Climate Zones
USDA hardiness zones — plant guides by zone
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map divides North America into 13 zones based on the average annual minimum winter temperature. Each zone covers a 10°F band, and the lower the number, the colder the winter. Knowing your zone is the single most useful piece of information for choosing plants that will actually survive — and thrive — in your garden.
Zones 3 through 7 cover most of the continental United States and much of southern Canada. Zones 8 through 10 run across the southern US, Gulf Coast, and much of California. Zones 11 through 13 are tropical — South Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the lowest-lying Caribbean. Pick your zone below for a curated plant list, frost dates, and a month-by-month planting timeline.
-40°F to -30°F
Zone 3
Northern Plains, Alaska interior, Canadian prairie
Sample plants: Siberian iris, paper birch, haskap berry.
See the zone 3 plant guide →-30°F to -20°F
Zone 4
Upper Midwest, northern New York, mountain west
Sample plants: Russian sage, ninebark, dwarf apple.
See the zone 4 plant guide →-20°F to -10°F
Zone 5
Most of the Northeast and Midwest, mountainous west
Sample plants: Peony, lilac, sugar maple.
See the zone 5 plant guide →-10°F to 0°F
Zone 6
Mid-Atlantic, central Midwest, much of the inland west
Sample plants: Hydrangea, dogwood, asparagus.
See the zone 6 plant guide →0°F to 10°F
Zone 7
Mid-Atlantic, upper South, coastal Pacific Northwest
Sample plants: Camellia, southern magnolia, fig.
See the zone 7 plant guide →10°F to 20°F
Zone 8
Southeast, lower Pacific Northwest, much of the inland West
Sample plants: Crepe myrtle, gardenia, satsuma orange.
See the zone 8 plant guide →20°F to 30°F
Zone 9
Florida, Gulf Coast, much of California
Sample plants: Bougainvillea, olive, avocado.
See the zone 9 plant guide →30°F to 40°F
Zone 10
South Florida, southernmost California, lower Hawaii
Sample plants: Plumeria, mango, hibiscus.
See the zone 10 plant guide →40°F to 50°F
Zone 11
Florida Keys, southernmost California coast, Hawaii
Sample plants: Royal poinciana, papaya, coconut palm.
See the zone 11 plant guide →50°F to 60°F
Zone 12
Hawaii, Puerto Rico, far southern Florida
Sample plants: Breadfruit, cacao, monstera.
See the zone 12 plant guide →60°F to 70°F
Zone 13
Tropical Puerto Rico, lowland Hawaii
Sample plants: Rambutan, pineapple, vanilla orchid.
See the zone 13 plant guide →Not sure which plants suit your zone?
Sketch your beds in the free 3D garden designer — pick plants filtered by your hardiness zone and see them rendered to scale before you buy a single one.
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