°F and runs across the Southeast (much of the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, north Florida, Texas Hill Country), lower Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Portland, Eugene), and much of the inland California valley (Sacramento, Fresno). The growing season runs about 210 days. Tender shrubs that fail in zone 7 — gardenia, banana shrub, dwarf citrus on protected walls — finally become routine.

Best plants for zone 8

Zone 8 splits into two very different climates: humid southeast and dry Mediterranean west. The lists below note where each plant fits best.

Perennials

Salvia ‘Hot Lips’(Salvia microphylla) — 2-3 ft, full sun, red-and-white blooms April to December.
Lantana (Lantana camara) — 2-4 ft, full sun, summer-to-frost blooms in multi-color clusters; perennial in zone 8.
Agapanthus (Agapanthus africanus) — 2-3 ft, full sun, blue or white June blooms.
Daylily (Hemerocallis) — 1-3 ft, full sun, May-June blooms.
Verbena bonariensis — 4-5 ft, full sun, lavender-purple summer flowers.
Bearded iris (Iris germanica) — 2-3 ft, full sun, March-April bloom in zone 8.

Shrubs

Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) — 6-25 ft, full sun, summer blooms; the signature zone-8 small tree/shrub.
Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) — 3-6 ft, part shade, intensely fragrant white June blooms.
Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense) — 6-10 ft, full sun, burgundy foliage and pink fringe flowers.
Camellia sasanqua — 6-12 ft, part shade, fall and winter blooms.

Trees

Live oak (Quercus virginiana) — 40-80 ft, full sun, evergreen, the iconic Southern shade tree.
Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) — 50-70 ft, full sun, deciduous conifer tolerant of wet feet.
Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) — 15-25 ft, part shade in zone 8 to prevent leaf scorch.

Vegetables and fruit

Cool-season crops grow fall through spring — summer is too hot for lettuce and broccoli.
Tomatoes, peppers, okra, southern peas, sweet potatoes, melons all thrive in summer.
Satsuma orange — the most cold- tolerant citrus, reliably hardy in zone 8.
Fig, persimmon, pomegranate, muscadine grape all productive.
Low-chill apples and peaches(<500 chill hours) — match the cultivar to local chill-hour averages.

Frost dates for zone 8

Average last spring frost: mid-March (March 10-20). Average first fall frost: mid-November (November 10-20). About 210 frost-free days. Zone 8 lows cluster in January, with most freezes brief and followed by warm afternoons.

When to plant in zone 8

January-February: Direct-sow peas, spinach, kale; transplant onion sets.
February: Start tomato and pepper seeds indoors 6 weeks before last frost.
March: Transplant tomatoes, peppers in late March after last frost; direct- sow beans, squash, melons.
April-May: Direct-sow okra, southern peas, sweet potatoes.
July-August: Start fall tomato transplants for September planting.
September-October: Plant fall brassicas, lettuce, root crops.
October-November: The best planting window for trees, shrubs, and perennials. Plant garlic and pre-chilled bulbs.

Common challenges

Brutal humid summers (in the southeast):Tomato production crashes by August. Plan a fall tomato planting to bridge into October-November harvest.
Late-winter freezes: A 70°F week in February pushes buds; a hard March freeze then kills the crop. Avoid early-blooming peaches.
Persistent pest pressure: Mild winters mean fire ants, squash bugs, and stink bugs all overwinter at high populations.
Bulb chilling: Tulips and hyacinths need 10-12 weeks of pre-chilling in the refrigerator before planting in zone 8.

Recommended tools

Long zone-8 seasons reward succession planning. The garden planner lets you map spring, summer, and fall plantings across the same beds. The plant spacing calculator keeps airflow healthy through humid summers. The plant advisor recommends cultivars filtered to zone 8.