USDA hardiness zone 7: plant guide

Zone 7 has average winter lows of 0°F to 10°F and is the transition between cold-temperate and warm- temperate gardening. It covers the lower Mid-Atlantic (Washington DC, Richmond, Norfolk), parts of the upper South (Atlanta, Memphis, Oklahoma City), Pacific Northwest coastal areas (Portland, Seattle), and the lower elevations of the inland west (Las Vegas, Albuquerque). The growing season runs about 190 days, opening the door to Southern garden classics like camellia, fig, and southern magnolia.

Best plants for zone 7

Zone 7 gardens can host an exceptionally broad plant palette. The challenge is choosing among them: many plants that struggle in zone 6 and many that wilt in zone 8 both thrive here. It's also worth noting that USDA hardiness alone doesn't guarantee plant performance in zone 7 — humidity, summer heat intensity, and chill hours vary enormously between coastal Virginia, the Atlanta suburbs, Tulsa, and Seattle, all of which are technically zone 7. A plant that thrives in one zone-7 city may struggle in another. When possible, look for cultivars selected and trialed in conditions similar to yours.

Perennials

Hellebore (Helleborus orientalis) — 1.5 ft, part shade, evergreen with blooms from February through April.
Coreopsis (Coreopsis grandiflora) — 1-2 ft, full sun, golden daisies all summer.
Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) — 3-4 ft, full sun, silver foliage and lavender spikes.
Bearded iris (Iris germanica) — 2-3 ft, full sun, full range of colors in May.
Hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos) — 4-6 ft, full sun, dinner-plate blooms in midsummer.
Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima) — 2 ft, full sun, fine-textured ornamental grass.

Shrubs

Camellia (Camellia japonica) — 6-12 ft, part shade, evergreen with blooms November-April depending on cultivar.
Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) — 6-25 ft depending on cultivar, full sun, summer blooms in white, pink, red, lavender.
Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) — 6-8 ft, part shade, white panicles plus burgundy fall color.
Nandina (Nandina domestica) — 4-6 ft, sun to part shade, evergreen with red winter berries (use sterile cultivars).

Trees

Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) — 40-60 ft, full sun, evergreen with large white summer flowers.
Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) — 15-25 ft, part shade, lacy foliage, scarlet fall color.
Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) — 20-30 ft, part sun, magenta spring blooms.

Vegetables and fruit

Two full seasons — cool-season spring AND fall, warm-season summer.
Tomatoes, peppers, okra, sweet potatoes, southern peas all thrive in summer heat.
Fig — outdoor-hardy with light mulching; harvest July-September.
Muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia) — native southern grape thriving in zone 7-9.
Blueberries, blackberries, apples, peaches all reliable. Choose low-chill varieties for the warmer half of zone 7.

Frost dates for zone 7

Average last spring frost: early April (April 1-15). Average first fall frost: early November (November 1-15). The growing season is about 190 days. Coastal zone 7 (Tidewater Virginia, Pacific Northwest) tends to bracket those dates more tightly thanks to the moderating effect of water; inland zone 7 (Tulsa, Memphis, Atlanta) sees more variability, with occasional unseasonable freezes deep into April. For high-value crops like peaches or new fruit trees, plan for at least one frost-blanket event per spring rather than counting on the average date.

When to plant in zone 7

January-February: Start onions indoors. Prune fruit trees.
February-March: Direct-sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes. Start tomato and pepper seeds indoors.
Mid-March: Transplant brassicas; plant potatoes.
Early April: After last frost, transplant tomatoes, peppers; direct-sow beans, corn, squash, cucumbers.
August-September: Plant fall brassica transplants; direct-sow second crops of lettuce, spinach, root vegetables.
October-November: Plant trees, shrubs, perennials — the best planting window of the year. Plant garlic and spring bulbs late October.

Common challenges

Hot, humid summers (in the east):Crops like lettuce and peas bolt by late May. Plan for a heat-tolerant midsummer break.
Tomato blight and squash vine borer:Two of the biggest summer pests. Rotate tomato beds yearly; use row cover on young squash.
Mild winters and pest survival:Mild zone-7 winters don't kill back pest populations the way zone 5 does. Stay vigilant with squash bugs, aphids, scale.
Drought in the inland west:Zone-7 Las Vegas or Albuquerque needs xeriscape choices (penstemon, agave, Mexican feather grass), not the same plant list as coastal Virginia.

Recommended tools

The garden planner helps you organize the two-season vegetable garden zone 7 enables. The plant spacing calculator prevents the airflow problems that drive disease pressure in humid zone-7 summers. The plant advisor suggests species filtered to zone 7.