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Plant Guide

Best Plants for Raleigh, North Carolina

📍 Raleigh, NC 🌡️ USDA Zone 7b 🌱 346+ compatible plants

Gardening in Raleigh

Raleigh falls in USDA Hardiness Zone 7b, which means your plants need to survive winters with minimum temperatures in the 0°F to 10°F range. The 346+ plants below are proven performers for your zone — including deer-resistant varieties, pet-friendly options, and pollinator-attracting species.

Top Plant Picks for Raleigh

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†
Saucer Magnolia
Saucer Magnolia
Magnolia x soulangeana
Showy, large pink to white blooms burst forth in early spring, creating a stunning floral display before the leaves emerge. Hardy in USDA zones 4-9, this tree thrives with minimal care and attracts early pollinators.
Zone 4–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Fuji Apple Tree
Fuji Apple Tree
Malus domestica 'Fuji'
Vibrant pink-white blossoms in spring give way to crisp, sweet Fuji apples in fall, adding beauty and bounty to your garden. This hardy tree thrives in USDA zones 5-9 and offers low-maintenance fruit production.
Zone 6–8🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Japanese Cherry
Japanese Cherry
Prunus serrulata Kwanzan
Striking double pink blossoms burst in spring, creating a stunning floral display that brightens any landscape. This low-maintenance tree thrives in USDA zones 5-8 and is moderately deer resistant.
Zone 5–9🐝 Pollinator
Adiantum Maidenhair Fern
Adiantum Maidenhair Fern
Adiantum spp.
Delicate, bright green fronds create a lacy, elegant look that brightens shady spots from spring to fall. This low-maintenance perennial thrives in USDA zones 4-9, attracting pollinators while being safe for pets.
Zone 4–9🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Meadow Rue
Meadow Rue
Thalictrum aquilegiifolium
Delicate lavender-pink blooms grace airy stems from late spring to early summer, adding a soft, whimsical touch to any garden. This shade-tolerant beauty thrives in USDA zones 3-8 and attracts pollinators while remaining deer resistant.
Zone 4–7🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Elephant Ear
Elephant Ear
Colocasia esculenta
Striking large leaves and delicate pink and white blooms from June to September make this Elephant Ear a standout in any garden. Thriving in zones 4-9 with low maintenance needs, it attracts pollinators and grows well in full sun to part shade.
Zone 4–9🐝 Pollinator
Crabapple
Crabapple
Malus Prairifire
Vibrant red blossoms burst in spring, followed by fiery orange-red fruit that brightens fall landscapes. This crabapple is deer resistant and thrives in USDA zones 4-8, attracting pollinators year-round.
Zone 4–8🐝 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
Japanese Forest Grass
Japanese Forest Grass
Hakonechloa macra
Graceful, cascading lime-green blades of Japanese Forest Grass brighten shady spots with a soft, flowing texture all season long. This low-maintenance, shade-tolerant grass thrives in USDA zones 5-9 and resists deer browsing.
Zone 5–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†
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
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

Get a Personalized Plant List for Raleigh

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 7b.

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Other Cities in Zone 7b

New York, NY Philadelphia, PA Nashville, TN Oklahoma City, OK Washington, DC Memphis, TN Baltimore, MD Albuquerque, NM Tulsa, OK

Browse All 346+ Plants for Zone 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.