USDA Hardiness Zone 4B Growing Guide
Source: USDA Agricultural Research Service Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023
Upper Midwest and northern New England valleys — wider variety of fruit and vegetables.
Where Zone 4B sits on the national map
Zone Position
Key Facts — Zone 4B
- Avg. coldest night: -25°F to -20°F (-31.7°C to -28.9°C) — the band of average annual extreme minimum temperatures that defines this zone (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- What that means: in an average year your coldest night lands somewhere in that 5°F window. Actual lows can drop colder in extreme winters; daytime highs are not bounded by this number.
- Found In: 20 US states, including California, New York, Colorado and 17 more
- Growing Considerations: Upper Midwest and northern New England valleys — wider variety of fruit and vegetables.
What Is Zone 4B?
USDA Hardiness Zone 4B is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature between -25°F and -20°F (-31.7°C to -28.9°C), according to the USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023.
Coldest avg. low
-25°F
USDA PHZM 2023
Warmest avg. low
-20°F
USDA PHZM 2023
Coldest avg. low (°C)
-31.7°C
USDA PHZM 2023
States
20
Where Is Zone 4B Found?
Zone 4B appears across 20 states:
Plants That Thrive in Zone 4B
Plants well-adapted to the temperature range of this zone.
Grape (cold-hardy)
Plum
Asparagus
Pear
Your Zone Is Just One Factor
Zone 4B covers 159 counties across 15 states, and their growing seasons are not the same. Deer Lodge County, Montana measures 59 frost-free days a year; Winneshiek County, Iowa measures 188 — a 129-day difference under the same winter low, before you get to soil drainage, summer heat, flood risk, or contamination proximity. Your Growable Ground report scores 1,112 plants against all of it for your specific address.
Measured across the 159 counties whose USDA PHZM centroid falls in Zone 4B — NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, 28°F killing freeze. Median 166 days.
Your zone is a starting point — your parcel is the whole story
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Frequently Asked Questions
What plants grow in Zone 4B?
Upper Midwest and northern New England valleys — wider variety of fruit and vegetables. Common plants that thrive include Grape (cold-hardy), Plum, Asparagus, Pear. Actual suitability depends on your parcel's soil, drainage, and microclimate.
What states have Zone 4B?
Zone 4B appears across 20 US states: California, New York, Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
What temperature is USDA Zone 4B?
USDA Hardiness Zone 4B is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature between -25°F and -20°F (-31.7°C to -28.9°C), per the USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023.