USDA Hardiness Zone 6A Growing Guide
Source: USDA Agricultural Research Service Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023
Mid-Atlantic and Pacific Northwest lowlands — versatile growing region.
Where Zone 6A sits on the national map
Zone Position
Key Facts — Zone 6A
- Avg. coldest night: -10°F to -5°F (-23.3°C to -20.6°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: 35 US states, including Massachusetts, California, New York and 32 more
- Growing Considerations: Mid-Atlantic and Pacific Northwest lowlands — versatile growing region.
What Is Zone 6A?
USDA Hardiness Zone 6A is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature between -10°F and -5°F (-23.3°C to -20.6°C), according to the USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023.
Coldest avg. low
-10°F
USDA PHZM 2023
Warmest avg. low
-5°F
USDA PHZM 2023
Coldest avg. low (°C)
-23.3°C
USDA PHZM 2023
States
35
Where Is Zone 6A Found?
Zone 6A appears across 35 states:
Plants That Thrive in Zone 6A
Plants well-adapted to the temperature range of this zone.
Fig (with protection)
Kiwi
Dogwood
Hydrangea
Your Zone Is Just One Factor
Zone 6A covers 360 counties across 28 states, and their growing seasons are not the same. Klamath County, Oregon measures 86 frost-free days a year; Marion County, Missouri measures 226 — a 140-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 360 counties whose USDA PHZM centroid falls in Zone 6A — NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, 28°F killing freeze. Median 196 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 6A?
Mid-Atlantic and Pacific Northwest lowlands — versatile growing region. Common plants that thrive include Fig (with protection), Kiwi, Dogwood, Hydrangea. Actual suitability depends on your parcel's soil, drainage, and microclimate.
What states have Zone 6A?
Zone 6A appears across 35 US states: Massachusetts, California, New York, Colorado, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
What temperature is USDA Zone 6A?
USDA Hardiness Zone 6A is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature between -10°F and -5°F (-23.3°C to -20.6°C), per the USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023.