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Plant Guide

Best Plants for St. Louis, Missouri

📍 St. Louis, MO 🌡️ USDA Zone 6a 🌱 329+ compatible plants

Gardening in St. Louis

St. Louis falls in USDA Hardiness Zone 6a, which means your plants need to survive winters with minimum temperatures in the −10°F to 0°F range. The 329+ plants below are proven performers for your zone — including deer-resistant varieties, pet-friendly options, and pollinator-attracting species.

Top Plant Picks for St. Louis

Yellowwood
Yellowwood
Cladrastis kentukea
Showy clusters of fragrant white blooms appear in late spring, lighting up landscapes with their elegance. This low-maintenance tree thrives in USDA zones 4-8 and is highly deer resistant.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
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
Yucca
Yucca
Yucca filamentosa
Striking white, bell-shaped blooms appear in summer, creating a dramatic focal point with spiky, architectural foliage. Extremely drought-tolerant and deer resistant, this tough beauty thrives in USDA zones 4-10.
Zone 4–11🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator
Juniper Blue Star
Juniper Blue Star
Juniperus squamata Blue Star
Silvery-blue, star-shaped foliage adds striking color and texture year-round to any landscape. This low-maintenance, deer-resistant shrub thrives in USDA zones 4-8.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant
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
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†
Fine Fescue
Fine Fescue
Festuca rubra
The best lawn grass for shade and poor soil. Fine, delicate texture with excellent drought tolerance. Ideal for low-maintenance lawns under trees.
Zone 3–7🐾 Pet-Friendly†
Granny Smith Apple Tree
Granny Smith Apple Tree
Malus domestica 'Granny Smith'
Vibrant green apples ripen in late summer, adding a crisp splash of color and flavor to your garden. Hardy in USDA zones 5-9, this tree offers low-maintenance fruit with excellent disease resistance.
Zone 5–9🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Fothergilla
Fothergilla
Fothergilla major
Fragrant white bottlebrush blooms light up spring with a delightful floral display and vibrant fall foliage. This low-maintenance shrub thrives in USDA zones 5-8 and attracts pollinators while resisting deer.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Rodgersia
Rodgersia
Rodgersia pinnata
Bold clusters of coppery-pink blooms burst in summer, creating a stunning focal point with lush, textured foliage. Thrives in shade, is deer resistant, and grows well in USDA zones 4-8.
Zone 3–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator
Coneflower
Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Vibrant purple-pink blooms light up summer gardens from July to September, adding long-lasting color and charm. This deer-resistant coneflower thrives in zones 3-9 and attracts pollinators with ease.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Allium (Ornamental Onion)
Allium (Ornamental Onion)
Allium giganteum
Towering purple globe blooms dazzle in late spring to early summer, adding bold color and texture to any garden. Deer resistant and thriving in USDA zones 4-9, this low-maintenance Allium attracts pollinators with ease.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator

Get a Personalized Plant List for St. Louis

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 6a.

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Other Cities in Zone 6a

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Browse All 329+ Plants for Zone 6a

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

View All Zone 6 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.