Best plants for Alaska
These species reliably perform in Alaska's climate — a blend of regionally-adapted ornamentals and native plants that don't need babying once established. Start with this short list, then expand once you know your specific microclimate (slope, shade, drainage).
- Rhubarb
- Cabbage
- Potatoes
- Peonies
- Delphinium
- Haskap berry
- Lupine
- Lettuce
- Carrots
Native plants of Alaska
Natives evolved alongside Alaska's soils, pollinators, and weather patterns, so they need almost no supplemental water or fertilizer once established. Mixing 30-50% natives into a garden dramatically improves its drought resilience and its value to local birds and pollinators.
- Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)
- Sitka spruce
- Bunchberry
- Labrador tea
- Wild blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum)
Your plant advisor can filter the full database to species suited to your Alaska zone.
Frost dates and timing in Alaska
Average last spring frost: early May (panhandle) to mid-June (interior). Average first fall frost: mid-August (interior) to early October (panhandle). Growing season runs about 70-150 days. As always, average dates are starting points — set seedlings out a week or two later than the average last-frost for high-value crops like tomatoes and peppers, and have row cover or frost blankets ready for an unseasonable late freeze.
Use the fall planting schedule by zone to plan your second crop, and the vegetable garden planting schedule for week-by-week spring timing.
Soils and amendment in Alaska
Glacial silt and shallow soils over permafrost in much of the interior; richer loams in the Matanuska Valley.
Challenges specific to Alaska
Very short frost-free season, permafrost in the interior, and 18-22 hours of summer daylight that fuels record-breaking giant vegetables but also bolts cool-season crops.
For drought-prone parts of Alaska, see the drought-tolerant garden design guide. If your yard sits low and stays wet, the drainage fix without regrading guide covers raised beds, French drains, and bog-tolerant planting palettes.
Design your Alaska garden in 3D
Sketch your beds, place plants to scale, and see the whole design in 3D before you buy a single one-gallon pot. The free designer filters plants by USDA zone, so anything you place is already suited to the climate in Alaska.
Design your Alaska garden in 3D
Free, no signup required. Filter plants by USDA zone 1a-8b and see your design rendered to scale before you buy.
Open the free 3D garden designerFrequently asked about gardening in Alaska
›What USDA hardiness zones is Alaska in?
Alaska spans USDA zones 1a-8b. Interior Alaska bottoms out at zone 1a around Fairbanks while the southeast panhandle near Ketchikan reaches zone 8b, the widest zone span of any state. Match plant cold-hardiness ratings to your local zone — pushing into warmer-rated species is a gamble against the next hard winter.
›When is the last spring frost in Alaska?
Average last spring frost in Alaska is around early May (panhandle) to mid-June (interior), and the first fall frost typically arrives mid-August (interior) to early October (panhandle). That gives a typical growing season of 70-150 days. Average dates are starting points — set seedlings out a week or two later than the average for safety.
›What plants grow well in Alaska?
Reliable choices for Alaska include Rhubarb, Cabbage, Potatoes, Peonies. These species are matched to Alaska's climate and soils — a blend of regionally-adapted ornamentals and natives that perform without babying once established.
›What plants are native to Alaska?
Native plants in Alaska include Fireweed, Sitka spruce, Bunchberry. Natives evolved alongside local soils, pollinators, and weather, so they typically need no supplemental water or fertilizer once established — and they support local birds and pollinators in ways non-native ornamentals can't.
›What's distinctive about gardening in Alaska?
Long summer daylight produces Alaska's famous giant cabbages and 50-lb pumpkins despite a season barely 100 days long. Very short frost-free season, permafrost in the interior, and 18-22 hours of summer daylight that fuels record-breaking giant vegetables but also bolts cool-season crops.