| Key Takeaways |
|---|
| • Agave dies after it flowers once: This monocarpic succulent produces offsets to replace itself after a single bloom. • Opuntia handles temperatures down to -22 degrees: This prickly pear grows 3 to 20 feet tall and works as a security border. • Raise succulents on a slight mound: Mounding topped with gravel lets winter rain and snowmelt drain away from the roots. |
If you know succulents as desert plants or container plants, you may not think they’ll survive in cold climates. Many succulent varieties are evergreen and will survive in cold weather, even in sub-zero temperatures. Here are the 9 best cold-hardy outdoor succulents for frigid winter climates.
Below, you’ll find the plants to choose, how to keep them alive through winter, and how to match them to your climate using your hardiness zone.
If digging, weeding, and planting aren’t your idea of a good weekend, Lawn Love’s gardening pros can plant and tend your succulent garden for you.
9 best cold-hardy outdoor succulents
The 9 most cold-hardy outdoor succulents are agave, delosperma, opuntia, orostachys, rosularia, ruschia pulvinaris, sedum, sempervivum, and yucca. All are evergreen or returning perennials that survive northern winters while using far less water than a lawn. Here is how they compare by hardiness zone.
| Succulent | Hardiness zones | Cold tolerance |
|---|---|---|
| Agave | Zones 5 to 9 | Varies by species |
| Delosperma | Zones 4 to 6 | Varies by species |
| Opuntia | Zones 4 to 9 | Down to -22 degrees |
| Orostachys | Zones 4 to 6 | Varies by species |
| Rosularia | Zones 5 to 6 | Varies by species |
| Ruschia pulvinaris | Zones 6 to 10 | Varies by species |
| Sedum | Zones 3 to 11 | Down to -30 degrees |
| Sempervivum | Zones 4 to 9 | Down to -30 degrees |
| Yucca | Zones 3 to 10 | Varies by species |
1. Agave
A member of the Asparagaceae family, the Agave genus has 300 species available in a wide range of colors, sizes, and shapes. These plants form rosettes with thick, fleshy leaves and spiny edges. They prefer Mediterranean climates, but they are cold-hardy, surviving in zones 5 to 9.
Here are the most cold-hardy Agave species:
- Queen Victoria agave (Agave victoriae-reginae)
- Artichoke agave (agave parryi)
- Whale’s tongue agave (agave ovatifolia)
- Variegated butterfly agave
- Mountain agave (agave montana)
- Harvard agave (agave havardiana)
- King of the agaves (agave nickelsiae)
Despite their cold tolerance, they require dry soil with good drainage to survive the winter. Agave has shallow roots, so it needs loose soil.
The best mulch for them tends to be gravel, chicken grit, or pebbles, and they should usually be placed on top of a mound so that water runs away from the roots.
As Dusty Broadhead of Lawn Logic Turf in Kennesaw, Georgia, explains, “A gravel top-dressing around the base of plants also keeps the crown dry, which is where rot usually starts.”
Agave is monocarpic, dying after it flowers once but producing offsets to replace the plant.
2. Delosperma
If you’re in the market for a cold-hardy, evergreen ground cover, several species in the Delosperma genus are cold-hardy down to zones 4 to 6.
Delosperma produce purple and yellow daisy-like flowers in summer and are popular in rock gardens and xeriscaped spaces. They are also a high-value plant for wildlife and pollinators. Even though some delosperma species will tolerate low temperatures, they need dry, well-drained soils to survive outdoors year-round.
Here are the most cold-hardy Delosperma species:
- Hardy ice plant (delosperma cooperi)
- Hardy yellow ice plant (delosperma nubigenum)
Check state publications before you buy your ice plant. In California, for example, hardy ice plant grows so well in its dry soils that it is considered an invasive species.
Just north, in the Pacific Northwest, areas of wet soils contain this plant, so it is not an invasive species there.
3. Opuntia
Cacti from the Opuntia genus, also known as prickly pear cactus, are some of the easiest and most hardy succulents to grow outdoors. They are grown for their sweet, edible fruit and are generally cold-hardy, handling temperatures as low as -22 degrees.
Opuntia thrive in hardiness zones 4 to 9 and will grow in all of the lower 48 states except the northernmost regions of the Central U.S.
Prickly pear cacti make a great security border around your home or under windows, growing 3 to 20 feet tall and 3 to 15 feet wide. Also known as “paddle cacti,” they grow flat, oval, paddle-shaped sections atop each other.
They propagate so easily that they are considered invasive in some areas.
For best results, make sure this drought-tolerant cactus has full sun and well-drained soil. It will tolerate alkaline soils, has good salt tolerance, and grows well along the oceanside or among rocks.
4. Orostachys
Orostachys survive to about zone 4, though they do best in zones 5 and 6. Native to the mountains of Japan, they put out many offsets, then flower and die, so you’ll need to replace them with their chicks periodically.
Here are the most cold-hardy orostachys species:
- Japanese dunce cap (orostachys furusei)
- Rock pine (orostachys japonica)
- Spiny pennywort (orostachys spinosa)
- Dunce’s cap (orostachys fimbriata)
These cold-hardy species, like all succulents, prefer well-drained soil with partial to full sun. This genus is commonly called “dunce cap” because of the cone-shaped flower stalks that appear after two or three years.
5. Rosularia
Some succulents in the Rosularia genus are cold-hardy down to zones 5 or 6. These rosette-shaped succulents form a dense ground cover via stolons (above-ground stems) and stay under 4 inches tall. They will grow in poor, well-draining soil and bloom multiple times, putting out star-shaped white and yellow flowers.
Here are the most cold-hardy rosularia species:
- Turkish stonecrop (rosularia platyphylla)
- Rosularia Prometheum
Species in this genus are not always easy to find commercially, but some online nurseries and brick-and-mortar stores do carry a limited stock. Look online or call your nearest garden center to see if these plants are available in your area.
6. Ruschia pulvinaris
Ruschia pulvinaris, also called congested ice plant or shrubby ice plant, is a low-maintenance succulent that lives in zones 6 to 10.
Shrubby ice plant is a ground cover that grows up to 4 inches tall and up to 1 foot wide and is a popular addition to xeriscaped gardens and rock gardens. This plant is famous for attracting pollinators and butterflies.
This succulent puts out purple or pink flowers during summer and needs full sun and well-draining soil. If your soil contains a high level of clay, you may need to plant this succulent on a mound of purchased soil mix or choose another succulent ground cover.
This plant is better suited for the Western U.S. The concern is to avoid areas where snow stays on the ground for long periods, as often happens in the northern regions of the Eastern U.S.
7. Sedum
Also known as stonecrop, sedum is a well-known and wide-ranging genus with many outdoor and cold-hardy succulents. Most hardy stonecrop species are hardy in zones 3 to 11 and can handle freezing temperatures down to -20 degrees, but some can even handle -30 degrees.
Here are the most cold-hardy stonecrop species:
- Corsican stonecrop (sedum dasyphyllum major)
- Goldmoss stonecrop (sedum acre)
- Dragon’s blood (sedum spurium)
- Cape Blanco sedum (sedum spathulifolium)
Sedum species offer a wide range of color and size options for a new succulent gardener. Many are ground covers, but some will cascade out like burro’s tail while others shoot up with stems up to 1.5 feet tall.
Sedum is also well known for its chameleon-like leaf color changes throughout the seasons, from reds and oranges to greens, purples, and even blue hues. Most species also produce a variety of colorful blooms, making them ideal for pollinator gardens.
Plant these succulents in stony, well-drained soil or even in shallow soils in between rocks or stones. Most sedum plants prefer full sun, but some will tolerate partial shade.
8. Sempervivum
Sempervivum are tough, rosette-shaped succulents that will live for two to five years and die after they flower. Sempervivum means “ever-living” and may refer either to their hardiness or prolific nature.
Sempervivum is often called “hens and chicks” because the mother plant grows “chicks” on its stolons, soon surrounding itself with offsets. The leaves change color throughout the year. If you prefer a more consistent color, consider a Sempervivum heuffelii.
Here are the most cold-hardy sempervivum species:
- Sempervivum red lion
- Sempervivum mahogany
- Houseleek (sempervivum calcareum)
- Cobweb hens and chicks (sempervivum arachnoideum)
Most of these prolific growers thrive on deep but infrequent watering, like most lawns.
Plant these hardy plants where they will have sun in the morning but shade in the afternoon. Strategically placed larger rocks are great for aesthetics and can provide the afternoon shade they need.
9. Yucca
A genus with over 40 species, Yucca has sword-like leaves and spikes of flowers. This succulent offers a variety of shapes and colors and can find a home in any landscape.
Some species of yucca are native to colder climates and can withstand freezing temperatures. For example, some cold-hardy yucca species can survive in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 10, while others prefer zones 9 to 11.
Here are the most cold-hardy yucca species:
- Soapweed yucca (yucca glauca)
- Red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)
- Thompson’s yucca (Yucca thompsoniana)
Yucca is popular as an ornamental plant, typically used in xeriscaping. The plant prefers well-draining soil. Otherwise, it is susceptible to root rot.
Read more:
How to grow cold-hardy succulents in winter
To grow cold-hardy succulents through winter, give them sharp drainage, full sun, and room for water to run off their roots. For most of these plants, cold is not the real danger; wet soil is.
As Sarah Vogel, a horticulture and natural resources extension educator at the University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois, puts it, “Good drainage is critical because wet soils can be more damaging than low temperatures.” Most winter losses come from roots sitting in water, not from the cold itself.
Keep these basics in mind no matter which succulent you choose:
- Plant in gritty, well-draining soil: A cactus mix, sandy loam, or soil full of small rocks keeps roots from sitting in water.
- Raise them on a mound: Planting on a slight mound, topped with gravel or pebbles, lets winter rain and snowmelt drain away.
- Give them sun: Most prefer full sun, though a few, like hens and chicks, do best with morning sun and afternoon shade.
- Expect dormancy: Many hardy succulents go partly or fully dormant in winter, dropping leaves or dying back to the ground before returning in spring.
- Water less in winter: Dormant succulents need little or no water and no fertilizer until the weather warms.
If you live where snow sits on the ground for long stretches, lean toward the toughest options like sedum and sempervivum, and skip species better suited to the drier West.
Read more:
What is my hardiness zone?
Your hardiness zone is a USDA rating based on the average annual minimum winter temperature where you live, and it tells you which plants will survive your winters. Find yours by entering your ZIP code in the USDA’s Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Most plant tags list a growing zone, and a plant will only survive within its preferred range, so check the tag before you buy. The most important step before you plant is to know you’ve got the “Right plant in the right place” (or zone, in this case).
Although local garden centers should stock plants that will survive in your region, some of the succulents you see in local stores will be for growing indoors only.
Check the hardiness zone on the plant tag and use this list to ensure you buy one that’s hardy for your winter temperatures.
FAQs
It depends on the variety: Tender, indoor-only succulents suffer below about 40 degrees and can be damaged by a light frost, while the hardiest outdoor types tolerate far deeper freezes. Always check the plant tag’s listed zone before leaving a succulent outdoors over winter.
Yes, most established succulents can go 3 weeks or longer without water because they store moisture in their leaves and stems, and many need little or none during winter dormancy. Younger or container plants may need a drink more often in hot, dry summer weather.
Many of the most popular succulents are tender and will only survive indoors in cold climates. Echeveria, aeonium, most crassula (including jade plants), kalanchoe, and most varieties of aloe cannot handle frost. If you want these plants in a cold-winter region, grow them in containers you can bring inside before the first freeze.
Make your yard easy with Lawn Love
Cold-hardy succulents make a low-water, low-fuss landscape, but digging mounds, mixing gritty soil, and keeping beds tidy still takes work. Lawn Love’s local gardening pros can plant, weed, and maintain your yard so you can enjoy the view instead of the labor.
Book a background-checked lawn care provider through Lawn Love and take yard care off your to-do list for good.
Main Photo: Spikey plant covered in snow. Photo Credit: PxHere
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