The Plant Guide Online  Β·  Celebrating 15 years online
APR 27, 2026
Established 2011

The Plant Guide Online

Growing zones & plants for every town in America

PlantGuideOnline.com

β„– 1 β€” The Quick Answer

What grows
where you live.

Welcome to PlantGuideOnline.com! Find the best plants for your area's climate by entering your zip code or selecting your state below.

β€” Plate I β€”USDA Hardiness Zones Β· 2023
The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map of the United States
After the United States Department of Agriculture, revised November 2023
I.

How The Plant Guide works

A primer in three columns
Step One

Tell us where you're located.

Our site combines databases from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), meteorologists, and top universities to show planting recommendations for every town and zip code in the United States β€” over 100k towns! Learn more about how we built this.

Step Two

We find your hardiness zone.

From 3a in the high north to 13b in the keys, your zone tells you what your worst winter night looks like.

Step Three

Plant accordingly.

To find the best plants for your area's climate, enter your zip code in the search field below.

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Jump to a state

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II.

Best Plants for Every State

Choose a state to see its towns & zones

Our data covers the entire United States! To find the best plants for the climate in your state based on the latest USDA growing zone data, click on a state from the menu below.

III.

Zones Change!

2012 vs. 2023, the half-zone shift

In addition to providing the latest growing zone data from the USDA, we also keep track of how zones are changing over time and how this affects the plants suitable for your area. Take a look at the map at right to see just how much zones have changed in the 11 years between the USDA updating their hardiness zone maps.

β€œIn the Southeast, gardeners can plant a touch braver. In the West, some readings cooled β€” not because the climate cooled, but because the new map sees with sharper eyes.”
β€” Plate II β€”Half-zone changes Β· 2012 β†’ 2023
map of usda hardiness zone changes from 2012 to 2023
Half-zone changes between the 2012 and 2023 USDA hardiness maps. Shaded counties warmed by half a zone.
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IV.

From the blog

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V.

Frequently Asked Questions

For the curious gardener

Have questions about our site? Check out our FAQ below for quick answers to common questions.

β„– 01How do I find the best plants for my area's climate?+

Enter your zip code in the plant search bar or select your state from the full list below. We'll show you the USDA growing zone for your area and recommend plants that will grow best in your individual climate.

β„– 02What is a USDA hardiness zone?+

USDA hardiness zones, also called growing zones, are geographic areas defined by the average annual minimum temperature. Each zone represents a 10-degree Fahrenheit difference, helping gardeners choose plants that can survive their winter temperatures.

β„– 03How often is the zone data updated?+

Our data is updated whenever the USDA releases new hardiness zone maps. As of 2025, the latest update was in November 2023, based on weather data from 1991 to 2020. This was the first update since 2012.

β„– 04Can I grow plants from different zones?+

You can grow plants from adjacent hardiness zones, but keep in mind that you may have to bring plants indoors during the coldest parts of the year.

β„– 05What are the best vegetables and fruits for my area?+

We have plant recommendations by type including vegetables, fruits and flowers for every town and postal code.

β„– 06How much of the world do your tools cover?+

At PlantGuideOnline.com, we have growing zone info and plant recommendations for every town and zip code in the entire United States.

β„– 07How do you have so much data?+

We started building our own hardiness zone database in 2011 and have been adding more data every year since. Our tools combine data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Postal Service to make it easy to access USDA data for every town and zip code in the entire country. No searching for yourself on complicated maps like other sites.

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β˜…

From the editor's desk

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