City guide · Zone 8a
What to plant in Washington, DC
A full-sun bed in Washington: Chinese fringe flower 'Purple Diamond', Pink muhly grass, Blue false indigo, Anise hyssop 'Blue Fortune', Variegated lilyturf 'Variegata'. Zone 8a, last frost around Apr 5.
Hot, humid summers and mild winters. Clay soils are common.
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.
Washington, DC at a glance
- Hardiness zone (2023 USDA)
- 8a (ZIP 20001)
- Typical last spring frost
- Apr 5
- Typical first fall frost
- Nov 5
- Spring planting window
- mid-April to mid-May
- Fall planting window
- October to mid-November
- Annual rainfall (approx.)
- 41 in
Frost dates are typical metro values, not forecasts. Hot, humid summers are the real test here: some northern favourites rated for your zone sulk or rot by August. Our lists for Washington use the rules for the Mid-Atlantic.
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 Washington
6 or more hours of direct summer sun, 12 × 6 ft.
12 × 6 ft · Zone 8a · 6+ hours of sun · Cottage
Loropetalum chinense 'Shang-hi'
Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 4 ft apart · grows 4–5 ft tall · Mar–Apr
Can't find it? Use Sasanqua camellia 'Shishi Gashira' or Gardenia 'Frostproof'.
Muhlenbergia capillaris
Grass · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2.5 ft apart · grows 2.5–3.5 ft tall · Sep–Nov
Can't find it? Use Northern sea oats or Feather reed grass 'Karl Foerster'.
Baptisia australis
Filler · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 3.5 ft apart · grows 3–4 ft tall · May–Jun
Can't find it? Use Blazing star or Mexican bush sage.
Agastache 'Blue Fortune'
Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Jul–Sep
Can't find it? Use Bearded iris or Garden peony 'Sarah Bernhardt'.
Liriope muscari 'Variegata'
Edge · Edge of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1 ft apart · grows 1–1.25 ft tall · Aug–Sep
Listed as invasive in North Carolina in our table. Don't plant it there.
Can't find it? Use Cheddar pinks 'Firewitch' or Lamb's ear 'Helen von Stein'.
Kinds
5
Plants
15
Coverage
91%
Mulch
9 bags
Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 91% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.
A part-shade bed in Washington
2 to 4 hours of direct summer sun, 12 × 6 ft.
12 × 6 ft · Zone 8a · 2–4 hours of sun · Classic
Ilex glabra 'Shamrock'
Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3.5 ft apart · grows 3–5 ft tall · Foliage plant
Can't find it? Use Chinese fringe flower 'Purple Diamond' or Korean boxwood 'Wintergreen'.
Liriope muscari 'Big Blue'
Grass · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Aug–Sep
Listed as invasive in North Carolina in our table. Don't plant it there.
Can't find it? Use Autumn fern or Japanese forest grass 'Aureola'.
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 Lenten rose.
Astilbe × arendsii 'Fanal'
Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1.5–2 ft tall · Jun–Jul
Can't find it? Use Siberian bugloss 'Jack Frost' or Lenten rose.
Mondo grass
× 16
Ophiopogon japonicus
Edge · Edge of bed · quart pot · 0.8 ft apart · grows 6–9 in tall · Foliage plant
Can't find it? Use Japanese sedge 'Ice Dance' or Japanese sedge 'Evergold'.
Kinds
5
Plants
44
Coverage
91%
Mulch
9 bags
Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 91% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.
A shady bed in Washington
Under 2 hours of direct summer sun, 12 × 6 ft.
12 × 6 ft · Zone 8a · Under 2 hours of sun · Classic
Aucuba japonica 'Variegata'
Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 4.5 ft apart · grows 4–6 ft tall · Foliage plant
Can't find it? Use Dwarf yaupon holly 'Nana' or Sweetbox.
Autumn fern
× 7
Dryopteris erythrosora
Grass · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1.5–2 ft tall · Foliage plant
Can't find it? Use Holly fern (invasive in Hawaii, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas: don't plant it there) or Japanese painted fern 'Pictum'.
Lamprocapnos spectabilis
Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Apr–Jun
Can't find it? Use Hosta 'Sum and Substance' or Coral bells 'Palace Purple'.
Astilbe chinensis 'Visions'
Filler · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.3 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Jul–Aug
Can't find it? Use Coral bells 'Palace Purple' or Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'.
Liriope muscari 'Variegata'
Edge · Edge of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1 ft apart · grows 1–1.25 ft tall · Aug–Sep
Listed as invasive in North Carolina in our table. Don't plant it there.
Can't find it? Use Mondo grass or Japanese sedge 'Ice Dance'.
Kinds
5
Plants
32
Coverage
88%
Mulch
9 bags
Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 88% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.
Guides for zone 8
- Dog-safe plants for a full-sun bed in zone 8
- Dog-safe plants for a part-shade bed in zone 8
- Deer-resistant plants for a full-sun bed in zone 8
- Deer-resistant plants for a part-shade bed in zone 8
- Low-water plants for a full-sun bed in zone 8
- What to plant in a full-sun bed in zone 8
- What to plant in a part-shade bed in zone 8
- What to plant in a shady bed in zone 8
Questions and answers
- What hardiness zone is Washington, DC in?
- Central Washington (ZIP 20001) is in zone 8a on the 2023 USDA map: the coldest night of an average winter falls between 10°F and 15°F. Suburbs can be half a zone colder.
- When is the last frost in Washington?
- Typically around Apr 5 in spring and Nov 5 in fall. These are typical dates; any one year can be two weeks earlier or later.
- When should I plant shrubs and perennials in Washington?
- In spring, mid-April to mid-May; in fall, October to mid-November. 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 Washington?
- Our full-sun bed list for Washington uses 15 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