The Best Plants for Zone 10 Gardens – Perfect Picks for Garden Success

Do you long for hot summers and mild winters? Head for one of the states in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 10. The average low temperatures in winter don’t fall much below freezing, so the growing season is long indeed. It’s the zone where you can grow citrus trees and tropical plants and work a garden all year round.

If you look at the USDA planting zone map, you’ll see that the three big areas of Zone 10 are southern California, southern Florida, and Hawaii. In these warm regions, you can grow a wide variety of trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, and drought-tolerant plants.

Here are three great choices in each category of zone 10 plants.

Zone 10 Trees

• Meyer Lemon Tree (Citrus × meyeri): All citrus grows well in USDA zone 10, but why not pick the cute and productive Meyer lemon tree. This small tree (to 12 feet/4m tall) produces sweet, thin-skinned fruit the color of egg yolks. They need direct sun, well draining acidic soil, and regular irrigation. Find a Meyer lemon tree at Fast Growing Trees.
• Little Gem Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'): Do you want all the charm of a southern magnolia but in a smaller size? ‘Little Gem’ is your tree. It usually doesn’t get much taller than 20 feet (7m) but offers king-size, super fragrant white blossoms. Here’s another tree that wants full sun and well-draining soil. 'Little Gem' magnolia trees are available from Fast Growing Trees.
• Silver Dollar Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus cinerea): This is a fragrant evergreen with round, silvery-blue leaves. Fast-growing and aromatic, this eucalyptus grows to 50 feet (17m) tall in sunny locations on well-draining soil. Native to Australia, it thrives in full sun, well-drained soil. Perfect Plants Nursery has silver dollar eucalyptus trees for sale.

Zone 10 Shrubs

• Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus): Rosemary is a perennial evergreen shrub grown for its aromatic leaves. It is a versatile and attractive plant, used for landscaping but also for culinary and medicinal purposes. Native to the Mediterranean region, this tough shrub loves and needs direct sun, and is very tolerant of heat and drought. Heirloom rosemary seeds can be found on Amazon.
• American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana): Brilliant magenta berries give this deciduous shrub its common name. Beautyberry grows to 6 feet (2m) tall and prefers full or partial sun and moist, well-drained soil. The berries are beloved by local wildlife and can hang on the shrub’s branches into winter. American beautyberry bare roots can be purchased from the Arbor Day Foundation.
• Firebush (Hamelia patens): This shrub, native to Florida, produces fire-red flowers that will bloom for months on end, to the delight of both wild birds and butterflies. It requires a full sun location but, once established, it won’t ask for much else. Few shrubs are easier: firebush is heat and drought tolerant, accepts any soil, and has no serious disease or pest issues. Find a firebush shrub at Lowe's.

Zone 10 Perennial Flowers

• Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus spp.): You might not expect a plant with such wonderful blue or white flower clusters to be called tough survivors. But that’s Agapanthus for you, a strappy evergreen that can face down heat and chronic drought. They need full sun and well-draining soil. Bare-root Agapanthus can be purchased from Park Seed.
• Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta): Black-Eyed Susan are among the most easily recognizable perennials, with their yellow/orange petals and dark centers. They need a full sun location, well-drained soil, and sufficient water while they are getting established, then they thrive on their own. Heat-tolerant plants that thrive in Zone 10, typically grown as annuals or short-lived perennials. They require full sun, well-drained soil, and consistent moisture during establishment, making them ideal for borders and container gardens. Find black-eyed Susan seeds from Ferry-Morse.
• Coneflower (Echinacea spp.): Coneflowers are easy-care, popular perennials with vibrant blossoms in fabulous shades of pink, red, and yellow. They bloom for months and are magnets for pollinators. Heat and drought tolerant, they thrive in full sun. Heirloom purple coneflower seeds can be found at Amazon.

Zone 10 Annual Flowers

• Petunias (Petunia spp.): There is not one petunia, but rather dozens of different petunia varieties, all prolific bloomers with trumpet-shaped flowers. They come in almost every color in the rainbow - including pink, purple, yellow, red, orange, green, and white - plus striped and veined versions. Seeds for gorgeous petunias in every color can be found at Park Seed.
• Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus): There is something whimsical about cosmos flowers that make you smile. These annuals are called the “carefree superstars” of the flower garden. Their blooms look like tall daisies in brilliant colors, attracting pollinators including bees and butterflies. Easy to grow and easy to maintain in a sunny area. These flowers are a little less demanding about soil, but if it won’t drain readily, the cosmos won’t thrive. Find a blend of cosmos seeds from the Seed Needs store on Amazon.
• Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus): There are perennial sunflowers but also annual sunflowers - and the annuals can thrive in Zone 10 year-round. They love full sun and well-drained soil. Everyone recognizes the pretty golden faces of this plant that turn to face the sun. One of the most common and popular varieties in zone 10 is 'Lemon Queen', a branching type with multiple bright yellow flowers. Find 'Lemon Queen' sunflower seeds from Botanical Interests.

Zone 10 Drought Tolerant Plants

• Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spp.): Bougainvillea are drought-tolerant plants that can be flowering perennials, shrubs or vines. Give these tough shrubs at least 8 hours of direct sun and terrific drainage, and they will reward you - in zone 10 - with year-round flowers in brilliant colors. They need water - so you should water deeply once every four weeks. Soggy soil will cause root rot. Fast Growing Trees has a stunning selection of bright pink, orange, and purple bougainvillea plants for sale.
• Sage (Salvia spp.): Sage is an ideal plant for USDA Zone 10, with its mild winters and hot summers. They are loved for their easy-care qualities: drought-tolerant, pest-resistant, and low-maintenance. And if you want to attract pollinators, sage is the way to go to bring in hummingbirds and butterflies. My personal favorite is Cleveland Sage (Salvia clevelandii), with its super-fragrant flowers. Plant in a full sun location in well-drained soil. You will need to prune in late winter to encourage fresh growth. Find Cleveland sage seeds from Little Seedery on Etsy.
• Sedum (Sedum spp.): Sedum is a succulent that thrives in high heat, laughs at drought, and works well as low-growing ground cover in sunny areas. While sedums don’t need much water when they are established, they do need some water when you first install them. They also need excellent drainage to prevent rot. Find a lovely live sedum 'Angelina' from Park Seed.

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