Zone 4

Zone 4 winters bring nights of -20 to -30°F in a typical year, cold enough to rule out some popular perennials but not the toughest favorites. Choose plants rated to zone 4 or colder and most will return year after year.

Average coldest winter temperature
-30 to -20 °F
In Celsius
-34.4 to -28.9 °C

How Cold Does Zone 4 Get?

Zone 4’s coldest winter night averages -30 to -20°F (-34.4 to -28.9°C) in a typical year, based on 1991 to 2020 weather data. Zone 4a covers -30 to -25°F and zone 4b covers -25 to -20°F. Any perennial whose zone range starts at 4 or lower will survive its winters reliably.

Reliable Perennials for Zone 4

Every plant below is rated hardy in zone 4. Open a profile for planting, care and variety advice.

Astilbe

Astilbe spp.
Zones 3–8Part shadeDeer resistant
Close-up of a scarlet bee balm flower head with a ring of narrow, tubular red petals

Bee Balm

Monarda didyma, Monarda fistulosa and hybrids
Zones 4–9Full sunDeer resistant
Golden black-eyed Susan flowers with dark brown centers blooming in a perennial garden bed.

Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia spp.
Zones 3–9Full sunDeer resistant
A wide, soft mound of 'Walker's Low' catmint covered in lavender-blue flower spikes in a sunny garden bed

Catmint

Nepeta × faassenii, Nepeta racemosa and hybrids
Zones 3–8Full sunDeer resistant
Pink-purple coneflowers with orange-brown centers blooming in a sunny perennial garden bed.

Coneflower

Echinacea spp.
Zones 3–9Full sunDeer resistant
Young coral bells with ruffled copper and amber leaves glowing in the sun, planted in a gravel-mulched bed

Coral Bells

Heuchera spp. and hybrids
Zones 4–9Part shadeDeer resistant
Long bands of magenta and white creeping phlox in full bloom covering the sloped bank of a narrow river in spring

Creeping Phlox

Phlox subulata
Zones 3–9Full sunSometimes browsed
A cluster of garden phlox with pink-and-white striped flowers surrounded by violet-purple phlox blooms

Garden Phlox

Phlox paniculata
Zones 3–8Full sunSometimes browsed
Blue-green hosta leaves with pale lavender flower spikes growing in a shaded garden bed.

Hosta

Hosta spp.
Zones 3–9Part shadeDeer favored
Pink peony blooms and buds growing on a leafy clump in a perennial garden bed.

Peony

Paeonia spp.
Zones 3–8Full sunDeer resistant
Branching silver-white stems of Russian sage lined with small lavender-blue flowers, with a bee feeding on the blooms

Russian Sage

Salvia yangii, formerly Perovskia atriplicifolia
Zones 4–9Full sunDeer resistant
Purple salvia flower spikes blooming in a sunny perennial garden bed.

Salvia

Salvia nemorosa and hybrids
Zones 4–8Full sunDeer resistant

See all 13 perennials for zone 4 ›

USDA Hardiness Zones at a Glance

Each zone is 10°F warmer than the one before it. Use the table to compare zone 4 with its neighbors.

Average Annual Extreme Minimum Temperature by Zone
ZoneFahrenheitCelsiusPlants
Zone 3-40 to -30 °F-40 to -34.4 °C9
Zone 4-30 to -20 °F-34.4 to -28.9 °C13
Zone 5-20 to -10 °F-28.9 to -23.3 °C14
Zone 6-10 to 0 °F-23.3 to -17.8 °C14
Zone 70 to 10 °F-17.8 to -12.2 °C14
Zone 810 to 20 °F-12.2 to -6.7 °C14
Zone 920 to 30 °F-6.7 to -1.1 °C9