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Plant Guide

Best Plants for Raleigh, North Carolina

📍 Raleigh, NC 🌡️ USDA Zone 7b 🌱 347+ 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 347+ plants below are proven performers for your zone — including deer-resistant varieties, pet-friendly options, and pollinator-attracting species.

Top Plant Picks for Raleigh

Spirea
Spirea
Spiraea japonica
Bright pink blooms burst from late spring to summer, creating a vibrant splash of color in any garden. This hardy shrub thrives in USDA zones 4-9 and is low maintenance and deer resistant.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Pasture Rose
Pasture Rose
Rosa carolina
Delight in clusters of soft pink blooms that brighten summer through fall with a sweet fragrance. This hardy rose thrives in USDA zones 3-9, attracting pollinators while being low maintenance and deer resistant.
Zone 4–9🐝 Pollinator
Daylily
Daylily
Hemerocallis fulva
Vibrant orange, yellow, red, and pink blooms light up your garden from June to August, adding cheerful summer color. Hardy in zones 3-9, this low-maintenance perennial thrives in sun to part shade and resists deer damage.
Zone 3–9🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Sedum Autumn Joy
Sedum Autumn Joy
Hylotelephium Autumn Joy
Clusters of rosy-pink blooms light up late summer through fall, adding vibrant color to any garden. This drought-tolerant, deer-resistant succulent thrives in USDA zones 3-9 and attracts pollinators.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 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
Apache Plume
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
Delicate white blooms give way to feathery pink plumes that add airy texture from late spring through fall. This low-maintenance, drought-tolerant shrub thrives in USDA zones 5-9 and resists deer browsing.
Zone 5–10🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
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
Contender Peach Tree
Contender Peach Tree
Prunus persica 'Contender'
Vibrant pink blossoms burst in early spring, heralding juicy, sweet peaches by mid-summer. This cold-hardy tree thrives in USDA zones 5-9 and resists many common pests.
Zone 4–8🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Sugar Maple
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum
Brilliant orange and red foliage lights up fall, creating stunning seasonal color from late September to October. This hardy tree thrives in USDA zones 3-8 and provides shade while being low maintenance and deer resistant.
Zone 3–8🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Lets Dance Can Do Bigleaf Hydrangea
Lets Dance Can Do Bigleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Lets Dance Can Do'
Bright pink and white blooms dazzle from June to September, adding vibrant color to your garden through summer. This low-maintenance shrub attracts pollinators and thrives in USDA zones 4-9 with sun to part shade.
Zone 4–9🐝 Pollinator
Allium Purple Sensation
Allium Purple Sensation
Allium aflatunense
Vibrant, globe-shaped purple blooms burst in late spring, creating stunning garden focal points. Deer resistant and hardy in USDA zones 4-8, it attracts pollinators with ease.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator
Hellebore
Hellebore
Helleborus orientalis
Early spring brings stunning, nodding blooms in shades of white, pink, and purple that brighten shady spots. This deer-resistant perennial thrives in USDA zones 4-9 and requires minimal care.
Zone 4–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 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 347+ 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.