What Planting Zones Are in Alabama?
Alabama spans USDA hardiness zones 7b to 9b, where the average coldest winter night ranges from 5 °F to 30 °F (−15 °C to −1.1 °C). Zone 8b covers the most ZIP codes, 42%, and zones 8a to 9a together cover 94% of the state.
Bars show each zone's share of the 804 Alabama ZIP codes in the official 2023 USDA ZIP code table; select a zone for its temperatures and hardy plants.
What Hardiness Zone Are Alabama Cities In?
Huntsville is in zone 8a, Mobile is in zone 9a, Birmingham is in zone 8a and Montgomery is in zone 8b. The table lists the zone, winter low and average frost dates for 19 Alabama cities, using the ZIP code nearest each city center.
| City | ZIP | Zone | Winter low | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | 35805 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Mar 24 | Nov 8 |
| Mobile | 36606 | 9a | 20 °F to 25 °F | Feb 21 | Dec 6 |
| Birmingham | 35203 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Mar 21 | Nov 11 |
| Montgomery | 36106 | 8b | 15 °F to 20 °F | Mar 4 | Nov 18 |
| Tuscaloosa | 35487 | 8b | 15 °F to 20 °F | Mar 18 | Nov 10 |
| Hoover | 35244 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Mar 19 | Nov 8 |
| Auburn | 36849 | 8b | 15 °F to 20 °F | Mar 13 | Nov 17 |
| Dothan | 36303 | 9a | 20 °F to 25 °F | Mar 1 | Nov 24 |
| Madison | 35758 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Mar 24 | Nov 8 |
| Decatur | 35601 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Mar 26 | Nov 7 |
| Florence | 35630 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Mar 27 | Nov 3 |
| Phenix City | 36869 | 8b | 15 °F to 20 °F | Mar 26 | Nov 8 |
| Gadsden | 35904 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Mar 19 | Nov 13 |
| Enterprise | 36330 | 8b | 15 °F to 20 °F | Mar 9 | Nov 21 |
| Foley | 36535 | 9a | 20 °F to 25 °F | Mar 5 | Nov 23 |
| Trussville | 35173 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Apr 4 | Nov 1 |
| Albertville | 35950 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Mar 19 | Nov 18 |
| Oxford | 36203 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Mar 23 | Nov 9 |
| Fort Payne | 35967 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Mar 29 | Nov 8 |
Zone: 2023 USDA ZIP code table for the ZIP code nearest each city's Census center point. Frost dates: 50% (median) dates from the nearest NOAA station, 1991–2020 normals. Cities: the largest Alabama places by 2024 Census population estimates, spread across the state, plus the largest place in each common zone. Large cities can span two half zones.
Which Parts of Alabama Are in Each Zone?
Zone 7b, the coldest Alabama zone, covers 6% of ZIP codes around Fort Payne, Hamilton and Winfield. Zone 9b, the warmest, covers <1% around Dauphin Island. The table lists the largest places in every zone.
| Zone | Avg. coldest night | Share of ZIPs | Largest places in this zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | 6% (49) | Fort Payne, Hamilton, Winfield, Haleyville |
| Zone 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | 41% (332) | Huntsville, Birmingham, Hoover, Madison |
| Zone 8b | 15 °F to 20 °F | 42% (335) | Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Prattville |
| Zone 9a | 20 °F to 25 °F | 11% (87) | Mobile, Dothan, Daphne, Foley |
| Zone 9b | 25 °F to 30 °F | <1% (1) | Dauphin Island |
Places: incorporated places with 1,000+ residents, assigned the zone of the ZIP code nearest their Census center point.
What Do the Hardiness Zones Mean for Alabama Gardeners?
A Alabama gardener in zone 9b sees winter lows about 20 °F milder than one in zone 7b, so a shrub or perennial that thrives in one part of the state can die in another. Choose plants rated to your own ZIP code's zone or colder.
Hardiness zones follow latitude, elevation and large bodies of water rather than state lines. Higher ground and inland valleys that trap cold air usually sit in colder half zones, while cities, coasts and large lakes moderate winter lows. Within Alabama, a plant labelled “zones 8–9” survives winter in at least 94% of ZIP codes, but plants at the edge of their range benefit from mulch and a sheltered spot. Enter a ZIP code in the USDA hardiness zone finder by ZIP code to check your exact half zone before buying perennials.
A zone describes winter cold only. Summer heat, humidity, rainfall and soil decide whether a cold-hardy plant thrives, and planting dates for vegetables follow frost dates, not zones: two Alabama towns in the same zone can have last frosts weeks apart.
What Plants Grow Well Across Alabama?
184 plants in PlantoScan's catalogue are hardy in every zone from 8a to 9a, the zones that cover 94% of Alabama ZIP codes. Popular examples include hydrangea, chrysanthemum and poppy.
Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla
Zone 5 – 9
AI generated
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum morifolium
Zone 5a – 9b
PlantoscanAI generated
Poppy
Papaver somniferum
Zone 3a – 9b
AI generated
- DahliaDahlia pinnataPlantoScan
Dahlia
Dahlia pinnata
Zone 8a – 11b
Carnation
Dianthus caryophyllus
Zone 5a – 9b
AI generated
Azalea
Azalea indica
Zone 6a – 9b
AI generated
Arugula
Eruca sativa
Zone 5a – 10b
AI generated
Alfalfa
Medicago sativa
Zone 3a – 10a
AI generated
Calla Lily
Zantedeschia aethiopica
Zone 8a – 10b
AI generated
Hardiness ranges come from PlantoScan's plant database; gardeners in Alabama's colder or warmer edge zones should check each plant's full range.
When Is the Last Frost in Alabama?
Across most Alabama ZIP codes, the average last spring frost falls between March 4 and April 4, from February 21 in Mobile to April 4 in Trussville. Tender vegetables such as tomatoes go out 1 to 2 weeks after the local date.
The last and first frost dates for Alabama cities include the safer 90% planting date, the fall frost date, growing season length and a tomato planting table for each city.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What planting zone is Alabama?
- Alabama spans USDA hardiness zones 7b to 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 8b is the most common, covering 42% of the state's 804 ZIP codes, and zones 8a to 9a together cover 94%.
- What hardiness zone is Huntsville, Alabama?
- Huntsville is in USDA hardiness zone 8a (ZIP 35805), where the average coldest winter night reaches 10 °F to 15 °F. Its average last spring frost is March 24 and its first fall frost November 8.
- What hardiness zone is Mobile, Alabama?
- Mobile is in USDA hardiness zone 9a (ZIP 36606), where the average coldest winter night reaches 20 °F to 25 °F. Its average last spring frost is February 21 and its first fall frost December 6.
- What hardiness zone is Birmingham, Alabama?
- Birmingham is in USDA hardiness zone 8a (ZIP 35203), where the average coldest winter night reaches 10 °F to 15 °F. Its average last spring frost is March 21 and its first fall frost November 11.
- What is the coldest hardiness zone in Alabama?
- Zone 7b (5 °F to 10 °F) is the coldest zone in Alabama, found in 49 ZIP codes around Fort Payne and Hamilton. The warmest is zone 9b (25 °F to 30 °F), around Dauphin Island.
Zones: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code table, USDA Agricultural Research Service and the PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, used without changes. Frost dates: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals. City locations and populations: U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer files and Vintage 2024 population estimates. PlantoScan is not affiliated with or endorsed by these agencies.