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Plant Guide

Best Plants for New Orleans, Louisiana

📍 New Orleans, LA 🌡️ USDA Zone 9a 🌱 252+ compatible plants

Gardening in New Orleans

New Orleans falls in USDA Hardiness Zone 9a, which means your plants need to survive winters with minimum temperatures in the 20°F to 30°F range. The 252+ plants below are proven performers for your zone — including deer-resistant varieties, pet-friendly options, and pollinator-attracting species.

Top Plant Picks for New Orleans

Epimedium
Epimedium
Epimedium x rubrum
Delicate ruby-red blooms appear in spring, adding vibrant color to shady garden spots. This low-maintenance, deer-resistant perennial thrives in USDA zones 5-8.
Zone 4–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Chicago Hardy Fig Tree
Chicago Hardy Fig Tree
Ficus carica 'Chicago Hardy'
Vibrant green leaves and sweet, edible figs ripen late summer to fall on this hardy tree. Thrives in USDA zones 5-9, it's cold-tolerant and low maintenance.
Zone 5–10🐾 Pet-Friendly†
Scentsation Honeysuckle
Scentsation Honeysuckle
Lonicera periclymenum 'Scentsation'
Fragrant pink and white blooms from June to September fill the air with sweetness, adding vibrant charm to any garden space. This low-maintenance vine attracts pollinators, thrives in zones 4-9, and is both dog- and cat-friendly.
Zone 4–9🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Caladium
Caladium
Caladium bicolor
Vibrant pink and white blooms light up shady spots from June to September, adding stunning color to any garden. Low-maintenance and pollinator-friendly, this annual thrives in USDA zones 4-9 with medium water needs.
Zone 4–9🐝 Pollinator
Creeping Jenny
Creeping Jenny
Lysimachia nummularia
Vibrant chartreuse leaves create a bright, trailing carpet that shines from spring through summer. This low-maintenance groundcover thrives in USDA zones 3-9 and is deer resistant.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†
Flowering Dogwood
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Showy white blossoms bloom in spring, creating a stunning display that brightens any landscape. This low-maintenance tree thrives in USDA zones 5-9 and is deer resistant.
Zone 5–9🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Obedient Plant
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Delightful spikes of tubular pink to lavender blooms burst in late summer, adding vibrant color to your garden. This deer-resistant, pollinator-friendly perennial thrives in USDA zones 3-9 with minimal care.
Zone 3–10🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Frost Proof Gardenia
Frost Proof Gardenia
Gardenia jasminoides 'Frost Proof'
Fragrant white blooms dazzle from June to September, brightening gardens with their classic beauty. This low-maintenance, evergreen shrub attracts pollinators and thrives in USDA zones 7-10.
Zone 7–10🐝 Pollinator
Prairie Dropseed
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
Delicate, airy golden seed heads dance above fine-textured foliage, creating stunning fall interest from summer to autumn. This low-maintenance, drought-tolerant grass thrives in USDA zones 4-9 and attracts pollinators while resisting deer.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Great Blue Lobelia
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Striking spikes of vibrant blue flowers bloom from late summer to fall, adding bold color to any garden. This deer-resistant, moisture-loving perennial thrives in USDA zones 3-9 and attracts pollinators.
Zone 4–9🐝 Pollinator
Ginkgo
Ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba
Brilliant yellow blooms in spring create a stunning display that brightens any landscape from zones 4-9. This low-maintenance tree is deer resistant and attracts pollinators, thriving in full sun with medium water needs.
Zone 4–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator
Agave
Agave
Agave americana
Striking blue-green rosettes with dramatic spiky leaves create a bold architectural statement year-round. This drought-tolerant succulent thrives in USDA zones 8-11 and resists deer and pests effortlessly.
Zone 8–11🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator

Get a Personalized Plant List for New Orleans

Answer 4 quick questions about your yard — sun, soil, deer pressure, and pet situation — and get a custom list of plants that will thrive in Zone 9a.

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Other Cities in Zone 9a

Houston, TX San Antonio, TX San Jose, CA Jacksonville, FL Las Vegas, NV Tucson, AZ Fresno, CA Sacramento, CA Tampa, FL

Browse All 252+ Plants for Zone 9a

The 12 picks above are a sample. Use the full directory to filter by sun, water, deer resistance, and more.

View All Zone 9 Plants →

† "Pet-friendly" means not listed as toxic by ASPCA for dogs and/or cats. Always supervise pets around plants. ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435.