Cold-Hardy Vegetables That Survive Frost

Intensely flavored berry for jams, syrups, and cassis liqueur. Very cold-hardy.

Tart bog berry for sauces and juices. Low-growing evergreen groundcover.

Beloved spring-blooming shrub with intensely fragrant flower clusters.

Low-growing evergreen with minty leaves and red berries. Classic winter flavor.

Tough perennial with flat flower clusters. Medicinal herb and pollinator magnet.

Perennial crop that produces for 20+ years. Worth the 2-3 year wait to first harvest.

Acid-loving berry bush. Needs acidic soil (pH 4.5-5.5). Beautiful fall foliage.

Hardy shrub with immune-boosting berries for syrups, jams, and wine.

Tart berry bush perfect for jams and pies. Very cold-hardy. Thorny stems.

Christmas/Lenten rose -- blooms in late winter when nothing else does. Evergreen.

Vigorous climbing vine essential for brewing beer. Cones have sedative properties.

Pungent root condiment. Extremely hardy perennial that can become invasive.

Tall spikes of pea-like flowers in stunning colors. Fixes nitrogen in soil.

Hardy fruit tree with sweet-tart berries. Birds love them -- net to protect harvest.

Long-lived fruit tree. Pick before fully ripe and ripen indoors. Asian and European types.

Adaptable stone fruit. European plums for eating fresh, Japanese for cooking.

Wild leek -- prized spring ephemeral with garlicky flavor. Gourmet delicacy.

Delicate, flavorful berry. Everbearing types produce summer and fall crops.

Perennial with tart edible stalks for pies and jams. Leaves are toxic.

Shade-loving groundcover with vanilla-scented leaves. Used in May wine.

Bold orange spotted lily. Extremely hardy bulb that naturalizes easily.

Iconic spring bulb in every color. Over 3,000 registered varieties.

Spectacular cascading flower clusters on woody vine. Intensely fragrant.

Fastest-growing plant on earth. Clumping types for privacy screens.

Vigorous bramble fruit. Thornless varieties available. Very productive once established.

Mint-family herb that drives cats wild. Also makes a calming tea for humans.

Hardy perennial allium. Mild onion flavor. Purple pom-pom flowers are edible.

Nitrogen-fixing cover crop and lawn alternative. Flowers are edible.

Deep-rooted herb used as compost activator and mulch. Powerful nutrient accumulator.

Underrated superfood green. Entire plant is edible -- leaves, roots, flowers.

Tall, stately biennial with tubular flowers. Source of heart medicine digitalis.

Plant in fall, harvest in summer. Needs cold period for bulb formation.

Superfruit shrub producing small red berries packed with antioxidants.

Vigorous climbing vine. Table grapes, wine grapes, and muscadines for warm areas.

Ancient medicinal herb with blue flower spikes. Attracts pollinators.

Chinese date -- sweet, date-like fruit on extremely drought-tolerant tree.

Tall perennial herb with intense celery flavor. One plant feeds a family.

Smooth-skinned peach relative. Needs winter chill hours for fruit production.

Beloved stone fruit with fuzzy skin and sweet juicy flesh. Needs winter chill.

Beautiful ornamental fruit tree. American and Asian varieties. Sweet when fully ripe.

Delicate crepe-paper flowers. Ornamental varieties include California, Shirley, and Iceland poppies.

The queen of flowers. Thousands of varieties. Fragrant blooms.

Tangy, lemony perennial green. French sorrel is milder than garden sorrel.

Large, dark berry -- a cross of raspberry, blackberry, and loganberry. Intense flavor.

Fall-blooming perennial in every color.

Extremely cold-hardy superfood. Flavor actually improves after frost.

Vigorous vine producing fuzzy brown fruit. Hardy kiwi varieties for cold climates.

Drought-tolerant Mediterranean herb. Fragrant flowers attract pollinators.

Lemony mint-family herb for teas and cooking.

Mediterranean perennial herb. More flavorful when dried than fresh.

Cheerful cool-season flower with face-like markings. Edible flowers.

Creeping mint-family herb used as natural insect repellent. Strong minty scent.

Sweet root vegetable -- cross between cabbage and turnip. Excellent stored for winter.

World's most expensive spice. Purple crocus flowers with red stigmas harvested by hand.

Woody perennial herb. Silver-green leaves with earthy, savory flavor.

Oyster plant -- root tastes like oysters when cooked. Forgotten heirloom vegetable.

Peppery herb in two forms: summer savory (annual) and winter savory (perennial).

Perennial fruit that produces for years. Nothing beats homegrown strawberries.

French tarragon has anise flavor essential to French cuisine.

Asian rosette green with spoon-shaped leaves. Mild mustard flavor.

Hardy Mediterranean herb. Low-growing ground cover with tiny aromatic leaves.

Ancient Mediterranean tree. Drought-tolerant once established. Lives centuries.

Stunning architectural plant. Perennial in mild climates. Edible flower buds.

Evergreen tree producing aromatic bay leaves essential in soups and stews.

Blue star flowers taste like cucumber. Excellent bee plant and companion.

Cold-hardy brassica that sweetens after frost. Long growing season required.

Bright orange/yellow medicinal flower. Petals are edible and used in salves.

Celery root -- knobby root with intense celery flavor. Great for soups and purees.

Daisy-like flowers used for soothing tea.

Delicate French herb with mild anise flavor. One of the four fines herbes.

Bitter green used in salads. Root can be roasted as coffee substitute.

Southern staple green that handles both heat and cold better than most brassicas.

Ancient fruit tree. Can be grown in containers. Sweet, honey-flavored fruit.

Dual-purpose crop: seeds for omega-3 oil, stems for linen fiber. Blue flowers.

Tiny citrus eaten whole -- sweet skin with tart flesh. Most cold-hardy citrus.

Mild, sweet allium. Hardy enough to overwinter in many climates.

Vigorous herb that spreads aggressively. Best grown in containers.

Japanese mustard green with feathery leaves and mild, peppery flavor.

Love-in-a-mist -- delicate blue flowers with feathery foliage and ornamental seed pods.

Biennial herb -- grows leaves year one, flowers year two. Flat-leaf has more flavor.

Sweet root vegetable that needs cold to develop flavor. Slow to germinate.

Exotic, intricate flowers on vigorous vine. Some varieties produce edible fruit.

Ancient fruit with ruby seeds (arils). Drought-tolerant once established.

Bitter Italian chicory with stunning red leaves and white ribs. Grilled or in salads.

Mediterranean woody herb. Drought-tolerant once established. Fragrant evergreen.

Gourmet allium with delicate, complex flavor. Multiplies from single bulb.

Tall, colorful spikes. Cool-season flower that kids love to pinch open.

Nutrient-dense cool-season green. One of the first crops you can plant in spring.

Camellia sinensis -- source of all true tea (green, black, oolong, white).

Clusters of small flowers in vivid colors. Excellent for containers and borders.

Cool-season brassica. Harvest main head, then enjoy side shoots for weeks.

Versatile cool-season crop. Stores well for months after harvest.

Bitter salad green with curly leaves. Blanching reduces bitterness.

Quick-growing allium. Regrows from roots after cutting. Perfect windowsill crop.

Long-season crop. Choose short-day varieties for southern latitudes, long-day for northern.

Cool-season climber. One of the earliest spring crops. Kids love picking them.

Andean pseudocereal -- complete protein grain. Beautiful seed heads in red, gold, or white.

Sweet, crunchy pods eaten whole. Perfect cool-season snack straight from the vine.

Intensely fragrant climbing flower.

Colorful, heat-tolerant green related to beets. Beautiful rainbow stems.

Fast-growing root vegetable. Both roots and greens are edible and nutritious.

Fast-growing Asian green. Crunchy stalks and tender leaves. Great in stir-fries.

Hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli. Long tender stems with small florets.

Demanding but rewarding brassica. Needs consistent cool temps for tight heads.

Napa cabbage with mild, sweet flavor. Essential for kimchi and stir-fries.

Fastest food crop -- ready in a week. Peppery sprouts for salads and sandwiches.

Unusual-looking brassica with sweet, crisp flesh. Edible raw or cooked.

Spicy, peppery greens that grow fast in cool weather. Many colorful varieties.

Fractal-patterned brassica -- stunning chartreuse spiraling florets.

Peppery aquatic green. Can grow in shallow running water or very moist soil.

Peppery salad green that grows fast in cool weather. A staple of Mediterranean cuisine.

Dual-purpose root vegetable -- eat both roots and nutritious greens.

Cool-season herb essential in Mexican, Indian, and Thai cooking. Bolts quickly in heat.

Feathery herb essential for pickles, fish, and Scandinavian cooking.

Cool-season crop perfect for spring and fall. Bolts (goes to seed) in heat.

The fastest vegetable -- harvest in as little as 3 weeks. Perfect for beginners.

Root vegetable that sweetens after a light frost. Needs loose, stone-free soil.