Zone 6 · winter lows -10°F to 0°F

Acer for Zone 6

87 Acer varieties rated hardy through Zone 6, ranked by how many gardeners actually grow them. Zone 6 is the sweet spot — nearly everything hardy grows here.

87 hardy hereof 87 Acer totalLast frost ~late April

The Acer that thrive in Zone 6

Bloodgood Japanese Maple#1 most saved

Bloodgood Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood'

Zones 5–8· 243 saves· from $54
Orangeola Japanese Maple#2 most saved

Orangeola Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Orangeola'

Zones 5–9· 183 saves· from $41
Crimson Queen Japanese Maple#3 most saved

Crimson Queen Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Crimson Queen'

Zones 5–8· 141 saves· from $60
Weeping Japanese Maple

Weeping Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Shidare'

Zones 5–9· 126 saves· from $170
Coral Bark Maple

Coral Bark Maple

Acer palmatum 'Sango-Kaku'

Zones 5–8· 92 saves· from $100
Esk Sunset Japanese Maple

Esk Sunset Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Esk Sunset'

Zones 5–9· 89 saves
Final Fire Japanese Maple

Final Fire Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Final Fire'

Zones 5–8· 88 saves· from $150
Purple Cutleaf Japanese Maple

Purple Cutleaf Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Atropurpureum'

Zones 5–8· 81 saves
Japanese Maple North Wind

Japanese Maple North Wind

Acer palmatum 'North Wind'

Zones 4–8· 81 saves· from $98
Ice Dragon Japanese Maple

Ice Dragon Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Ice Dragon'

Zones 4–8· 80 saves· from $150
Red Dragon Japanese Maple

Red Dragon Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Red Dragon'

Zones 5–9· 79 saves· from $53
First Flame Japanese Maple

First Flame Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'First Flame'

Zones 5–8· 78 saves· from $150
Elegans Japanese Maple

Elegans Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Elegans'

Zones 5–8· 77 saves
Japanese Maple

Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum

Zones 5–8· 73 saves· from $68
Orange Dream Japanese Maple

Orange Dream Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream'

Zones 5–9· 73 saves· from $36
Garnet Japanese Maple

Garnet Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Garnet'

Zones 5–8· 67 saves· from $32
Beni-Kawa Japanese Maple

Beni-Kawa Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Beni-Kawa'

Zones 5–8· 64 saves
October Glory Red Maple

October Glory Red Maple

Acer rubrum 'October Glory'

Zones 4–9· 62 saves· from $61
Katsura Japanese Maple

Katsura Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Katsura'

Zones 5–9· 59 saves
Wowee Japanese Maple

Wowee Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Wowee'

Zones 5–8· 49 saves
Autumn Flame Red Maple

Autumn Flame Red Maple

Acer rubrum 'Autumn Flame'

Zones 4–8· 44 saves· from $370
Silver Maple

Silver Maple

Acer saccharinum

Zones 4–9· 43 saves· from $74
Red Select Japanese Maple

Red Select Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum var dissectum 'Red Select'

Zones 5–8· 36 saves· from $52
Armstrong Maple

Armstrong Maple

Acer freemanii 'Armstrong'

Zones 4–9· 35 saves· from $105

Showing the 24 most-saved of 87 Zone 6–hardy Acer varieties. See the full Acer list →

Acer in Zone 6

Will Acer survive a Zone 6 winter?

87 of the 87 Acer varieties in the Sow catalog are rated hardy through Zone 6, where winter lows reach -10°F to 0°F. Hardiness is per-variety, not per-genus — the plants listed above are the ones that hold up; others in the genus are not rated for this zone.

When should I plant Acer in Zone 6?

In Zone 6 the last spring frost typically lands around late April and the first fall frost around mid-October. Planting after the last frost — or in early fall, so roots establish before the ground cools — gives the best establishment. Each plant page lists its own planting months.

Which Acer is best for Zone 6?

Start at the top of the list above: it is ranked by how many gardeners actually save and grow each variety, which is a strong real-world reliability signal. Then narrow by your sun exposure and the mature size that fits the bed.

Keep exploring

See Acer in your Zone 6 yard

Snap a photo of your space and Sow places these varieties in it at true mature size — then keeps the care schedule for everything you plant.

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