Top 10 Best Plants vs Zombies Plants

Every slot in your seed packet feels like a tiny argument waiting to happen. Do you spend sun on steady damage, save room for emergency explosions, build a defense that can survive a bucket-headed parade, or gamble on some weird little mushroom that looks harmless until it ruins a zombie's whole afternoon? Plants vs. Zombies turns gardening into strategy, chaos, and comedy all at once, which is probably why you still remember the panic of hearing "a huge wave of zombies is approaching" like it was a personal threat.

This list is for the plants you trust when the lawn starts getting crowded and Crazy Dave is somehow the calmest person involved. Maybe you care about raw damage, maybe you love cheap early-game helpers, or maybe you just vote for the plant that saved your brains at the last possible second. Pick the ones that belong at the top, defend your favorites, and try not to start a full botanical civil war in the comments.

The Top Ten

Cattail

Cattail is an upgrade of Lily Pad in Plants vs. Zombies that can be planted only on water. It attacks by launching homing spikes that can hit zombies anywhere on the lawn or in the pool. Cattail can also target Balloon Zombies without requiring a separate anti-air plant.

Cattail rocks! She can pop balloons, which is really useful. She can attack zombies hiding in fog, which is helpful if you don't have plants like Blover and Plantern. She can attack anywhere, she is cheap (250 sun), and she is just cute. Overall, Cattail is the very best. It stinks that she's not in PVZ 2.

The pool is easier to defend than the surrounding lanes, so what if there was a plant that would be able to shoot projectiles that could damage zombies on all six lanes and pop balloons?

Cattail can shoot anywhere and can shoot any zombie, and it's so cute! It is so useful, and the only problem is they can only be planted on lily pads, so you can't use them on three of the two level parts on PVZ1.
Sunflower

Sunflower is a daytime plant that produces sun, which is the main resource used to plant defenses. It generates sun at regular intervals after being placed on the lawn. In most levels, Sunflower is one of the primary sources of economy and early setup.

One of the few day plants (in the original game) to still be useful after beating adventure mode. Chomper and Potato Mine aren't too overpowered. Peashooter, Snow Pea, and most of the other day plants get replaced with stronger ones later on. However, Sunflower remains useful in day, pool, and roof levels.

Most reliable sun producer in the game, with a decent cost of 50 sun. Sun-shroom isn't worth it in the daytime, and Twin Sunflower costs way too much and takes way too long to recharge to warrant another seed slot most of the time.
Just plant another row of Sunflowers if you want more sun, and that should be enough for any loadout you need.
Winter Melon

Winter Melon is an upgrade of Melon-pult that throws frozen melons in an arc. Its attacks deal splash damage on impact and slow affected zombies. The plant costs more sun than Melon-pult and is commonly used for large groups and late-wave control.

I really like Winter Melon because it does so much damage to a group of zombies. Plus, it slows them down too. It is my personal favorite plant in the entire game. Also, I love watermelon in real life, so it is awesome in both ways. Some people say it is too expensive, but I disagree. As long as you plant two rows of sunflowers, you will find this plant fairly easy to purchase with sun. Anyway, Winter Melon is definitely my favorite plant in all of Plants vs. Zombies.

Can kill a zombie in 2 shots. It's like a Snow Pea but in watermelon form (watermelon is already great). It also is way cheaper than plants like Cob Cannon, which takes a while to reload even if it can kill a zombie in 1 hit. Plus, it is also cheaper than a Cattail, which is worse because it does much less damage. It is also less expensive and better than the 3-headed Peashooter and Gatling Pea.
Peashooter

Peashooter is a basic offensive plant that fires peas in a straight line at zombies in its lane. It serves as one of the earliest attacking plants available in the game. Its simple single-projectile attack makes it a standard reference point for comparing stronger shooters.

It is way better than Cattail! It's the most common and the best! How could some wannabe plant defeat Peashooter? Peashooter is the main plant along with Sunflower. Cattail? What are we, zombies with no brains? (Get it?)

Used for starting in the game. In PVZ 2, in most cases where Peashooter is desired, Electric Peashooter or Shadow Peashooter is functionally superior.

Peashooter is the best plant for the first wave. It's cheap and useful.
Doom-shroom

Doom-shroom is a mushroom plant that creates a massive explosion over a wide area. After it detonates, it leaves a crater that prevents planting on that tile for a period of time. During daytime stages, Doom-shroom must be awakened with a Coffee Bean before it can activate.

The most powerful plant in the game. Leaves a crater and has long range, unlike other explosive plants. The best of all!

I save up sun for the Doom-Shroom to activate for the final wave. A huge wave of zombies is approaching. Dominate!

This plant is just awesome. PVZ 2 should add him as a premium. Of course, because of his radius and the fact he leaves a crater.
Cob Cannon

Cob Cannon is an upgrade plant formed by planting it over two adjacent Kernel-pults. It launches a cob missile that the player targets manually to create an area explosion. After firing, it requires a recharge period before it can launch another shot.

For long levels or continuous levels like Survival, this plant is the greatest of all time. Having one on the field is like having a reusable Cherry Bomb, and having five is basically game over.
The only zombie it has trouble with is the Gargantuar, as it can't insta-kill it, and the imp it throws can take a cannon out if you are unprepared. Other than that, only user error stands in the way.

It was once said that the might of a titan always paled in comparison to that of a god. Cob Cannon's immense power reigns supreme, and even the greatest warriors tremble under his might.
Gatling Pea

Gatling Pea is an upgrade plant that can be placed on a Repeater. It fires four peas per attack cycle in the same lane, increasing damage output compared with earlier pea-shooting plants. Players can purchase this botanical powerhouse from Crazy Dave's Twiddydinkies shop for 5,000 coins.

Highest damaging Peashooter, what can I say? By the way, people who voted for the normal Peashooter, there is a plant that is a Peashooter but WAY better, and that's Cabbage-pult.

The best by far. Have you tried plant food on this thing?
Hypno-shroom

Hypno-shroom is a mushroom plant that hypnotizes a zombie that eats it. Once affected, that zombie turns around and begins attacking other zombies. During daytime levels, Hypno-shroom remains asleep unless a Coffee Bean is used.

Need to get rid of a pesky zombie that is too hard to take down? No problem, use a Hypno-shroom! The hypnotized zombie can even attack other zombies! This is a really cool plant.

I think it's amazing. It makes zombies fight zombies. I love it!

This is my most favorite plant.
Repeater

Repeater is a pea-shooting plant that fires two peas each time it attacks. It is a direct upgrade over Peashooter in terms of lane damage. Repeater also serves as the required base plant for the Gatling Pea upgrade.

Very useful against zombies in earlier stages, but it costs 200 sun.

Why is this lower than Peashooter?

I like this, but it's a bit pricey.
Snow Pea

Snow Pea is a ranged plant that fires frozen peas down its lane. Its shots damage zombies and apply a slowing effect that reduces their movement speed. Snow Pea provides lane-based offense while also adding crowd control.

Okay when you only have the Peashooter. It becomes almost overshadowed when you get the Repeater.

Badass, powerful, and really good at taking out those pole vault zombies, the Snow Pea!

How is the Peashooter above the Snow Pea? The Snow Pea is way better. It can freeze zombies, and it looks cool.

The Newcomers

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Grimrose
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Shadow-shroom

The Contenders

Pumpkin

Pumpkin is a defensive shell that can be planted over another plant to protect it. It absorbs damage separately from the plant inside it, allowing vulnerable or expensive plants to survive longer. Pumpkin can be used on both land and water plants as long as the underlying tile supports the protected plant.

They don't cost too much, and they protect your most valuable plants. Not essential but useful.

A go-to on every loadout. Use on sun-producing plants and anywhere you need shoring up.

It is certainly space-efficient!
Melon-pult

Melon-pult is a heavy catapult plant that hurls melons in an arc. When a melon lands, it damages the target and nearby zombies with splash damage. Its attack pattern makes it effective against clustered enemies and shielded formations.

Shouldn't this be right next to the Ice-Melon-Pult, or at least closer to it? Both have nearly the same use, one just has a special status effect as well.

This should be #1. Not only is it essential to the game in multiple scenarios, but you can plant it ANYWHERE. It is the toughest plant in the game other than the insta-kill plants, and you can use it in every level, unlike my second favorite, Cattail.

Most of the players use this for a huge wave of zombies. It can kill door zombies and regular zombies in just 3-4 shots.
Chomper

Chomper is a close-range plant that can devour a zombie whole. After eating, it needs time to chew before it can attack again. This delay leaves it temporarily unable to defend itself while nearby zombies continue advancing.

Chomper shares characteristics with dogs. Put it in the first slot, and if it doesn't eat anything, it scratches its head with its leaves like a dog. It's particularly useful against zombies because I won a Big Wave Beach Hard level with Chompers and Toadstools.

I love it! It eats every zombie. Just put another Chomper in front of each chewing one, and it would be endless. Watch out for the huge zombies, though.
Potato Mine

In adventure mode, the Potato Mine is the BEST starter plant. (Besides, of course, Sunflowers. But that's a given.)
Use Potato Mines to kill the first three zombies, and then you will have time to plant two rows of Sunflowers, guaranteed. This even works for pool and roof levels.
This allows you to skip weak plants like the Peashooter and use expensive, high-powered plants like Repeaters, Threepeaters, or Snow Peas to fight off the first wave. I always pick the Potato Mine, no matter what.

Potato Mines are pretty good, but I think Primal Potato Mines are better.
Wall-nut

Wall-nut is a defensive plant with high durability and no direct attack. It is used to block zombies and buy time for offensive plants to deal damage. As it takes damage, its appearance changes to show its remaining health.

I think this plant is good enough, but when you get to the new premium plant Explode-o-nut, the regular Wall-nut is... well, just put it this way, you will NEVER want to use the regular Wall-nut again. I survived several levels using the Explode-o-nut. But I still like the Wall-nut.

Wall-Nuts are really cool, I think. I use them all the time. Every level, I use them. They block zombies, and they're useful.
Fume-shroom

Fume-shroom is a mushroom plant that releases short-range fumes in its lane. Its attack can pass through screen doors and hit multiple zombies standing close together. In daytime levels, it stays asleep until a Coffee Bean wakes it.

I like the attack when given plant food. It can push back and destroy zombies.
Jalapeno

Jalapeno is an explosive plant that destroys zombies across an entire lane. When activated, it also removes ice from that row if present. It is a single-use plant and disappears immediately after its attack.

Jalapeno usually isn't good for the first wave, but in the last wave, it is super useful. It can burn a whole lane of zombies!

Jalapeño does take a little while to refresh, but it is really cheap for the massive damage it does.

Jalapeño is very good and useful. Plus, I think his face is funny.
Kernel-pult

Kernel-pult is a catapult plant that throws kernels in an arc over obstacles. It can occasionally throw butter instead of corn, and butter temporarily immobilizes a zombie on contact. Kernel-pult is also one of the two plants needed to build Cob Cannon.

The butter effect is arguably the best in the game, as the effect doesn't have to worry about Torchwoods like the frost effect. Combined with other plants, it is lethal.

Also, I found this: Kernel-Pult can attack Snorkel Zombies. What I meant is that Kernel-Pult can detect and attack Snorkel Zombies even when they're diving. The butter also hits too!

An awesome plant that has an awesome stunning effect. Kernel-Pult combined with Snow Pea = WIN!
Why is it so underrated?
Grave Buster

Grave Buster is a plant used only on gravestones. It is planted directly on a grave and consumes it after a short period. Removing graves opens space for planting and can reduce interference from grave-based level mechanics.

I love Grave Buster, but it's only good at night. I love the look. It's my second favorite.
Gloom-shroom

Gloom-shroom is an upgrade of Fume-shroom that attacks all around itself in a short radius. Its fumes can hit multiple zombies in nearby tiles and ignore screen doors. Like other mushrooms, it sleeps during the day unless awakened with a Coffee Bean.

You need pumpkins and/or garlic, but the damage more than makes up for it.
Squash

Squash is a single-use plant that attacks when a zombie comes close. It jumps up and crushes the target, usually defeating standard zombies instantly. After attacking once, Squash is removed from the lawn.

Really, REALLY useful in many situations. In the first game, it is good. In number 2, if you level it up, it does three squashes (level 3) (one smash, jumps back, squashes again), and so on. You can kill a new Gargantuar with ONE of these.

It can squash two or more zombies at once. This is much better than a 26 ranking!

Hands down, the best instant. Low cost, generous range, and very fun to use.
Spikeweed

Spikeweed is a ground plant that damages zombies when they walk over it. It can also pop the tires of Zombonis, instantly destroying them. Because it must be placed directly on the ground, it cannot be planted on occupied tiles or in water.

Free damage, and zombies cannot eat it. Only vulnerable to balloon zombies (and maybe bungees).

Spikeweed is amazing. Anyone who disagrees has only used them to pop the tires of vehicles.

Dude, just make it a Spike Rock and boom! You got yourself a deadly ground trap!
Puff-shroom

This is a free plant. 0 sun, can solo a regular zombie, and can kill a Conehead with three in a row. Best option for early-game build-up in the night and fog levels. Should be top 10.

Underrated. You can win night with just this, can stall zombies during the day, and even stop zombies from moving during the day with a setup.

You can plant a lot of them really quickly because they are free. They are insanely broken at night.
Cherry Bomb

Cherry Bomb is an explosive plant that destroys zombies in a 3 by 3 area centered on its tile. It activates immediately after planting. Because it is single-use, it disappears once the explosion occurs.

This should be in the top 10. Always helps to use this to clear out a large section of zombies.

I love that they give you an instant kill really early.

Cherry Bomb is good, but Grapeshot is better.
Torchwood

If Torchwood were not in the game, the Peashooter would not be able to kill a wave of zombies, so the Torchwood is pretty good! It should be place 3, 4, or 5.

Peas lit on fire do double the damage of a regular pea shot. This plant basically upgrades any Peashooter to double damage!

If a pea goes through the fire, it turns into a fire pea.