Flowers & Plants for Zones 8-9

Perennial Flowers

• Choose different hybrids of giant hyssop suitable for planting in zones 8 and 9 to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. These flowering perennials attract these winged creatures with their blooms. Types such as Blue Fortune, Ava and Firebird are solid options. Other perennial flowers fit for these zones are varieties of gaura, tickseed, coneflower, daylily, hellebore, ox-eye daisy and coral bell. Hardy hibiscus hybrids for zones 8 and 9 such as Fantasi, resemble small shrubs, but have flowers as wide as "dinner plates," according to the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Fruiting Plants

• Fruiting landscaping plants in zones 8 and 9 include shrubs and small trees. One type is the common olive tree, a species that thrives in zones 8 and 9 in places like California. Growing to 30 feet, this evergreen tree does best in full sun. Other fruiting plants for these regions include highbush blueberry, fig trees and kiwifruit. Small trees appropriate for patios and other sites with limited space, such as the dwarf plum, come in hybrids such as Redheart, a kind that grows between 8 and 10 feet but produces normal-sized plums.

Trees

• Some maple trees growing within zones 8 and 9 are species such as trident maple, Japanese maple, red maple, Freeman maple and silver maple. All work as shade trees or specimen plants. The river birch is one of the rare birch types capable of handling such warm climates with hybrid forms like Cully featuring the exfoliating bark of the parent species. Hickory, pignut, pecan and mockernut trees grow in these zones, yielding edible nuts. The redbud tree is a small species known for its spectacular flowers in early spring, and further color from its fall foliage. This is a plant for woodland borders, residential areas and lawns.

Vines

• Zone 9 is often the warmest zone in which many sorts of vines grow. Many of these feature colorful flowers. Vines, such as cross vine and trumpet creeper, develop in these areas. Some are small in length, including forms of honeysuckle and woodbine. Others, like Virginia creeper, can grow to 50 feet long. This vine exhibits fall colors of red and purple on its leaves before they fall off. The passionflower is actually a small vine, suitable for growing on arbors, trellises and fences. It has large flowers that stand out in any landscape.