If you’ve ever tried to grow tomatoes in a blizzard or lavender in a swamp, you’ve probably discovered the importance of knowing your USDA hardiness zone — the gardening equivalent of knowing your blood type, astrological sign, and Hogwarts house. Except this one can actually keep your plants alive.
So grab your trowel, your compost, and maybe a beverage, because we’re about to dig into USDA Zones 5 through 13 — the real MVPs of the American gardening scene.
What Are USDA Growing Zones?
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones are based on the average annual minimum winter temperature. The map divides North America into 13 zones (with a few extra half-zones), ranging from Zone 1 (cold enough to make Elsa shiver) to Zone 13 (essentially a tropical resort for plants).
This post focuses on Zones 5–13 — where most of us are gardening, eating, and forgetting to water something.
Zone 5: The Bravehearted Botanists
(−20°F to −10°F / −28.9°C to −23.3°C)
Where: Northern Midwest, New England, higher elevations in the West.
What You Can Grow:
- Hardy perennials (peonies, daylilies)
- Apples, carrots, raspberries
- Cool-season crops like kale, spinach, and cabbage
Pro Tip:
Start seeds indoors and consider raised beds or cold frames. Tomatoes here have trust issues.
Fun Fact:
Tomato plants planted before Memorial Day? Call a therapist — they’ve seen things.
Zone 6: Spring’s Soft Launch
(−10°F to 0°F / −23.3°C to −17.8°C)
Where: Southern Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, parts of Oregon and Colorado.
What You Can Grow:
- Tomatoes (finally!), beans, corn
- Grapes, cherries, blueberries
- Herbs like thyme, oregano, and lavender
Pro Tip:
Use row covers and mulch like your garden depends on it — because it does.
Fun Fact:
Zone 6 is where you start pretending you have a “long growing season,” but Mother Nature disagrees.
Zone 7: The Goldilocks Zone
(0°F to 10°F / −17.8°C to −12.2°C)
Where: Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, and Pacific Northwest valleys.
What You Can Grow:
- Figs, peaches, and blackberries
- Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant
- Azaleas, hydrangeas, dogwoods
Pro Tip:
You can grow almost anything — but late frosts will still test your optimism.
Fun Fact:
Zone 7 gardeners can grow figs and still complain about basil. It’s called balance.
Zone 8: The Southern Belle
(10°F to 20°F / −12.2°C to −6.7°C)
Where: Southern U.S., parts of Texas, Alabama, South Carolina, coastal Pacific Northwest.
What You Can Grow:
- Sweet potatoes, okra, squash
- Citrus trees, olives, pomegranates
- Jasmine, camellias, crepe myrtle
Pro Tip:
Your summers are HOT. Use shade cloths and water early (before your tomatoes fry).
Fun Fact:
Zone 8 is where people start talking about “fall gardening” like it’s a spa day.
Zone 9: Where Winter Ghosts You
(20°F to 30°F / −6.7°C to −1.1°C)
Where: Coastal California, central Florida, south Texas, southern Louisiana.
What You Can Grow:
- Lemons, limes, avocados
- Year-round tomatoes, greens, herbs
- Hibiscus, bougainvillea, plumeria
Pro Tip:
Avoid summer heat by planting in fall and winter — yes, really.
Fun Fact:
In Zone 9, the only thing wilting faster than your lettuce is your patience in August.
Zone 10: Tropical Tease
(30°F to 40°F / −1.1°C to 4.4°C)
Where: Southern Florida, Southern California
What You Can Grow:
- Bananas, mangoes, papayas
- Ginger, turmeric, lemongrass
- Frangipani, orchids, heliconias
Pro Tip:
Pests and humidity are your new frenemy. Also, mulch everything. Everything.
Fun Fact:
Even your compost pile has a tan.
Zone 11: Perma-Vacation
(40°F to 50°F / 4.4°C to 10°C)
Where: Southern tip of Florida, the Keys, Puerto Rico.
What You Can Grow:
- Guava, cacao (chocolate!), jackfruit
- Coconut palms, sugar apples, dragon fruit
- More tropical flowers than your Instagram can handle
Pro Tip:
Nutrient leaching is real. Feed your soil like it’s training for a marathon.
Fun Fact:
If your banana plant is taller than your garage, you’re probably in Zone 11.
Zone 12: Island Time
(50°F to 60°F / 10°C to 15.6°C)
Where: Most of Hawaii, tropical U.S. territories
What You Can Grow:
- Pineapple, taro, vanilla beans
- Breadfruit, starfruit, cinnamon
- Anthuriums, orchids, giant ferns
Pro Tip:
Rain = rot. Ensure good drainage or your raised bed becomes a soup bowl.
Fun Fact:
Your weeds grow faster than your inbox fills up after a long weekend.
Zone 13: Gardening in a Sauna
(60°F to 70°F / 15.6°C to 21.1°C)
Where: Select U.S. territories and islands
What You Can Grow:
- Macadamia, passionfruit, sugarcane
- Every tropical fruit your heart desires
- Plants that need exactly zero chill hours (like you on a beach)
Pro Tip:
Shade, airflow, and water control = success in this botanical theme park.
Fun Fact:
You may be in a zone so rare, even Google Maps gets confused.
Know Your Zone, Grow With Confidence
Understanding your growing zone is the difference between thriving tomatoes and composting regrets. Whether you’re wrapping your plants in fleece or pruning guava trees barefoot, there’s beauty — and a whole lot of variety — in knowing what your region supports.
So, plant what works, laugh at what doesn’t, and send your Zone 13 cousin a thank-you note for the mangoes.
Need help building a garden plan based on your zone? Drop a comment, or join the Cow & Wine Facebook community — we’re growing more than just food over there.
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