Zone 4 · winter lows -30°F to -20°F
Full-Sun Plants for Zone 4
4.2k full sun plants that are hardy through Zone 4, ranked by how many gardeners actually save and grow them.
Most-saved full sun plants for Zone 4
#1 most savedButterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
#2 most savedCheyenne Spirit Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea 'Cheyenne Spirit'
#3 most savedButterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies Mix'
Butterfly Kisses Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea 'Butterfly Kisses'
Butterfly Weed Gay Butterflies Milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies'
Hello Yellow Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow'
Garden Phlox
Phlox paniculata 'Mix'
Purple Coneflower Rainbow
Echinacea purpurea 'Rainbow'
Butterfly Milkweed
Asclepias x hybrida
Old Farmyard Hollyhock
Alcea rosea 'Old Farmyard'
May Night Sage
Salvia nemorosa 'May Night'
Walker's Low Catmint
Nepeta faassenii 'Walker's Low'
Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta 'American Gold Rush'
Garden Phlox 'Rene Duval'
Phlox paniculata 'Rene Duval'
Blanket Flower
Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Mixed Border'
Incrediball Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens 'Incrediball'
Cinderella Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella'
Prairie Phlox
Phlox pilosa
Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea 'Cheyenne Spirit Mix'
Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta 'Autumn Colors Mix'
Common Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca
Wild Lupine
Lupinus perennis
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Lou Williams New England Aster
Aster novae-angliae 'Lou Williams'
Showing the 24 most-saved of 4.2k. See all full-sun plants →
Full-Sun Plants in Zone 4
What are the best full sun plants for Zone 4?
The 24 above are the most-saved full sun plants that are also rated hardy through Zone 4. Ranking by real gardeners — not by catalog marketing — surfaces the ones gardeners keep coming back to.
Will these survive Zone 4 winters?
Every plant listed here is rated for Zone 4, where winter lows reach -30°F to -20°F. Site conditions still matter: drainage, wind exposure, and a good layer of mulch make the difference between a rated-hardy plant and a happy one.
What is full sun?
Six or more hours of direct sunlight a day. Afternoon sun is more intense than morning sun, so a west-facing bed with 6 hours is tougher on plants than an east-facing one with the same total.
Keep exploring
Full-Sun Plants in other zones
Design a Zone 4 bed with these
Snap a photo of your yard and Sow places these plants in it — correctly sized, matched to your zone, with care reminders that follow your real weather.
