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Plant Guide

Best Plants for New York, New York

📍 New York, NY 🌡️ USDA Zone 7a/7b 🌱 347+ compatible plants

Gardening in New York

New York falls in USDA Hardiness Zone 7a/7b, which means your plants need to survive winters with minimum temperatures in the 0°F to 10°F range. The 347+ plants below are proven performers for your zone — including deer-resistant varieties, pet-friendly options, and pollinator-attracting species.

Top Plant Picks for New York

Knock Out Rose
Knock Out Rose
Rosa 'Knock Out'
Vibrant pink and white blooms dazzle from June to September, brightening gardens with nonstop color. Low-maintenance and pollinator-friendly, this deer-resistant shrub thrives in USDA zones 4-9.
Zone 4–9🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Brown Turkey Fig Tree
Brown Turkey Fig Tree
Ficus carica 'Brown Turkey'
Sweet, reddish-brown figs ripen in late summer, offering a delicious harvest and attractive, lobed leaves. This drought-tolerant tree thrives in USDA zones 7-10 and resists deer browsing.
Zone 7–10🐾 Pet-Friendly†
American Hornbeam
American Hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana
Delicate blue-green leaves turn vibrant orange and red in fall, adding stunning seasonal color. This shade-tolerant tree thrives in USDA zones 3-9 and is deer resistant.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Blue Fescue
Blue Fescue
Festuca glauca
Silvery-blue, fine-textured foliage adds striking color and texture year-round, especially vibrant in spring and summer. This low-maintenance, drought-tolerant grass thrives in USDA zones 4-8 and resists deer browsing.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†
Fire Light Tidbit Panicle Hydrangea
Fire Light Tidbit Panicle Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata 'Fire Light Tidbit'
Bright pink and white panicle blooms light up your garden from June to September with vibrant, long-lasting color. This low-maintenance shrub attracts pollinators and thrives in zones 4-9 with medium water needs.
Zone 4–9🐝 Pollinator
Pachysandra
Pachysandra
Pachysandra terminalis
Evergreen Pachysandra features glossy green leaves that brighten shady spots year-round with subtle white spring blooms. This low-maintenance groundcover thrives in USDA zones 4-8 and is deer resistant.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†
Armeria Sea Thrift
Armeria Sea Thrift
Armeria maritima
Delight in vibrant pink blooms that carpet gardens from spring to early summer, adding cheerful color to any landscape. This low-maintenance, drought-tolerant perennial thrives in USDA zones 3-9 and attracts beneficial pollinators.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Wild Ginger
Wild Ginger
Asarum canadense
Heart-shaped, deep green leaves create a lush groundcover that blooms with subtle, maroon flowers in spring. This shade-tolerant, deer-resistant plant thrives in USDA zones 3-8 and requires minimal care.
Zone 3–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea
Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata 'Vanilla Strawberry'
Creamy white blooms blush to pink and then vibrant red from July to September, adding dynamic color to any garden. This low-maintenance shrub attracts pollinators and thrives in USDA zones 4-9 with full sun to part shade.
Zone 4–9🐝 Pollinator
Sideoats Grama
Sideoats Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula
Golden oat-like blooms sway gracefully in late summer, adding warm color and texture to any garden. This drought-tolerant, deer-resistant grass thrives in USDA zones 4-9, attracting beneficial pollinators.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†
Toyon
Toyon
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Bright red berries and glossy green leaves provide vibrant winter color and attract birds from December through March. This drought-tolerant, deer-resistant shrub thrives in USDA zones 8-11 with minimal care.
Zone 7–10🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Pieris Mountain Fire
Pieris Mountain Fire
Pieris japonica Mountain Fire
Vibrant red new leaves burst into glossy green foliage with white spring blooms, adding year-round interest. This deer-resistant shrub thrives in USDA zones 5-8 and requires low maintenance.
Zone 5–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator

Get a Personalized Plant List for New York

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 7a/7b.

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Other Cities in Zone 7a/7b

Philadelphia, PA Nashville, TN Oklahoma City, OK Washington, DC Memphis, TN Baltimore, MD Albuquerque, NM Raleigh, NC Tulsa, OK

Browse All 347+ Plants for Zone 7a/7b

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

View All Zone 7 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.