What Planting Zones Are in New York?
New York spans USDA hardiness zones 4a to 7b, where the average coldest winter night ranges from −30 °F to 10 °F (−34.4 °C to −12.2 °C). Zone 6a covers the most ZIP codes, 23%, and zones 5b to 7b together cover 82% of the state.
- Zone 4a1% · 29 ZIPs
- Zone 4b5% · 107 ZIPs
- Zone 5a7% · 141 ZIPs
- Zone 5b21% · 436 ZIPs
- Zone 6a23% · 499 ZIPs
- Zone 6b15% · 320 ZIPs
- Zone 7a5% · 108 ZIPs
- Zone 7b23% · 485 ZIPs
Bars show each zone's share of the 2,125 New York ZIP codes in the official 2023 USDA ZIP code table; select a zone for its temperatures and hardy plants.
What Hardiness Zone Are New York Cities In?
New York is in zone 7b, Buffalo is in zone 6b, Yonkers is in zone 7b and Rochester is in zone 6b. The table lists the zone, winter low and average frost dates for 21 New York cities, using the ZIP code nearest each city center.
| City | ZIP | Zone | Winter low | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 11213 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Apr 1 | Nov 19 |
| Buffalo | 14204 | 6b | −5 °F to 0 °F | Apr 24 | Oct 26 |
| Yonkers | 10701 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Apr 20 | Oct 26 |
| Rochester | 14605 | 6b | −5 °F to 0 °F | Apr 24 | Oct 25 |
| Syracuse | 13202 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 29 | Oct 19 |
| Albany | 12206 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 27 | Oct 15 |
| New Rochelle | 10801 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Apr 1 | Nov 16 |
| Mount Vernon | 10553 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Apr 1 | Nov 16 |
| Schenectady | 12307 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | Apr 27 | Oct 15 |
| Utica | 13501 | 5b | −15 °F to −10 °F | May 1 | Oct 13 |
| White Plains | 10601 | 7a | 0 °F to 5 °F | Apr 12 | Oct 31 |
| Hempstead | 11550 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Apr 2 | Nov 12 |
| Niagara Falls | 14301 | 6b | −5 °F to 0 °F | Apr 26 | Oct 25 |
| Binghamton | 13902 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | May 5 | Oct 12 |
| Kiryas Joel | 10950 | 6b | −5 °F to 0 °F | Apr 10 | Nov 1 |
| Ithaca | 14850 | 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | May 11 | Oct 3 |
| Poughkeepsie | 12601 | 6b | −5 °F to 0 °F | Apr 21 | Oct 21 |
| Rome | 13440 | 5b | −15 °F to −10 °F | May 6 | Oct 13 |
| Saratoga Springs | 12866 | 5b | −15 °F to −10 °F | May 2 | Oct 7 |
| Watertown | 13601 | 5a | −20 °F to −15 °F | May 2 | Oct 13 |
| Massena | 13662 | 4b | −25 °F to −20 °F | May 8 | Oct 1 |
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 York 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 York Are in Each Zone?
Zone 4a, the coldest New York zone, covers 1% of ZIP codes around Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake and Lake Placid. Zone 7b, the warmest, covers 23% around New York, Yonkers and New Rochelle. The table lists the largest places in every zone.
| Zone | Avg. coldest night | Share of ZIPs | Largest places in this zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | 1% (29) | Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Lake Placid |
| Zone 4b | −25 °F to −20 °F | 5% (107) | Massena, Potsdam, Canton, Malone |
| Zone 5a | −20 °F to −15 °F | 7% (141) | Watertown, Plattsburgh, Glens Falls, Ogdensburg |
| Zone 5b | −15 °F to −10 °F | 21% (436) | Utica, Rome, Saratoga Springs, Amsterdam |
| Zone 6a | −10 °F to −5 °F | 23% (499) | Syracuse, Albany, Schenectady, Troy |
| Zone 6b | −5 °F to 0 °F | 15% (320) | Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, Kiryas Joel |
| Zone 7a | 0 °F to 5 °F | 5% (108) | White Plains, Spring Valley, Harrison, Ossining |
| Zone 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | 23% (485) | New York, Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon |
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 York Gardeners?
A New York gardener in zone 7b sees winter lows about 35 °F milder than one in zone 4a, 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 York, a plant labelled “zones 5–7” survives winter in at least 82% 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 York towns in the same zone can have last frosts weeks apart.
What Plants Grow Well Across New York?
199 plants in PlantoScan's catalogue are hardy in every zone from 5b to 7b, the zones that cover 82% of New York 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
Arugula
Eruca sativa
Zone 5a – 10b
AI generated
Alfalfa
Medicago sativa
Zone 3a – 10a
AI generated
Hardiness ranges come from PlantoScan's plant database; gardeners in New York's colder or warmer edge zones should check each plant's full range.
When Is the Last Frost in New York?
Across most New York ZIP codes, the average last spring frost falls between April 2 and May 14, from April 1 in New York to May 11 in Ithaca. Tender vegetables such as tomatoes go out 1 to 2 weeks after the local date.
The last and first frost dates for New York 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 York?
- New York spans USDA hardiness zones 4a to 7b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 6a is the most common, covering 23% of the state's 2,125 ZIP codes, and zones 5b to 7b together cover 82%.
- What hardiness zone is New York, New York?
- New York is in USDA hardiness zone 7b (ZIP 11213), where the average coldest winter night reaches 5 °F to 10 °F. Its average last spring frost is April 1 and its first fall frost November 19.
- What hardiness zone is Buffalo, New York?
- Buffalo is in USDA hardiness zone 6b (ZIP 14204), where the average coldest winter night reaches −5 °F to 0 °F. Its average last spring frost is April 24 and its first fall frost October 26.
- What hardiness zone is Yonkers, New York?
- Yonkers is in USDA hardiness zone 7b (ZIP 10701), where the average coldest winter night reaches 5 °F to 10 °F. Its average last spring frost is April 20 and its first fall frost October 26.
- What is the coldest hardiness zone in New York?
- Zone 4a (−30 °F to −25 °F) is the coldest zone in New York, found in 29 ZIP codes around Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake. The warmest is zone 7b (5 °F to 10 °F), around New York and Yonkers.
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.