Gardening by Hardiness Zone
Find your USDA hardiness zone and see when to plant, typical frost dates and which of our plants grow well there. Not sure which zone you’re in? How hardiness zones work.
Zone 1
Coldest nights -60°F to -50°F
Extremely long, cold winters and a short, bright summer of about two months. Gardening here is about choosing the very toughest plants and making the most of every frost-free week.
Zone 2
Coldest nights -50°F to -40°F
Long, severe winters and a short growing season of around three months. Hardy shrubs, roses bred for the north and tough perennials do well; everything else is a summer annual.
Zone 3
Coldest nights -40°F to -30°F
Cold, snowy winters and a growing season of about four months. Northern-bred roses, hardy shrubs and lots of perennials thrive once they're established.
Zone 4
Coldest nights -30°F to -20°F
Cold winters, warm summers and a growing season of about four and a half months. Hardy roses, hydrangeas, clematis and many shrubs grow beautifully here.
Zone 5
Coldest nights -20°F to -10°F
Cold winters, warm summers and a growing season of about five and a half months. A huge range of roses, shrubs, vines and perennials thrive in Zone 5.
Zone 6
Coldest nights -10°F to 0°F
Four distinct seasons: cold winters, warm summers and a growing season of about six months. Almost every popular rose, hydrangea and clematis grows well in Zone 6.
Zone 7
Coldest nights 0°F to 10°F
Mild-to-cool winters, warm summers and a long growing season of about seven months. Most shrubs, roses and vines thrive, with plenty of time for repeat blooms.
Zone 8
Coldest nights 10°F to 20°F
Mild winters, long hot summers and a growing season of about eight months. Fall is the best time to plant, and heat, not cold, is the real test for your plants.
Zone 9
Coldest nights 20°F to 30°F
Warm winters with only light frost, long hot summers and gardening nearly all year. Heat-loving plants shine; plants that need a cold winter struggle.
Zone 10
Coldest nights 30°F to 40°F
Frost is rare and the growing season lasts all year. Tropical-looking plants thrive, and summer heat is the main thing to plan around.
Zone 11
Coldest nights 40°F to 50°F
No frost at all: winter is just a slightly cooler summer. Tropical plants grow all year; plants that need cold to flower won't.
Zone 12
Coldest nights 50°F to 60°F
Truly tropical: warm days and warm nights all year. Choose plants built for heat and humidity and they'll flourish.
Zone 13
Coldest nights 60°F to 70°F
Among the warmest gardening climates in the country, hot every day and every night. This is pure tropical gardening.