Original research

The big USDA hardiness map: what can you grow on your balcony — and when?

50 states + DC compared by hardiness zone, growing season and summer heat — with honest recommendations for tomatoes, herbs, citrus and more in containers.

Why this map

Most plant labels are designed for Iowa, then sold everywhere. A 'long-season' tomato that thrives in Texas will sulk in Vermont. This map shows you what actually works in your state — and what's a stretch.

How it works

Tell the map what you want to grow, how cold-hardy your plants are, and what your balcony gets in terms of sun. Green means easy; yellow means doable with effort; red means save your money for a different crop.

Where the numbers come from

The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, NOAA climate normals (1991-2020) and state climate summaries from NCEI. Where state values vary widely (California, Texas, Colorado), the listed zone is the populated-area mode; the full range is shown too.

3b–12a

USDA hardiness zones

105–365

Days of growing season

0–20

Heat weeks per year

50 + DC

States compared

Quick picks — what do you want to grow?

Your match heatmap — green = easy, red = an uphill battle

Easy growingDoable with effortTough crop choice

Tap a state to see what really grows there

51 states · sorted by score (desc)

State: CaliforniaCA
Zone: 9b5a-10b
Season: 320 days
Rain: 22″
Heat weeks: 10
Humidity: Moderate
Match score: 89

State: HawaiiHI
Zone: 12a9a-13a
Season: 365 days
Rain: 71″
Heat weeks: 16
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 83

State: FloridaFL
Zone: 10a8b-11a
Season: 330 days
Rain: 54″
Heat weeks: 20
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 79

State: North CarolinaNC
Zone: 7b5b-8b
Season: 220 days
Rain: 50″
Heat weeks: 12
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 78

State: VirginiaVA
Zone: 7a5b-8a
Season: 210 days
Rain: 44″
Heat weeks: 11
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 78

State: AlabamaAL
Zone: 8a7b-9a
Season: 240 days
Rain: 56″
Heat weeks: 16
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 77

State: GeorgiaGA
Zone: 8a7a-9a
Season: 230 days
Rain: 50″
Heat weeks: 15
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 77

State: MarylandMD
Zone: 7a6a-8a
Season: 200 days
Rain: 44″
Heat weeks: 9
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 77

State: New JerseyNJ
Zone: 7a6a-7b
Season: 200 days
Rain: 47″
Heat weeks: 9
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 77

State: South CarolinaSC
Zone: 8a7b-9a
Season: 240 days
Rain: 51″
Heat weeks: 16
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 77

State: TennesseeTN
Zone: 7a6a-8a
Season: 210 days
Rain: 54″
Heat weeks: 12
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 77

State: ArkansasAR
Zone: 7b6b-8a
Season: 215 days
Rain: 51″
Heat weeks: 14
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 76

State: KentuckyKY
Zone: 7a6a-7b
Season: 195 days
Rain: 49″
Heat weeks: 11
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 76

State: MissouriMO
Zone: 6b5b-7b
Season: 190 days
Rain: 42″
Heat weeks: 11
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 76

State: District of ColumbiaDC
Zone: 7b7a-7b
Season: 210 days
Rain: 41″
Heat weeks: 10
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 75

State: KansasKS
Zone: 6b5b-7a
Season: 200 days
Rain: 30″
Heat weeks: 12
Humidity: Moderate
Match score: 75

State: MississippiMS
Zone: 8a7b-9a
Season: 245 days
Rain: 56″
Heat weeks: 16
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 75

State: New MexicoNM
Zone: 7a4a-9a
Season: 200 days
Rain: 14″
Heat weeks: 10
Humidity: Arid / dry
Match score: 75

State: PennsylvaniaPA
Zone: 6b5b-7b
Season: 180 days
Rain: 43″
Heat weeks: 8
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 75

State: WashingtonWA
Zone: 8a4a-9a
Season: 220 days
Rain: 38″
Heat weeks: 4
Humidity: Moderate
Match score: 75

State: ArizonaAZ
Zone: 9a5a-10b
Season: 280 days
Rain: 14″
Heat weeks: 18
Humidity: Arid / dry
Match score: 74

State: LouisianaLA
Zone: 9a8a-10a
Season: 280 days
Rain: 61″
Heat weeks: 18
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 74

State: OklahomaOK
Zone: 7a6a-8a
Season: 210 days
Rain: 36″
Heat weeks: 13
Humidity: Moderate
Match score: 74

State: OregonOR
Zone: 8b5a-9a
Season: 220 days
Rain: 40″
Heat weeks: 4
Humidity: Moderate
Match score: 74

State: ConnecticutCT
Zone: 6b5b-7a
Season: 175 days
Rain: 50″
Heat weeks: 6
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 73

State: DelawareDE
Zone: 7b7a-8a
Season: 200 days
Rain: 46″
Heat weeks: 8
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 73

State: MassachusettsMA
Zone: 6b5a-7b
Season: 170 days
Rain: 47″
Heat weeks: 5
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 72

State: NevadaNV
Zone: 8a4a-10a
Season: 220 days
Rain: 10″
Heat weeks: 16
Humidity: Arid / dry
Match score: 72

State: Rhode IslandRI
Zone: 6b6a-7a
Season: 185 days
Rain: 47″
Heat weeks: 6
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 72

State: TexasTX
Zone: 8b6a-10a
Season: 260 days
Rain: 28″
Heat weeks: 18
Humidity: Moderate
Match score: 72

State: West VirginiaWV
Zone: 6b5b-7a
Season: 180 days
Rain: 47″
Heat weeks: 7
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 72

State: IllinoisIL
Zone: 6a5a-7a
Season: 180 days
Rain: 39″
Heat weeks: 9
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 71

State: IndianaIN
Zone: 6a5b-6b
Season: 175 days
Rain: 42″
Heat weeks: 9
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 71

State: UtahUT
Zone: 6b4a-9a
Season: 165 days
Rain: 12″
Heat weeks: 10
Humidity: Arid / dry
Match score: 71

State: New YorkNY
Zone: 6a3b-7b
Season: 180 days
Rain: 42″
Heat weeks: 7
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 70

State: OhioOH
Zone: 6a5b-6b
Season: 175 days
Rain: 41″
Heat weeks: 8
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 70

State: MichiganMI
Zone: 6a4a-6b
Season: 160 days
Rain: 34″
Heat weeks: 6
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 65

State: IowaIA
Zone: 5b4b-6a
Season: 165 days
Rain: 36″
Heat weeks: 8
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 63

State: NebraskaNE
Zone: 5b4b-6a
Season: 165 days
Rain: 24″
Heat weeks: 9
Humidity: Moderate
Match score: 63

State: IdahoID
Zone: 5b3a-7a
Season: 145 days
Rain: 19″
Heat weeks: 7
Humidity: Arid / dry
Match score: 60

State: ColoradoCO
Zone: 5a3a-7a
Season: 150 days
Rain: 17″
Heat weeks: 6
Humidity: Arid / dry
Match score: 59

State: New HampshireNH
Zone: 5b3b-6b
Season: 145 days
Rain: 43″
Heat weeks: 4
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 58

State: WisconsinWI
Zone: 5a3b-5b
Season: 155 days
Rain: 33″
Heat weeks: 6
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 57

State: MaineME
Zone: 5b3b-6b
Season: 145 days
Rain: 47″
Heat weeks: 3
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 53

State: MinnesotaMN
Zone: 4b3a-5a
Season: 140 days
Rain: 28″
Heat weeks: 5
Humidity: Moderate
Match score: 53

State: South DakotaSD
Zone: 4b3b-5a
Season: 140 days
Rain: 23″
Heat weeks: 7
Humidity: Moderate
Match score: 52

State: VermontVT
Zone: 5a3b-5b
Season: 145 days
Rain: 43″
Heat weeks: 3
Humidity: Humid
Match score: 49

State: MontanaMT
Zone: 4b2b-6a
Season: 125 days
Rain: 15″
Heat weeks: 4
Humidity: Arid / dry
Match score: 48

State: WyomingWY
Zone: 4a2b-6a
Season: 120 days
Rain: 13″
Heat weeks: 5
Humidity: Arid / dry
Match score: 44

State: North DakotaND
Zone: 3b3a-4b
Season: 125 days
Rain: 18″
Heat weeks: 5
Humidity: Arid / dry
Match score: 41

State: AlaskaAK
Zone: 4a1a-8b
Season: 105 days
Rain: 23″
Heat weeks: 0
Humidity: Moderate
Match score: 37

State	Zone	Season	Rain	Heat weeks	Humidity	Match score↓
CaliforniaCA	9b5a-10b	320 days	22″	10	Moderate	89
HawaiiHI	12a9a-13a	365 days	71″	16	Humid	83
FloridaFL	10a8b-11a	330 days	54″	20	Humid	79
North CarolinaNC	7b5b-8b	220 days	50″	12	Humid	78
VirginiaVA	7a5b-8a	210 days	44″	11	Humid	78
AlabamaAL	8a7b-9a	240 days	56″	16	Humid	77
GeorgiaGA	8a7a-9a	230 days	50″	15	Humid	77
MarylandMD	7a6a-8a	200 days	44″	9	Humid	77
New JerseyNJ	7a6a-7b	200 days	47″	9	Humid	77
South CarolinaSC	8a7b-9a	240 days	51″	16	Humid	77
TennesseeTN	7a6a-8a	210 days	54″	12	Humid	77
ArkansasAR	7b6b-8a	215 days	51″	14	Humid	76
KentuckyKY	7a6a-7b	195 days	49″	11	Humid	76
MissouriMO	6b5b-7b	190 days	42″	11	Humid	76
District of ColumbiaDC	7b7a-7b	210 days	41″	10	Humid	75
KansasKS	6b5b-7a	200 days	30″	12	Moderate	75
MississippiMS	8a7b-9a	245 days	56″	16	Humid	75
New MexicoNM	7a4a-9a	200 days	14″	10	Arid / dry	75
PennsylvaniaPA	6b5b-7b	180 days	43″	8	Humid	75
WashingtonWA	8a4a-9a	220 days	38″	4	Moderate	75
ArizonaAZ	9a5a-10b	280 days	14″	18	Arid / dry	74
LouisianaLA	9a8a-10a	280 days	61″	18	Humid	74
OklahomaOK	7a6a-8a	210 days	36″	13	Moderate	74
OregonOR	8b5a-9a	220 days	40″	4	Moderate	74
ConnecticutCT	6b5b-7a	175 days	50″	6	Humid	73
DelawareDE	7b7a-8a	200 days	46″	8	Humid	73
MassachusettsMA	6b5a-7b	170 days	47″	5	Humid	72
NevadaNV	8a4a-10a	220 days	10″	16	Arid / dry	72
Rhode IslandRI	6b6a-7a	185 days	47″	6	Humid	72
TexasTX	8b6a-10a	260 days	28″	18	Moderate	72
West VirginiaWV	6b5b-7a	180 days	47″	7	Humid	72
IllinoisIL	6a5a-7a	180 days	39″	9	Humid	71
IndianaIN	6a5b-6b	175 days	42″	9	Humid	71
UtahUT	6b4a-9a	165 days	12″	10	Arid / dry	71
New YorkNY	6a3b-7b	180 days	42″	7	Humid	70
OhioOH	6a5b-6b	175 days	41″	8	Humid	70
MichiganMI	6a4a-6b	160 days	34″	6	Humid	65
IowaIA	5b4b-6a	165 days	36″	8	Humid	63
NebraskaNE	5b4b-6a	165 days	24″	9	Moderate	63
IdahoID	5b3a-7a	145 days	19″	7	Arid / dry	60
ColoradoCO	5a3a-7a	150 days	17″	6	Arid / dry	59
New HampshireNH	5b3b-6b	145 days	43″	4	Humid	58
WisconsinWI	5a3b-5b	155 days	33″	6	Humid	57
MaineME	5b3b-6b	145 days	47″	3	Humid	53
MinnesotaMN	4b3a-5a	140 days	28″	5	Moderate	53
South DakotaSD	4b3b-5a	140 days	23″	7	Moderate	52
VermontVT	5a3b-5b	145 days	43″	3	Humid	49
MontanaMT	4b2b-6a	125 days	15″	4	Arid / dry	48
WyomingWY	4a2b-6a	120 days	13″	5	Arid / dry	44
North DakotaND	3b3a-4b	125 days	18″	5	Arid / dry	41
AlaskaAK	4a1a-8b	105 days	23″	0	Moderate	37

Data source:Verified = direct NOAA + USDA records·Estimated = interpolated from nearby stations + state climate summaries

Three things this map can't quite tell you

Your balcony has its own microclimate

A south-facing fifth-floor balcony in Boston can run a full USDA zone warmer than the regional map. Wind exposure, building heat, and afternoon shade all shift your effective zone. Trust your own thermometer over the map for marginal crops.

The zone map is moving

The 2023 USDA update bumped about half the country half a zone warmer than 2012. Plants that used to die in your winters might now survive — and plants that thrived in your summers might now struggle. Old gardening books underestimate today's heat.

Container size matters more than zone

A tomato in a 3-gallon pot can fail in zone 9 Florida and thrive in zone 5 Vermont — depending entirely on the container. Small pots overheat, dry out, and limit root growth. When in doubt, go bigger and water less often.

⚠ This map is a starting point, not a plant tag

Climate data comes from NOAA's 30-year normals (1991-2020) and the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Your local microclimate — building height, wind, urban heat island, balcony orientation — can shift your effective zone meaningfully. Plant recommendations target the populated areas of each state, not the full geographic range.

Before you buy: Check the plant tag and ask your local nursery — they know your neighborhood better than any map.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which US states are easiest for a beginner balcony gardener?

If you want the easiest start: coastal California, the Carolinas, Georgia, and the Pacific Northwest. These regions give you long growing seasons, mild winters, and forgiving summers. Florida and Texas are productive but reverse the calendar — your main season is October through May. The hardest states for beginners are Wyoming, North Dakota, and Alaska, where short seasons leave no room for timing mistakes.

When is my last frost date, and when can I put my tomatoes outside?

Rule of thumb: Deep South (FL, LA, TX) plant tomatoes in February or March; Mid-Atlantic and Mid-South (NC, TN, VA, KY) by mid-April; Northeast and Midwest (NY, OH, IL, PA) on Mother's Day or after; Mountain West and Upper Midwest (CO, MN, WY) on Memorial Day at the earliest. Apartment balconies in big cities run roughly half a zone warmer than the regional map — but a single frost still kills tomatoes, so don't push it more than a week.

What plants suffer most as US summers get hotter?

Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, kale) bolt and turn bitter above 85°F — they're effectively spring and fall crops in zones 7 and warmer now. Strawberries struggle in containers above 90°F. Many heirloom tomatoes drop their blossoms in extreme heat. What's thriving instead: peppers (love heat), okra, basil, sweet potatoes, succulents, and drought-tolerant herbs like rosemary and lavender.

Can I grow citrus on a balcony in cold climates?

Yes — Meyer lemons, kumquats, calamondins, and dwarf mandarins thrive in containers and can spend summer outside in any state. The trick is overwintering: in zones 8 and warmer you can leave them out with cold protection; in zones 7 and colder, bring them inside near a bright south-facing window for the winter. They're heavy feeders — fertilize monthly during active growth.

How is climate change affecting USDA hardiness zones?

The 2023 USDA update shifted about half the country half a zone warmer than the 2012 map. What was zone 6a is often 6b now; what was 7a is often 7b. This means more plants survive winters that used to kill them — but it also means more summer heat stress, longer pest seasons, and shifting bloom times. A balcony gardener in zone 7 today gardens roughly like one in zone 7b-8a did 30 years ago.

What container size do I really need for tomatoes?

Cherry tomatoes can produce in 3-5 gallons; full-sized slicers want 7-10 gallons minimum, 15-20 for best results. The bigger the pot, the less you water and the more fruit you get. Apartment balcony loadout: choose two large 10-gallon fabric pots for tomatoes and peppers, plus a row of 1-gallon pots for herbs. Most container failures trace back to undersized pots that dry out and overheat.

📚 Keep going — more for balcony gardeners

Where the numbers come from

Primary sources: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 update), NOAA US Climate Normals (1991-2020), NCEI State Climate Summaries, and local extension service data for state-level frost calendars and growing-season averages.

USDA hardiness zone: Based on average annual extreme minimum temperature. Zone 1 = below -50°F, zone 13 = above 60°F. Each zone has an 'a' (colder half) and 'b' (warmer half). Most US states span multiple zones — the listed zone reflects the populated-area mode; the range column shows the full state span.

Growing season: Number of frost-free days between the average last spring frost and the average first fall frost. Balcony microclimates often add 1-3 weeks to this baseline.

Heat weeks: Weeks per year with at least one day above 86°F (30°C). Important because most tomatoes, peppers and warm-season crops stop setting fruit above 90°F daytime / 75°F nighttime.

Match-score calculation: USDA zone match 30%, growing-season length 25%, sun+heat alignment 20%, plant-category fit 15%, data reliability 10%. The score is a guide — not a guarantee for any single plant variety.

Data reliability: 'Verified' values come directly from USDA + NOAA records. 'Estimated' values are interpolated from nearby stations plus state climate summaries.

License: CC BY-SA 4.0 — attribute to “GardenBalcony.com” when re-using.