Zone 9 · winter lows 20°F to 30°F
Epimedium for Zone 9
13 Epimedium varieties rated hardy through Zone 9, ranked by how many gardeners actually grow them. Zone 9 is nearly year-round growing — heat tolerance matters more than cold.
The Epimedium that thrive in Zone 9
#1 most savedEpimedium Songbirds
Epimedium x hybrida 'Songbirds'
#2 most savedBicolor Barrenwort
Epimedium x versicolor 'Versicolor'
#3 most savedRazzleberry Barrenwort
Epimedium x omeiense 'Razzleberry'

Perralch's Barrenwort
Epimedium x perralchicum

Long-rhizomed Barrenwort
Epimedium leptorrhizum

Warley Barrenwort
Epimedium x warleyense

Sulphur Yellow Barrenwort
Epimedium versicolor 'Sulphureum'

Bicolor Barrenwort
Epimedium x versicolor 'Cupreum'

Epimedium Ruby Shan
Epimedium acuminatum 'Ruby Shan'

Zhushan Barrenwort
Epimedium zhushanense

Epimedium membranaceum
Epimedium membranaceum

Bicolor Barrenwort
Epimedium x versicolor 'Neosulphureum'

Rhizomatous Barrenwort
Epimedium rhizomatosum
Epimedium in Zone 9
Will Epimedium survive a Zone 9 winter?
13 of the 82 Epimedium varieties in the Sow catalog are rated hardy through Zone 9, where winter lows reach 20°F to 30°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 Epimedium in Zone 9?
In Zone 9 the last spring frost typically lands around late February and the first fall frost around early December. 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 Epimedium is best for Zone 9?
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.
