USDA Hardiness Zone 5B Growing Guide
Source: USDA Agricultural Research Service Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023
Mid-Atlantic highlands and central plains — good fruit tree region.
Where Zone 5B sits on the national map
Zone Position
Key Facts — Zone 5B
- Avg. coldest night: -15°F to -10°F (-26.1°C to -23.3°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: 31 US states, including Massachusetts, California, New York and 28 more
- Growing Considerations: Mid-Atlantic highlands and central plains — good fruit tree region.
What Is Zone 5B?
USDA Hardiness Zone 5B is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature between -15°F and -10°F (-26.1°C to -23.3°C), according to the USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023.
Coldest avg. low
-15°F
USDA PHZM 2023
Warmest avg. low
-10°F
USDA PHZM 2023
Coldest avg. low (°C)
-26.1°C
USDA PHZM 2023
States
31
Where Is Zone 5B Found?
Zone 5B appears across 31 states:
Plants That Thrive in Zone 5B
Plants well-adapted to the temperature range of this zone.
Apple
Blueberry
Lavender
Grape
Your Zone Is Just One Factor
Zone 5B covers 232 counties across 21 states, and their growing seasons are not the same. Lincoln County, Wyoming measures 96 frost-free days a year; Henderson County, Illinois measures 211 — a 115-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 232 counties whose USDA PHZM centroid falls in Zone 5B — NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, 28°F killing freeze. Median 186 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 5B?
Mid-Atlantic highlands and central plains — good fruit tree region. Common plants that thrive include Apple, Blueberry, Lavender, Grape. Actual suitability depends on your parcel's soil, drainage, and microclimate.
What states have Zone 5B?
Zone 5B appears across 31 US states: Massachusetts, California, New York, Colorado, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
What temperature is USDA Zone 5B?
USDA Hardiness Zone 5B is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature between -15°F and -10°F (-26.1°C to -23.3°C), per the USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023.