What Planting Zones Are in New Mexico?
New Mexico spans USDA hardiness zones 5a to 8b, where the average coldest winter night ranges from −20 °F to 20 °F (−28.9 °C to −6.7 °C). Zone 7b covers the most ZIP codes, 25%, and zones 6a to 8a together cover 91% of the state.
- Zone 5a<1% · 1 ZIP
- Zone 5b4% · 18 ZIPs
- Zone 6a15% · 64 ZIPs
- Zone 6b16% · 68 ZIPs
- Zone 7a22% · 91 ZIPs
- Zone 7b25% · 105 ZIPs
- Zone 8a12% · 52 ZIPs
- Zone 8b5% · 20 ZIPs
Bars show each zone's share of the 419 New Mexico ZIP codes in the official 2023 USDA ZIP code table; select a zone for its temperatures and hardy plants.
What Hardiness Zone Are New Mexico Cities In?
Albuquerque is in zone 7b, Las Cruces is in zone 8b, Rio Rancho is in zone 7b and Santa Fe is in zone 6b. The table lists the zone, winter low and average frost dates for 19 New Mexico cities, using the ZIP code nearest each city center.
| City | ZIP | Zone | Winter low | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | 87101 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Apr 23 | Oct 20 |
| Las Cruces | 88001 | 8b | 15 °F to 20 °F | Mar 12 | Nov 13 |
| Rio Rancho | 87144 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Apr 16 | Oct 23 |
| Santa Fe | 87505 | 6b | −5 °F to 0 °F | May 2 | Oct 17 |
| Roswell | 88230 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Mar 29 | Nov 7 |
| Farmington | 87401 | 7a | 0 °F to 5 °F | May 2 | Oct 13 |
| Hobbs | 88244 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Mar 28 | Nov 10 |
| Clovis | 88101 | 7a | 0 °F to 5 °F | Apr 14 | Oct 29 |
| Carlsbad | 88220 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Apr 6 | Nov 1 |
| Alamogordo | 88311 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Mar 9 | Nov 18 |
| Gallup | 87301 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | May 31 | Sep 28 |
| Los Lunas | 87031 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Apr 23 | Oct 21 |
| Sunland Park | 88063 | 8b | 15 °F to 20 °F | Mar 23 | Nov 11 |
| Deming | 88030 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Apr 7 | Nov 3 |
| Las Vegas | 87731 | 6b | −5 °F to 0 °F | May 28 | Sep 26 |
| Artesia | 88253 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Apr 1 | Nov 6 |
| Portales | 88130 | 7a | 0 °F to 5 °F | Apr 15 | Oct 26 |
| Lovington | 88260 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Apr 19 | Oct 26 |
| Taos | 87529 | 5b | −15 °F to −10 °F | May 19 | Oct 3 |
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 New Mexico 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 New Mexico Are in Each Zone?
Zone 5b, the coldest New Mexico zone with towns, covers 4% of ZIP codes around Taos and Questa. Zone 8b, the warmest, covers 5% around Las Cruces, Sunland Park and Anthony. The table lists the largest places in every zone.
| Zone | Avg. coldest night | Share of ZIPs | Largest places in this zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 5a | −20 °F to −15 °F | <1% (1) | Rural ZIP codes only |
| Zone 5b | −15 °F to −10 °F | 4% (18) | Taos, Questa |
| Zone 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | 15% (64) | Gallup, Grants, Raton, Milan |
| Zone 6b | −5 °F to 0 °F | 16% (68) | Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Bloomfield, Edgewood |
| Zone 7a | 0 °F to 5 °F | 22% (91) | Farmington, Clovis, Portales, Española |
| Zone 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | 25% (105) | Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Roswell, Los Lunas |
| Zone 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | 12% (52) | Hobbs, Carlsbad, Alamogordo, Deming |
| Zone 8b | 15 °F to 20 °F | 5% (20) | Las Cruces, Sunland Park, Anthony, Mesilla |
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 New Mexico Gardeners?
A New Mexico gardener in zone 8b sees winter lows about 35 °F milder than one in zone 5a, 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 New Mexico, a plant labelled “zones 6–8” survives winter in at least 91% 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 New Mexico towns in the same zone can have last frosts weeks apart.
What Plants Grow Well Across New Mexico?
204 plants in PlantoScan's catalogue are hardy in every zone from 6a to 8a, the zones that cover 91% of New Mexico 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 New Mexico's colder or warmer edge zones should check each plant's full range.
When Is the Last Frost in New Mexico?
Across most New Mexico ZIP codes, the average last spring frost falls between March 29 and May 29, from March 9 in Alamogordo to May 31 in Gallup. Tender vegetables such as tomatoes go out 1 to 2 weeks after the local date.
The last and first frost dates for New Mexico 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 New Mexico?
- New Mexico spans USDA hardiness zones 5a to 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 7b is the most common, covering 25% of the state's 419 ZIP codes, and zones 6a to 8a together cover 91%.
- What hardiness zone is Albuquerque, New Mexico?
- Albuquerque is in USDA hardiness zone 7b (ZIP 87101), where the average coldest winter night reaches 5 °F to 10 °F. Its average last spring frost is April 23 and its first fall frost October 20.
- What hardiness zone is Las Cruces, New Mexico?
- Las Cruces is in USDA hardiness zone 8b (ZIP 88001), where the average coldest winter night reaches 15 °F to 20 °F. Its average last spring frost is March 12 and its first fall frost November 13.
- What hardiness zone is Rio Rancho, New Mexico?
- Rio Rancho is in USDA hardiness zone 7b (ZIP 87144), where the average coldest winter night reaches 5 °F to 10 °F. Its average last spring frost is April 16 and its first fall frost October 23.
- What is the coldest hardiness zone in New Mexico?
- Zone 5a (−20 °F to −15 °F) is the coldest zone in New Mexico, found in 1 ZIP code. The warmest is zone 8b (15 °F to 20 °F), around Las Cruces and Sunland Park.
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.