What Planting Zones Are in Indiana?
Indiana spans USDA hardiness zones 5b to 7a, where the average coldest winter night ranges from −15 °F to 5 °F (−26.1 °C to −15 °C). Zone 6a covers the most ZIP codes, 61%, and zones 6a to 6b together cover 85% of the state.
Bars show each zone's share of the 929 Indiana ZIP codes in the official 2023 USDA ZIP code table; select a zone for its temperatures and hardy plants.
What Hardiness Zone Are Indiana Cities In?
Indianapolis is in zone 6b, Fort Wayne is in zone 6a, Evansville is in zone 7a and Fishers is in zone 6a. The table lists the zone, winter low and average frost dates for 19 Indiana cities, using the ZIP code nearest each city center.
| City | ZIP | Zone | Winter low | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis | 46204 | 6b | −5 °F to 0 °F | Apr 20 | Oct 21 |
| Fort Wayne | 46805 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 24 | Oct 21 |
| Evansville | 47711 | 7a | 0 °F to 5 °F | Apr 4 | Oct 29 |
| Fishers | 46037 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 21 | Oct 21 |
| South Bend | 46601 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 23 | Oct 23 |
| Carmel | 46032 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 21 | Oct 21 |
| Bloomington | 47405 | 6b | −5 °F to 0 °F | Apr 15 | Oct 26 |
| Hammond | 46320 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 23 | Oct 20 |
| Noblesville | 46062 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 21 | Oct 21 |
| Lafayette | 47901 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 26 | Oct 18 |
| Muncie | 47305 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 16 | Oct 25 |
| Kokomo | 46902 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 27 | Oct 18 |
| Terre Haute | 47807 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 15 | Oct 19 |
| Anderson | 46016 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 19 | Oct 23 |
| Elkhart | 46516 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 26 | Oct 21 |
| Jeffersonville | 47130 | 7a | 0 °F to 5 °F | Mar 31 | Nov 9 |
| Columbus | 47203 | 6b | −5 °F to 0 °F | Apr 11 | Oct 25 |
| Portage | 46368 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 22 | Oct 27 |
| Crown Point | 46307 | 5b | −15 °F to −10 °F | Apr 29 | Oct 16 |
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 Indiana 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 Indiana Are in Each Zone?
Zone 5b, the coldest Indiana zone, covers 5% of ZIP codes around Crown Point, Crawfordsville and Cedar Lake. Zone 7a, the warmest, covers 10% around Evansville, Jeffersonville and New Albany. The table lists the largest places in every zone.
| Zone | Avg. coldest night | Share of ZIPs | Largest places in this zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 5b | −15 °F to −10 °F | 5% (45) | Crown Point, Crawfordsville, Cedar Lake, Lowell |
| Zone 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | 61% (567) | Fort Wayne, Fishers, South Bend, Carmel |
| Zone 6b | −5 °F to 0 °F | 24% (226) | Indianapolis, Bloomington, Columbus, Franklin |
| Zone 7a | 0 °F to 5 °F | 10% (91) | Evansville, Jeffersonville, New Albany, Clarksville |
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 Indiana Gardeners?
A Indiana gardener in zone 7a sees winter lows about 15 °F milder than one in zone 5b, 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 Indiana, a plant labelled “zones 6–7” survives winter in at least 85% 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 Indiana towns in the same zone can have last frosts weeks apart.
What Plants Grow Well Across Indiana?
220 plants in PlantoScan's catalogue are hardy in every zone from 6a to 6b, the zones that cover 85% of Indiana ZIP codes. Popular examples include hydrangea, peony and daisy.
Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla
Zone 5 – 9
AI generated
Peony
Paeonia lactiflora
Zone 3 – 8
AI generated
- DaisyBellis perennisPlantoScan
Daisy
Bellis perennis
Zone 4a – 8b
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum morifolium
Zone 5a – 9b
PlantoscanAI generated
Poppy
Papaver somniferum
Zone 3a – 9b
AI generated
Carnation
Dianthus caryophyllus
Zone 5a – 9b
AI generated
Daffodil
Narcissus poeticus
Zone 3 – 8
AI generated
Azalea
Azalea indica
Zone 6a – 9b
AI generated
Arugula
Eruca sativa
Zone 5a – 10b
AI generated
Hardiness ranges come from PlantoScan's plant database; gardeners in Indiana's colder or warmer edge zones should check each plant's full range.
When Is the Last Frost in Indiana?
Across most Indiana ZIP codes, the average last spring frost falls between April 10 and April 28, from March 31 in Jeffersonville to April 29 in Crown Point. Tender vegetables such as tomatoes go out 1 to 2 weeks after the local date.
The last and first frost dates for Indiana 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 Indiana?
- Indiana spans USDA hardiness zones 5b to 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 6a is the most common, covering 61% of the state's 929 ZIP codes, and zones 6a to 6b together cover 85%.
- What hardiness zone is Indianapolis, Indiana?
- Indianapolis is in USDA hardiness zone 6b (ZIP 46204), where the average coldest winter night reaches −5 °F to 0 °F. Its average last spring frost is April 20 and its first fall frost October 21.
- What hardiness zone is Fort Wayne, Indiana?
- Fort Wayne is in USDA hardiness zone 6a (ZIP 46805), where the average coldest winter night reaches −10 °F to −5 °F. Its average last spring frost is April 24 and its first fall frost October 21.
- What hardiness zone is Evansville, Indiana?
- Evansville is in USDA hardiness zone 7a (ZIP 47711), where the average coldest winter night reaches 0 °F to 5 °F. Its average last spring frost is April 4 and its first fall frost October 29.
- What is the coldest hardiness zone in Indiana?
- Zone 5b (−15 °F to −10 °F) is the coldest zone in Indiana, found in 45 ZIP codes around Crown Point and Crawfordsville. The warmest is zone 7a (0 °F to 5 °F), around Evansville and Jeffersonville.
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.