USDA Hardiness Zone 6B Growing Guide
Source: USDA Agricultural Research Service Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023
Coastal mid-Atlantic and Pacific Northwest — wide range of ornamentals and food crops.
Where Zone 6B sits on the national map
Zone Position
Key Facts — Zone 6B
- Avg. coldest night: -5°F to 0°F (-20.6°C to -17.8°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: 34 US states, including Massachusetts, California, Texas and 31 more
- Growing Considerations: Coastal mid-Atlantic and Pacific Northwest — wide range of ornamentals and food crops.
What Is Zone 6B?
USDA Hardiness Zone 6B is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature between -5°F and 0°F (-20.6°C to -17.8°C), according to the USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023.
Coldest avg. low
-5°F
USDA PHZM 2023
Warmest avg. low
0°F
USDA PHZM 2023
Coldest avg. low (°C)
-20.6°C
USDA PHZM 2023
States
34
Where Is Zone 6B Found?
Zone 6B appears across 34 states:
Plants That Thrive in Zone 6B
Plants well-adapted to the temperature range of this zone.
Japanese Maple
Peach
Tomato
Persimmon
Your Zone Is Just One Factor
Zone 6B covers 383 counties across 27 states, and their growing seasons are not the same. Alpine County, California measures 122 frost-free days a year; Lorain County, Ohio measures 236 — a 114-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 383 counties whose USDA PHZM centroid falls in Zone 6B — NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, 28°F killing freeze. Median 211 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 6B?
Coastal mid-Atlantic and Pacific Northwest — wide range of ornamentals and food crops. Common plants that thrive include Japanese Maple, Peach, Tomato, Persimmon. Actual suitability depends on your parcel's soil, drainage, and microclimate.
What states have Zone 6B?
Zone 6B appears across 34 US states: Massachusetts, California, Texas, New York, Colorado, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia.
What temperature is USDA Zone 6B?
USDA Hardiness Zone 6B is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature between -5°F and 0°F (-20.6°C to -17.8°C), per the USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023.