USDA Hardiness Zones
Find your zone and learn about frost dates for your area
🌱 What are Hardiness Zones? (Beginner Guide)
Think of zones like climate labels for your area! The USDA created these zones to help gardeners know what plants will survive winter in their location.
✓ Lower zones (3-6): Cold winters, shorter growing seasons - grow cool-season crops like kale, carrots
✓ Middle zones (7-8): Moderate winters - great for tomatoes, peppers, most vegetables
✓ Higher zones (9-12): Warm/mild winters, long seasons - grow year-round, tropical plants thrive!
💡 Why it matters: Your zone tells you when it's safe to plant (after last frost) and which plants won't freeze in winter. It's like a gardening roadmap!
States: MT, ND, MN, WI
Northern Montana, North Dakota, northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, northern Maine
Cities: Fairbanks AK, International Falls MN
States: MT, ND, MN, WI, ME
Most of Montana, northern Great Plains, Upper Midwest, northern New England
Cities: Duluth MN, Fargo ND, Bangor ME
States: MN, WI, MI, NY, VT
Southern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, Adirondacks NY, Vermont mountains
Cities: Minneapolis MN, Green Bay WI, Burlington VT
States: MN, WI, MI, NY, NH
Southern Wisconsin, Lower Michigan, upstate New York, New Hampshire mountains
Cities: Madison WI, Grand Rapids MI, Syracuse NY
States: IA, IL, IN, OH, PA
Northern Iowa, northern Illinois, northern Indiana/Ohio, Pennsylvania mountains
Cities: Des Moines IA, Chicago suburbs, Cleveland OH
States: IA, IL, IN, OH, PA, MA
Central Iowa/Illinois, most of Indiana/Ohio, western Pennsylvania, Massachusetts
Cities: Chicago IL, Indianapolis IN, Boston MA, Pittsburgh PA
States: KS, MO, IL, IN, OH, PA, NJ
Kansas, Missouri, southern Illinois/Indiana/Ohio, eastern Pennsylvania, most of New Jersey
Cities: Kansas City MO, St. Louis MO, Columbus OH, Philadelphia PA
States: KS, MO, KY, VA, MD, DE
Southern Kansas/Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia mountains, Maryland, Delaware
Cities: Louisville KY, Baltimore MD, Washington DC suburbs
States: OK, AR, TN, NC, VA
Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina mountains, Virginia
Cities: Oklahoma City OK, Little Rock AR, Nashville TN, Asheville NC
States: OK, AR, TN, NC, NM
Southern Oklahoma, southern Arkansas, central Tennessee, NC piedmont, northern New Mexico
Cities: Memphis TN, Charlotte NC, Albuquerque NM, Tulsa OK
States: TX, LA, MS, AL, GA, SC
North Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina
Cities: Dallas TX, Atlanta GA, Birmingham AL, Columbia SC
States: TX, LA, FL, GA, AZ
Central Texas, southern Louisiana, northern Florida, coastal Georgia, southern Arizona
Cities: Austin TX, New Orleans LA, Jacksonville FL, Savannah GA, Tucson AZ
States: CA, AZ, TX, FL
Central California, Phoenix area, South Texas, central Florida
Cities: Sacramento CA, Phoenix AZ, Houston TX, Orlando FL
States: CA, AZ, TX, FL
Southern California inland, desert Southwest, South Texas coast, Tampa Bay area
Cities: Los Angeles CA, San Diego inland, Tampa FL, Brownsville TX
States: CA, AZ, FL, HI
Southern California coast, southernmost Arizona, South Florida, coastal Hawaii
Cities: San Diego coast, Miami suburbs, Fort Myers FL
States: CA, FL, HI
San Diego beaches, Miami-Dade coast, most of Hawaii lowlands
Cities: Miami Beach FL, Key West FL, Honolulu HI
States: FL, HI
Florida Keys, Hawaiian lowlands
Cities: Key West FL, Hilo HI, Kona HI
States: FL, HI
Southernmost Florida Keys, warmest Hawaiian areas
Cities: Southernmost Keys, Hawaiian coast
States: HI, PR
Hawaiian tropical zones, Puerto Rico lowlands
Cities: Tropical Hawaii, San Juan PR
States: HI, PR
Warmest tropical areas - Hawaii coast, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands
Cities: Tropical Pacific, Caribbean islands
Your Zone: 9b
Zone 9b is one of the best zones for year-round gardening! With mild winters (25-30°F minimum) and a 300-day growing season, you can grow most Asian and Indian vegetables successfully. Last frost around Feb 15, first frost around Dec 15.
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