A practical lookup tool for deciding which common container plants can stay outdoors, which should move inside, which are best saved as cuttings, and which are usually simpler to replace after frost.
| Plant ↕ | Botanical name ↕ | Cold category ↕ | Typical USDA perennial hardiness ↕ | Typical frost response ↕ | Indoor overwintering ↕ | Best winter method ↕ | Winter light ↕ | Winter watering ↕ | Practical spring plan ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petunia | Petunia × hybrida | Frost-tender | Zones 10–11 reliably; Zone 9 can be marginal depending on cultivar and microclimate | Flowers/foliage are damaged by frost; sustained freezing or a hard freeze commonly kills potted plants | Good if light is strong | Bright cool indoor room; favorite plants can also be preserved from cuttings | Very bright; ideally 6+ hours direct sun or supplemental grow light | Reduce sharply; water after upper mix dries, never keep saturated | Harden off after frost danger passes; prune leggy growth before active spring growth |
| Calibrachoa / Million Bells | Calibrachoa hybrids | Frost-tender | Zones 9–11 | Cold-sensitive; not dependable through freezing container conditions | Possible, but often less convenient than replacement | Move whole container to a frost-free bright space if preserving it; check cultivar rights before vegetative propagation | Bright light | Light to moderate; avoid soggy mix | Recondition gradually outdoors; many gardeners simply start with fresh plants |
| Zonal Geranium | Pelargonium × hortorum | Frost-tender | Zones 10–11 | Frost-sensitive; freezing damages top growth | Excellent | Bright cool window or frost-free dormant storage | Bright if kept leafy; little light needed during true dormancy | Reduced; keep on the dry side without allowing complete desiccation | Prune, refresh potting mix if needed, and resume watering as growth restarts |
| Wax Begonia | Begonia Semperflorens-Cultorum Group | Frost-tender | Zones 10–11 | Frost kills tender foliage | Good | Bring indoors before frost and maintain as a bright houseplant | Bright indirect light to gentle sun | Moderate; let surface dry slightly | Pinch back weak growth and return outdoors only after cold risk has passed |
| Impatiens | Impatiens walleriana | Frost-tender | Zones 10–11 | Very frost-sensitive | Possible; pest/disease pressure can make it fussy | Bright indoor culture; discard badly stressed or diseased plants | Bright indirect light | Even moisture, but less than in summer | Pinch to restore compactness before moving outside |
| Coleus | Plectranthus scutellarioides | Frost-tender | Zones 10–11 | Frost-sensitive; foliage collapses quickly after freezing | Excellent | Whole plant indoors or compact stem cuttings | Bright indirect light; some cultivars tolerate more sun | Moderate; do not allow prolonged drought | Pinch tips and harden off after frost danger passes |
| Fuchsia | Fuchsia hybrids | Frost-tender | Zones 10–11 for common container hybrids | Common container forms are not dependable through freezing | Good with cool storage | Cut back and hold dormant in a cool, frost-free space; roughly 40s°F is commonly used | Low during dormancy; brighter if kept actively growing | Minimal during dormancy | Increase light and water gradually as new shoots appear |
| Lantana | Lantana camara | Frost-tender | Top growth Zones 10–11; roots can be hardy into Zone 9 | Cold can kill top growth; container roots are more exposed | Good | Bright, cool frost-free storage; 40–49°F is a common target range | Bright light | Reduced | Prune and return to full sun after acclimation |
| Pentas / Egyptian Star Flower | Pentas lanceolata | Frost-tender | Zones 10–11 | Not frost-hardy | Good in a warm bright space | Bring container indoors before frost | High light | Moderate; allow slight drying between waterings | Prune lightly, feed after active growth resumes, then harden off |
| Madagascar Periwinkle / Annual Vinca | Catharanthus roseus | Frost-tender | Zones 10–11 | Very cold-sensitive; dislikes cold, wet soil | Possible | Warm bright indoor culture or late-summer cuttings; replacement is often simplest | High light | Low to moderate; excellent drainage is essential | Do not rush outdoors into cold spring soil |
| Scarlet Sage | Salvia splendens | Frost-tender | Zones 10–11 | Warm-season plant; frost-sensitive | Possible | Pot up a plant or keep late-summer cuttings in a bright cool window | Bright light | Reduced but not bone-dry | Pinch new growth and move outside after frost danger |
| Snapdragon | Antirrhinum majus | Cool-season | Zones 7–10 | Much more cold-tolerant than petunia; established plants can overwinter in suitable climates | Usually unnecessary | Outdoor winter culture in mild regions; protect containers during severe freezes | Full sun to bright light | Light to moderate; avoid waterlogged winter mix | Cut back tired stems and feed when spring growth strengthens |
| Pansy | Viola × wittrockiana | Cold-hardy / cool-season | Zones 6–10 | Can overwinter and bloom in mild winters; harsh freezes may still damage pots | Not normally needed | Keep outdoors; mulch or shelter pots in colder portions of its range | Full sun to part shade | Keep evenly moist but not saturated | Enjoy late-winter/spring bloom; remove when summer heat ends performance |
| Horned Violet | Viola cornuta | Cold-hardy / cool-season | Typically Zones 6–9 as a perennial; cultivars vary | Cold-tolerant compared with summer annuals | Not normally needed | Outdoor winter culture with container protection where freezes are severe | Full sun to part shade | Moderate; do not let small pots dry completely | Trim after flowering or heat stress to encourage later growth |
| Sweet Alyssum | Lobularia maritima | Cool-season | Usually grown as an annual; some perennial selections differ | Handles cool weather and light frost better than petunia, but hard-freeze survival is unreliable | Usually not worth it | Leave outdoors in mild weather; replace or resow after severe winter | Full sun to part shade | Light; avoid soggy winter soil | Shear after bloom flushes or reseed/replant |
| Calendula / Pot Marigold | Calendula officinalis | Cool-season annual | Annual | Prefers cool conditions and can be planted around the frost season, but is not a dependable long-term hard-freeze survivor in pots | Rarely worthwhile | Use as a cool-season outdoor annual; allow reseeding or replace | Full sun to part shade | Moderate | Deadhead for bloom; replace when heat or severe cold ends the display |
| Ornamental Kale / Cabbage | Brassica oleracea ornamental groups | Frost-tolerant | Usually grown as an annual/biennial display plant | Foliage stays attractive through several frosts; often survives well into winter in mild climates | Not needed | Keep outdoors; shelter only during unusually severe container freezes | Full sun | Consistent moisture with good drainage | Remove when plants bolt in spring or performance declines |
| Dusty Miller / Silver Ragwort | Jacobaea maritima | More frost-tolerant | Zones 7–10 | Foliage often remains attractive past first frost; container survival improves in frost-free or protected sites | Possible | Protect outdoors in mild regions; take cuttings if preserving a favorite; replacement is common | Bright light to sun | Moderate to low; good drainage | Shear leggy growth; replant or restart if winter damage is heavy |
USDA zones are not a guarantee for pots. Hardiness ratings generally reflect established plants in the ground. Container roots experience faster temperature swings and may need protection even when the plant is nominally hardy in your zone.
“Indoor overwintering” means survival, not peak flowering. Low winter light often causes reduced bloom, slower growth or legginess. Pest inspection and restrained watering matter more indoors than summer feeding.
Reference basis: Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder profiles for hardiness and culture; NC State Extension annual classifications; University of Minnesota Extension petunia culture guidance. Cultivars and local microclimates vary, so treat the table as a decision aid rather than a freeze guarantee.