Zone 3 Evergreen Plants – Choosing Cold Hardy Shrubs And Trees


If you live in zone 3, you have chilly winters when the temperature can dip into negative territory. While this may give tropical plants pause, many evergreens love crisp winter weather. Hardy evergreen shrubs and trees will thrive. Which are the best zone 3 evergreen plants? Read on for information about evergreens for zone 3.
Evergreens for Zone 3
You’ll need cold climate evergreens if you are a gardener living in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 3. The USDA developed the zone system dividing the nation into 13 planting zones based on the lowest winter temperatures. Zone 3 is the third coldest designation. One state can contain multiple zones. For example, about half of Minnesota is in zone 3 and half is in zone 4. Bits of the state on the northern border are tagged as zone 2. Many hardy evergreen shrubs and trees are conifers. These often thrive in zone 3 and, therefore, classify as zone 3 evergreen plants. A few broad-leaf plants also work as evergreen plants in zone 3.
Zone 3 Evergreen Plants
Many conifers can adorn your garden if you live in zone 3. Conifer trees that qualify as cold climate evergreens include Canada hemlock and Japanese yew. Both of these species will do better with wind protection and moist soil. Fir and pine trees usually thrive in zone 3. These include balsam fir, white pine, and Douglas fir, although all three of these species need filtered sunlight. If you want to grow a hedge of evergreen plants in zone 3, you might consider planting junipers . Youngston juniper and Bar Harbor juniper will perform well.
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Teo Spengler is a master gardener and a docent at the San Francisco Botanical Garden, where she hosts public tours. She has studied horticulture and written about nature, trees, plants, and gardening for more than two decades. Her extended family includes some 30 houseplants and hundreds of outdoor plants, including 250 trees, which are her main passion. Spengler currently splits her life between San Francisco and the French Basque Country, though she was raised in Alaska, giving her experience of gardening in a range of climates.