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Gardening Zones by State (Complete List)
Ever wondered why some plants thrive in one area but struggle in another? Well, that’s where gardening zones come into play.
Think of them as a geographic roadmap specifically designed to guide us green thumbs. By understanding the gardening zones in each state, you can unlock the secret to growing a flourishing garden tailored to your local climate.
So, grab your shovel and get ready to explore the wonderful world of gardening zones by state. It’s time to make your garden truly shine!
What are Gardening Zones?
For seasoned gardeners, providing your gardening zone is pretty much second nature.
If you aren’t sure what a gardening zone is, I’m happy to introduce you to this very valuable piece of information :)Gardening zones are determined by the USDA in order to have a universal system for determining what plants will survive in different regions across the United States.
There’s even a handy gardening zone map that you can use to figure out what gardening zone you’re in.
USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Gardening Zones, also known as USDA Hardiness Zones, are a system used in the United States to divide the country into different geographical regions based on average annual minimum temperatures.
These zones provide valuable information for gardeners to determine which plants are most likely to thrive in a particular area.
How Many Gardening Zones are in the USA?
The United States is divided into 13 USDA Hardiness Zones, ranging from Zone 1 (the coldest) to Zone 13 (the warmest). Each zone is further divided into subzones A and B, based on minor temperature variations. Zone numbers change at every 10°F difference in average low temperature in that region.
So if you are in Zone 6A that means that it gets 10°F colder where you live than someone who gardens in Zone 7A.
USDA Gardening Zones by State (Complete List)
This handy table covers every state in the USA, complete with their corresponding USDA Gardening Zone. With this reference at your fingertips, knowing your gardening zone is easy.
Just note that some states can stretch across multiple gardening zones. So you really need to know the zone for your specific location within the state in order for this information to be most relevant to you. Many gardeners prefer to determine their exact gardening zone by Zip Code. But this will get you started!
| State / Territory | All Zones in State | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 7a-9a | View Map |
| Alaska | 1a-8b | View Map |
| Arizona | 4b-10b | View Map |
| Arkansas | 6b-8a | View Map |
| California | 5a-11b | North | South |
| Colorado | 3a-7a | View Map |
| Connecticut | 5b-7a | View Map |
| Delaware | 7a-7b | View Map |
| District of Columbia | 5b-8a | View Map |
| Florida | 8a-11a | View Map |
| Georgia | 6a-9a | View Map |
| Hawaii | 9a-13a | View Map |
| Idaho | 3b-7b | View Map |
| Illinois | 5a-7a | View Map |
| Indiana | 5b-6b | View Map |
| Iowa | 4b-6a | View Map |
| Kansas | 5b-7a | View Map |
| Kentucky | 6a-7a | View Map |
| Louisiana | 8a-10a | View Map |
| Maine | 3b-6a | View Map |
| Maryland | 5b-8a | View Map |
| Massachusetts | 5a-7b | View Map |
| Michigan | 4a-6b | View Map |
| Minnesota | 3a-5a | View Map |
| Mississippi | 7b-9a | View Map |
| Missouri | 5b-7b | View Map |
| Montana | 3a-6a | View Map |
| Nebraska | 4a-5b | View Map |
| Nevada | 4a-10a | View Map |
| New Hampshire | 3b-6a | View Map |
| New Jersey | 6a-7b | View Map |
| New Mexico | 4b-9a | View Map |
| New York | 3b-7b | View Map |
| North Carolina | 5b-8b | View Map |
| North Dakota | 3a-4b | View Map |
| Ohio | 5b-6b | View Map |
| Oklahoma | 6a-8a | View Map |
| Oregon | 4b-9b | View Map |
| Pennsylvania | 5a-7b | View Map |
| Puerto Rico | 11b-13b | View Map |
| Rhode Island | 5b-7a | View Map |
| South Carolina | 7a-9a | View Map |
| South Dakota | 3b-5b | View Map |
| Tennessee | 5b-8a | View Map |
| Texas | 6b-10a | East | West |
| Utah | 4a-9a | View Map |
| Vermont | 3b-5b | View Map |
| Virginia | 5a-8a | View Map |
| Washington | 4a-9a | View Map |
| West Virginia | 5a-7a | View Map |
| Wisconsin | 3b-5b | View Map |
| Wyoming | 3a-6a | View Map |
Minimum Average Temperatures by USDA Gardening Zone
As we learned earlier, all gardening zones really tell you is how cold it gets in a particular area so you can choose plants that will survive that cold period. Below is a table that provides the minimum average temps by USDA gardening zone.
| USDA Zone | Min Average Temp °F | Min Average Temp °C |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | -60 to -50 °F | -51 to -46 °C |
| Zone 1a | -60 to -55 °F | -51 to -48 °C |
| Zone 1b | -55 to -50 °F | -48 to -46 °C |
| Zone 2 | -50 to -40 °F | -46 to -40 °C |
| Zone 2a | -50 to -45 °F | -46 to -43 °C |
| Zone 2b | -45 to -40 °F | -43 to -40 °C |
| Zone 3 | -40 to -30 °F | -40 to -34°C |
| Zone 3a | -40 to -35 °F | -40 to -37 °C |
| Zone 3b | -35 to -30 °F | -37 to -34 °C |
| Zone 4 | -30 to -20 °F | -34 to -29 °C |
| Zone 4a | -30 to -25 °F | -34 to -32 °C |
| Zone 4b | -25 to -20 °F | -32 to -29 °C |
| Zone 5 | -20 to -10 °F | -29 to -23 °C |
| Zone 5a | -20 to -15 °F | -29 to -26 °C |
| Zone 5b | -15 to -10 °F | -26 to -23 °C |
| Zone 6 | -10 to 0 °F | -23 to -18 °C |
| Zone 6a | -10 to -5 °F | -23 to -21 °C |
| Zone 6b | -5 to 0 °F | -21 to -18 °C |
| Zone 7 | 0 to 10 °F | -18 to -12 °C |
| Zone 7a | 0 to 5 °F | -18 to -15 °C |
| Zone 7b | 5 to 10 °F | -15 to -12 °C |
| Zone 8 | 10 to 20 °F | -12 to -7 °C |
| Zone 8a | 10 to 15 °F | -12 to -9 °C |
| Zone 8b | 15 to 20 °F | -9 to -7 °C |
| Zone 9 | 20 to 30 °F | -7 to -1 °C |
| Zone 9a | 20 to 25 °F | -7 to -4 °C |
| Zone 9b | 25 to 30 °F | -4 to -1 °C |
| Zone 10 | 30 to 40 °F | -1 to 4 °C |
| Zone 10a | 30 to 35 °F | -1 to 2 °C |
| Zone 10b | 35 to 40 °F | 2 to 4 °C |
| Zone 11 | 40 to 50 °F | 4 to 10 °C |
| Zone 11a | 40 to 45 °F | 4 to 7 °C |
| Zone 11b | 45 to 50 °F | 7 to 10 °C |
| Zone 12 | 50 to 60 °F | 10 to 16 °C |
| Zone 12a | 50 to 55 °F | 10 to 13 °C |
| Zone 12b | 55 to 60 °F | 13 to 16 °C |
| Zone 13 | 60 to 70 °F | 16 to 21 °C |
| Zone 13a | 60 to 65 °F | 16 to 18 °C |
| Zone 13b | 65 to 70 °F | 18 to 21 °C |
Why is your Gardening Zone Important?
These zones help gardeners understand the average lowest temperatures your region experiences, which is crucial information for selecting plants that can tolerate your climate and survive the winter.
The biggest reason zones are important is because plants cannot survive in ALL conditions. Some plants are better suited for where you live than others. So, when you know your gardening zone, you’re able to choose plants that will survive (and hopefully thrive) in the climate where you live (i.e. how cold it gets).
This is extremely helpful:
1- For shopping/researching online
This is especially important if you’re doing research for plants or purchasing your plants online. Because, if you are just Googling the phrase “plants with purple flowers” you’re going to get results that may or may not work for the region in which you live.
2 – To narrow down your plant choices
As you probably already know, finding plants can be SUPER overwhelming… there’s so many choices. So, your gardening zone can help you narrow down that list of plants you can potentially grow.
Most gardening websites will provide a zonal range for you to go by if you come upon a list (like in many of my plant list articles). If you like a particular plant in the list and it says “Zones 5-7″, this means that you must live in a region that falls into Zones 5, 6 or 7.
Otherwise, it’s either too warm or too cold for you to grow that plant outside all year round.
3- Using this information your own garden
This is something that takes a really personalized response, of course. And, although it may feel intimidating, you can absolutely figure this out. Plus, it can completely transform your gardening experience!
This is one of the purposes of my Design Your 4-Season Garden course. This is where I reveal all of my tips, tricks and secrets to making plant research fun and easy and how to act on it.
Design Your 4-Season Garden Course
Use my design framework to confidently design a beautiful, colorful garden that looks great in EVERY season. FINALLY understand how plants work together and the framework that makes it easy as ABC.
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Here’s what one of my students said about gardening zones,
“Amy shows you how to find a ton of suitable plants for your zone. I was blown away by all the options I didn’t know existed! So, even if you’re feeling hopeless like I was, don’t despair! When you discover how to find all the plants, you have so many more options than you currently even realize.” -JR, Central California (Zone 9)
You can also learn more great information like this in my 3 Gardening Secrets training!
3 Gardening Secrets Revealed (Free)
In this free online training, you’ll learn the 3 mistakes that most beginner gardeners make that prevent them from having your dream garden. Watch it online right now!
COST: FREE
Why Gardening Zones are NOT that useful
Now that you know what gardening zones are… and why they are important… you should also know that zones aren’t all that helpful in the big scheme of gardening.
If you are shopping locally for plants, the nursery will only be selling plants that are suited to grow in your area. So, you don’t need to know your zone to buy locally.
But, if you’re planning to shop for plants online, it’s necessary to know your zone.
That’s why every time you see someone asking for plant suggestions in a gardening group, there’ll be 27 comments asking the original poster what zone they live in.
Once that new gardener shares their growing zone, people will give them 382 different plant suggestions they can use in their garden.
But knowing what I know about gardening, 90% of these suggestions probably won’t work for that person, anyway.
I know it sounds crazy, but the only thing that the zone really tells you is whether or not it’s possible for you to grow that plant, based on the coldest temperature it gets.
I.e., whether or not that plant will survive the winter and come back the next year.
That’s literally it.
And knowing your zone will still leave you with WAY too many choices if you don’t know all of the other factors that will influence whether your garden will match the vision that you had in your head.
There’s a difference between blindly choosing between thousands of plants and having the knowledge to narrow those choices down so we don’t go into decision fatigue.
AND, just because you live in zone 8 and a plant will grow in zone 8, doesn’t mean that it will survive in your garden.
And I think this is where most gardeners go wrong… and start to get discouraged with gardening. You may feel like you’re a bad gardener or that you don’t have a green thumb.
This is exactly why learning about this in a structured way (like my Design Your 4-Season garden course) can be very helpful. I’ll show you all of the factors to take into consideration when you’re designing your own 4-season garden. This is in a complete course format where you’ll have access to worksheets and downloadable guides along with video lessons you can watch as many times as you need.
Are There Gardening Zones Outside of the USA?
It’s important to note that while USDA Gardening Zones are widely used in the United States, they may not be applicable to other countries or regions with different climate patterns. Other countries may have their own zoning systems or variations.
If you live outside of the USA, you can always find out your compatible USDA gardening zone by googling, “USDA Gardening Zone for X” with X being your location.
For example, when I conducted this search for Germany, I was able to determine that Germany’s climate coincides with USDA Zones 5B-9B, with Berlin falling into USDA Zone 8A.
What’s the Best Zone for Gardening?
Although highly subjective, determining the “best” zone for gardening depends on various factors and personal preferences. Each USDA Gardening Zone offers its own unique advantages and challenges.
Here are a few perspectives to consider:
Zone Compatibility
The best zone in US for gardening is often the one that aligns with the native plants and vegetation in that region. Native plants are adapted to local conditions and often require less maintenance, making them an excellent choice for a thriving garden.
So, if you’re new to gardening or considering moving to a new area, check out the list of native plants that grow in your region to see if anything sparks your interest. I find that the native plant database at izelplants.com is really fun and easy to use.
Climate Preferences
If you have specific plant preferences or gardening goals, certain zones may be more desirable.
For example, if you enjoy growing tropical plants, you might find Zones 9-11 appealing due to their warmer climates.
Conversely, if you prefer cool-season crops, Zones 3-6 might be more suitable.
Also note that warmer zones means a longer growing season and more time to enjoy your plants. As someone who lives in Zone 6B, I very much appreciate the wide range of plants I can grow in this zone. But, as an avid gardener, I do wish I had a longer growing season to look forward to as we have very long winters here in Pennsylvania.
So, there are pros and cons to each gardening zone.
Microclimates
It’s important to consider microclimates within each zone. Microclimates in gardening can be influenced by factors like elevation, proximity to large bodies of water or local topography. These microclimates can create small variations in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, allowing for unique gardening opportunities.
Because of this, even someone who lives right down the street from you could have a different gardening experience than you due to microclimates!
Ultimately, the “best” zone for gardening varies from person to person. It’s important to understand the characteristics of your specific gardening zone, conduct research on suitable plant options and experiment to find what works best for your garden and your unique conditions.
Gardening is a rewarding journey of trial and error. And, with a bit of patience and determination, you can create a flourishing garden anywhere you live!
What’s the Best Zone for Growing Flowers?
If you’re looking to plant a wide range of flowers, USDA Gardening Zones 5-6 can offer excellent opportunities. Zones 5 & 6 have moderate climates that allow for a wide selection of flowers to thrive. Because these zones offer a balance between warm and cool-season flowers, you can enjoy a diverse display of colors throughout the year!
Lucky for you, Zones 5 & 6 can be found in many states across the USA, including: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York (Southern portions), North Carolina (Western regions), North Dakota, Ohio (Southern portions), Pennsylvania (Eastern portions), Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia (Northern regions), West Virginia (Eastern regions) and Wisconsin.
However, keep in mind that specific microclimates within these zones may influence the success of certain flower varieties. It’s always beneficial to consider local conditions, soil quality and sunlight exposure when selecting flowers for your garden.
What’s the Best Zone for Growing Vegetables?
The best zone for growing vegetables depends on several factors, including the types of vegetables you want to grow and your local climate. However, USDA Gardening Zones 4-7 offer favorable conditions for vegetable gardening.
Zone 4, which includes regions with cold winters and shorter growing seasons, requires selecting vegetable varieties that are well-suited for cooler temperatures. Vegetables like leafy greens (spinach, lettuce, kale), root crops (carrots, beets, radishes), peas, and certain cole crops (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower) can thrive in this zone.
Zone 5 provides a slightly longer growing season, allowing for a wider variety of vegetables. In addition to the vegetables mentioned for Zone 4, Zone 5 gardeners can also grow tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers, zucchini, and herbs like basil and parsley.
Zone 6 offers a more extended growing season, enabling gardeners to cultivate a broader range of vegetables. Alongside the vegetables mentioned for Zones 4 and 5, Zone 6 you can add warm-season crops such as melons, corn, pumpkins, and winter squash to your gardens.
Zone 7, with its milder winters and longer growing seasons, offers even more possibilities for vegetable gardening. In addition to all the vegetables mentioned earlier, Zone 7 gardeners can grow heat-loving crops like sweet potatoes, okra, eggplant, and southern peas.
It’s important to note that within each zone, there can still be variations in microclimates and specific local conditions. Factors such as sunlight exposure, soil quality and rainfall patterns play a crucial role in vegetable gardening success. Additionally, considering the recommended planting dates and frost dates for your specific location within the zone will help optimize your vegetable garden. This frost date calculator by Farmers Almanac is a very helpful tool.
By selecting appropriate vegetable varieties and timing your plantings accordingly, you can have a successful vegetable garden in USDA Gardening Zones 4 to 7 (and beyond!).
Also consider local gardening resources and seek advice from experienced gardeners in your area to maximize your vegetable gardening success.
Wrapping Up
Now that you have a clearer understanding of USDA Gardening Zones and their significance, it’s time to explore the wealth of plant options available to you. One of my favorite free resources for new gardeners is my Plant Pairing Guide. You can download it by filling in your info below and I’ll email it straight to you!
What Blooms with What?
Never know what to plant together? Find out with this FREE Plant Pairing Guide and become a pro at combining plants for the best garden design possible!
More Gardening Posts You’ll Love
Check out some more articles below that will dive deeper into selecting the perfect plants, caring for your garden and unleashing your gardening creativity!
- 6 Watering Tools to Save Time & Effort in the Garden
These essential watering tools will reduce your time and effort in the garden so you can spend more time watching it thrive! - Garden Bed Watering Calculator – How Much To Water Your Plants Each Week
This Garden Bed Watering Calculator is a helpful tool to determine the amount of water needed each week to irrigate your garden bed effectively. - Gardening Zones by State (Complete List)The USDA Hardiness Zone map divides the United States into 13 zones, ranging from Zone 1 (the coldest) to Zone 13 (the warmest). Find out which gardening zones your state covers in this comprehensive table of gardening zones.
- Is it Legit? Shrub Hub Review by Professional Landscape DesignerI’m a professional landscape designer and I tried Shrub Hub to see if they could help me reimagine my front yard. Here’s some pros, cons and a complete review.
Shop my Amazon storefront for my essential gardening books & tool recommendations!
What Blooms with What?
Never know what to plant together? Find out with this FREE Plant Pairing Guide and become a pro at combining plants for the best garden design possible!
