What Planting Zones Are in North Dakota?
North Dakota spans USDA hardiness zones 3b to 4b, where the average coldest winter night ranges from −35 °F to −20 °F (−37.2 °C to −28.9 °C). Zone 4a covers the most ZIP codes, 78%, and zones 3b to 4a together cover 91% of the state.
Bars show each zone's share of the 405 North Dakota ZIP codes in the official 2023 USDA ZIP code table; select a zone for its temperatures and hardy plants.
What Hardiness Zone Are North Dakota Cities In?
Fargo is in zone 4a, Bismarck is in zone 4a, Grand Forks is in zone 4a and Minot is in zone 4a. The table lists the zone, winter low and average frost dates for 18 North Dakota cities, using the ZIP code nearest each city center.
| City | ZIP | Zone | Winter low | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo | 58103 | 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | May 4 | Oct 2 |
| Bismarck | 58505 | 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | May 10 | Sep 30 |
| Grand Forks | 58201 | 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | May 10 | Oct 1 |
| Minot | 58703 | 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | May 10 | Oct 1 |
| West Fargo | 58078 | 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | May 10 | Sep 30 |
| Williston | 58801 | 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | May 13 | Sep 26 |
| Dickinson | 58601 | 4b | −25 °F to −20 °F | May 20 | Sep 22 |
| Mandan | 58505 | 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | May 10 | Sep 30 |
| Jamestown | 58405 | 4b | −25 °F to −20 °F | May 11 | Sep 28 |
| Wahpeton | 58076 | 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | May 4 | Oct 3 |
| Devils Lake | 58301 | 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | May 12 | Sep 30 |
| Valley City | 58072 | 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | May 13 | Sep 26 |
| Watford City | 58854 | 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | May 9 | Sep 27 |
| Grafton | 58237 | 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | May 4 | Oct 7 |
| Beulah | 58523 | 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | May 21 | Sep 20 |
| New Town | 58763 | 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | May 20 | Sep 20 |
| Rugby | 58368 | 3b | −35 °F to −30 °F | May 17 | Sep 23 |
| Stanley | 58784 | 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | May 17 | Sep 23 |
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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota Are in Each Zone?
Zone 3b, the coldest North Dakota zone, covers 13% of ZIP codes around Rugby, Bottineau and Tioga. Zone 4b, the warmest, covers 9% around Dickinson, Jamestown and Bowman. The table lists the largest places in every zone.
| Zone | Avg. coldest night | Share of ZIPs | Largest places in this zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3b | −35 °F to −30 °F | 13% (54) | Rugby, Bottineau, Tioga, Langdon |
| Zone 4a | −30 °F to −25 °F | 78% (316) | Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, Minot |
| Zone 4b | −25 °F to −20 °F | 9% (35) | Dickinson, Jamestown, Bowman, Ellendale |
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 North Dakota Gardeners?
A North Dakota gardener in zone 4b sees winter lows about 10 °F milder than one in zone 3b, 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 North Dakota, a plant labelled “zones 3–4” 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 North Dakota towns in the same zone can have last frosts weeks apart.
What Plants Grow Well Across North Dakota?
104 plants in PlantoScan's catalogue are hardy in every zone from 3b to 4a, the zones that cover 91% of North Dakota ZIP codes. Popular examples include peony, poppy and daffodil.
Peony
Paeonia lactiflora
Zone 3 – 8
AI generated
Poppy
Papaver somniferum
Zone 3a – 9b
AI generated
Daffodil
Narcissus poeticus
Zone 3 – 8
AI generated
Alfalfa
Medicago sativa
Zone 3a – 10a
AI generated
Tiger Lily
Lilium lancifolium
Zone 3 – 8
AI generated
Forget Me Not
Myosotis sylvatica
Zone 3 – 8
AI generated
Bee Balm
Monarda didyma
Zone 3a – 9b
Alex AbairCC BY 4.0iNaturalistresized
Wild Ginger
Asarum canadense
Zone 3a – 8b
Alex KarasoulosCC BY 4.0iNaturalistresized
Catnip
Nepeta cataria
Zone 3 – 9
AI generated
Hardiness ranges come from PlantoScan's plant database; gardeners in North Dakota's colder or warmer edge zones should check each plant's full range.
When Is the Last Frost in North Dakota?
Across most North Dakota ZIP codes, the average last spring frost falls between May 6 and May 19, from May 4 in Fargo to May 21 in Beulah. Tender vegetables such as tomatoes go out 1 to 2 weeks after the local date.
The last and first frost dates for North Dakota 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 North Dakota?
- North Dakota spans USDA hardiness zones 3b to 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 4a is the most common, covering 78% of the state's 405 ZIP codes, and zones 3b to 4a together cover 91%.
- What hardiness zone is Fargo, North Dakota?
- Fargo is in USDA hardiness zone 4a (ZIP 58103), where the average coldest winter night reaches −30 °F to −25 °F. Its average last spring frost is May 4 and its first fall frost October 2.
- What hardiness zone is Bismarck, North Dakota?
- Bismarck is in USDA hardiness zone 4a (ZIP 58505), where the average coldest winter night reaches −30 °F to −25 °F. Its average last spring frost is May 10 and its first fall frost September 30.
- What hardiness zone is Grand Forks, North Dakota?
- Grand Forks is in USDA hardiness zone 4a (ZIP 58201), where the average coldest winter night reaches −30 °F to −25 °F. Its average last spring frost is May 10 and its first fall frost October 1.
- What is the coldest hardiness zone in North Dakota?
- Zone 3b (−35 °F to −30 °F) is the coldest zone in North Dakota, found in 54 ZIP codes around Rugby and Bottineau. The warmest is zone 4b (−25 °F to −20 °F), around Dickinson and Jamestown.
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.