City guide · Zone 6b
What to plant in Indianapolis, Indiana
A full-sun bed in Indianapolis: Shrub rose 'Knock Out', Northern sea oats, Lavandin 'Phenomenal', Russian sage, Hens and chicks. Zone 6b, last frost around Apr 20.
Cold winters, humid summers and clay soils. Hardy natives and classic Midwest shrubs do well.
Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.
Indianapolis, Indiana at a glance
- Hardiness zone (2023 USDA)
- 6b (ZIP 46204)
- Typical last spring frost
- Apr 20
- Typical first fall frost
- Oct 20
- Spring planting window
- early May to early June
- Fall planting window
- mid-September to mid-October
- Annual rainfall (approx.)
- 42 in
Frost dates are typical metro values, not forecasts. Humid summers and wide temperature swings matter alongside winter cold; most plants hardy here also take the heat. Our lists for Indianapolis use the rules for the Midwest.
Zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023 (USDA Agricultural Research Service; data by the PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University). ZIP code to state data: GeoNames (geonames.org), CC BY 4.0.
A full-sun bed in Indianapolis
6 or more hours of direct summer sun, 12 × 6 ft.
12 × 6 ft · Zone 6b · 6+ hours of sun · Cottage
Rosa 'Radrazz'
Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3 ft apart · grows 3–4 ft tall · May–Oct
Can't find it? Use Shrubby cinquefoil (potentilla) 'Goldfinger' or Ninebark 'Summer Wine'.
Chasmanthium latifolium
Grass · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–4 ft tall · Jul–Sep
Can't find it? Use Dwarf fountain grass 'Hameln' or Feather reed grass 'Karl Foerster'.
Lavandula × intermedia 'Phenomenal'
Filler · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2.5 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Jun–Aug
Can't find it? Use Garden peony 'Sarah Bernhardt' or Spike speedwell 'Royal Candles'.
Russian sage
× 3
Salvia yangii (syn. Perovskia atriplicifolia)
Filler · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 3 ft apart · grows 3–4 ft tall · Jul–Oct
Can't find it? Use Garden peony 'Sarah Bernhardt' or Hardy geranium 'Rozanne'.
Sempervivum tectorum
Edge · Edge of bed · 4-inch pot · 0.5 ft apart · grows 1–3 in tall · Jul–Aug
Can't find it? Use Creeping thyme.
Kinds
5
Plants
19
Coverage
94%
Mulch
9 bags
Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 94% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.
A part-shade bed in Indianapolis
2 to 4 hours of direct summer sun, 12 × 6 ft.
12 × 6 ft · Zone 6b · 2–4 hours of sun · Classic
Rhododendron 'Conlee'
Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3.5 ft apart · grows 3–5 ft tall · Apr–May, Sep–Oct
Can't find it? Use Korean boxwood 'Wintergreen' or Spreading yew 'Densiformis'.
Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'
Grass · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.3 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Foliage plant
Can't find it? Use Autumn fern or Japanese forest grass 'Aureola'.
Filler · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Jul–Aug
Can't find it? Use Siberian bugloss 'Jack Frost' or Hardy geranium 'Rozanne'.
Lamprocapnos spectabilis
Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Apr–Jun
Can't find it? Use Siberian bugloss 'Jack Frost' or Hardy geranium 'Rozanne'.
Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance'
Edge · Edge of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.3 ft apart · grows 0.75–1 ft tall · Foliage plant
Can't find it? Use Hairy alumroot 'Caramel' or Coral bells 'Palace Purple'.
Kinds
5
Plants
26
Coverage
94%
Mulch
9 bags
Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 94% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.
A shady bed in Indianapolis
Under 2 hours of direct summer sun, 12 × 6 ft.
12 × 6 ft · Zone 6b · Under 2 hours of sun · Classic
Taxus × media 'Densiformis'
Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 4.5 ft apart · grows 3–4 ft tall · Foliage plant
Can't find it? Use Sweetbox.
Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'
Grass · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.3 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Foliage plant
Can't find it? Use Autumn fern or Japanese forest grass 'Aureola'.
Astilbe chinensis 'Visions'
Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.3 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Jul–Aug
Can't find it? Use Hairy alumroot 'Caramel' or Lenten rose.
Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'
Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Apr–May
Can't find it? Use Hairy alumroot 'Caramel' or Lenten rose.
Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance'
Edge · Edge of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.3 ft apart · grows 0.75–1 ft tall · Foliage plant
Can't find it? Use Coral bells 'Palace Purple' or Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'.
Kinds
5
Plants
32
Coverage
80%
Mulch
9 bags
Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 80% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.
Guides for zone 6
- Dog-safe plants for a full-sun bed in zone 6
- Deer-resistant plants for a full-sun bed in zone 6
- Deer-resistant plants for a part-shade bed in zone 6
- Low-water plants for a full-sun bed in zone 6
- What to plant in a full-sun bed in zone 6
- What to plant in a part-shade bed in zone 6
- What to plant in a shady bed in zone 6
- Cottage garden plants for a sunny bed in zone 6
Questions and answers
- What hardiness zone is Indianapolis, Indiana in?
- Central Indianapolis (ZIP 46204) is in zone 6b on the 2023 USDA map: the coldest night of an average winter falls between -5°F and 0°F. Suburbs can be half a zone colder.
- When is the last frost in Indianapolis?
- Typically around Apr 20 in spring and Oct 20 in fall. These are typical dates; any one year can be two weeks earlier or later.
- When should I plant shrubs and perennials in Indianapolis?
- In spring, early May to early June; in fall, mid-September to mid-October. Fall planting gives roots a cool, moist season to settle before summer.
- How many plants do I need for a 12 × 6 ft bed in Indianapolis?
- Our full-sun bed list for Indianapolis uses 19 plants of 5 kinds, plus 9 bags of mulch.
How this page was made
This page was generated from FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules: the rules engine composed each list for the city's 2023 USDA zone, its region's summers and its state's invasive lists. The frost dates and rainfall are approximate metro values. No person or chat model chose these plants, and no named expert has reviewed this page.
Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.
Sources
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
- ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
- Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
- State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
- Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Data by the PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University.
- ZIP code to state data: GeoNames (geonames.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants