USDA Hardiness Zone 5A Growing Guide
Source: USDA Agricultural Research Service Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023
Central US and mid-elevation mountains — reliable season for most temperate crops.
Where Zone 5A sits on the national map
Zone Position
Key Facts — Zone 5A
- Avg. coldest night: -20°F to -15°F (-28.9°C to -26.1°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: 23 US states, including Massachusetts, California, New York and 20 more
- Growing Considerations: Central US and mid-elevation mountains — reliable season for most temperate crops.
What Is Zone 5A?
USDA Hardiness Zone 5A is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature between -20°F and -15°F (-28.9°C to -26.1°C), according to the USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023.
Coldest avg. low
-20°F
USDA PHZM 2023
Warmest avg. low
-15°F
USDA PHZM 2023
Coldest avg. low (°C)
-28.9°C
USDA PHZM 2023
States
23
Where Is Zone 5A Found?
Zone 5A appears across 23 states:
Plants That Thrive in Zone 5A
Plants well-adapted to the temperature range of this zone.
Tomato
Peach
Rose
Blackberry
Your Zone Is Just One Factor
Zone 5A covers 223 counties across 16 states, and their growing seasons are not the same. Teton County, Wyoming measures 79 frost-free days a year; Ramsey County, Minnesota measures 199 — a 120-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 223 counties whose USDA PHZM centroid falls in Zone 5A — NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, 28°F killing freeze. Median 176 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 5A?
Central US and mid-elevation mountains — reliable season for most temperate crops. Common plants that thrive include Tomato, Peach, Rose, Blackberry. Actual suitability depends on your parcel's soil, drainage, and microclimate.
What states have Zone 5A?
Zone 5A appears across 23 US states: Massachusetts, California, New York, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
What temperature is USDA Zone 5A?
USDA Hardiness Zone 5A is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature between -20°F and -15°F (-28.9°C to -26.1°C), per the USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023.