What Planting Zones Are in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma spans USDA hardiness zones 6b to 8a, where the average coldest winter night ranges from −5 °F to 15 °F (−20.6 °C to −9.4 °C). Zone 7b covers the most ZIP codes, 60%, and zones 7a to 8a together cover 98% of the state.
Bars show each zone's share of the 761 Oklahoma ZIP codes in the official 2023 USDA ZIP code table; select a zone for its temperatures and hardy plants.
What Hardiness Zone Are Oklahoma Cities In?
Oklahoma City is in zone 7b, Tulsa is in zone 7b, Norman is in zone 7b and Broken Arrow is in zone 7b. The table lists the zone, winter low and average frost dates for 18 Oklahoma cities, using the ZIP code nearest each city center.
| City | ZIP | Zone | Winter low | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | 73102 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Apr 4 | Nov 2 |
| Tulsa | 74112 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Mar 31 | Nov 4 |
| Norman | 73071 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Mar 31 | Nov 5 |
| Broken Arrow | 74012 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Apr 1 | Nov 1 |
| Edmond | 73034 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Apr 10 | Oct 28 |
| Lawton | 73505 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Mar 26 | Nov 7 |
| Moore | 73160 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Mar 31 | Nov 5 |
| Midwest City | 73110 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Apr 2 | Nov 5 |
| Enid | 73701 | 7a | 0 °F to 5 °F | Apr 6 | Nov 1 |
| Stillwater | 74078 | 7a | 0 °F to 5 °F | Apr 5 | Oct 30 |
| Bartlesville | 74006 | 7a | 0 °F to 5 °F | Apr 11 | Oct 24 |
| Muskogee | 74403 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Apr 2 | Nov 2 |
| Shawnee | 74804 | 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | Mar 30 | Nov 5 |
| Ardmore | 73401 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Mar 18 | Nov 10 |
| Ponca City | 74601 | 7a | 0 °F to 5 °F | Apr 10 | Oct 27 |
| Duncan | 73533 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Mar 25 | Nov 7 |
| Durant | 74701 | 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | Mar 31 | Nov 5 |
| Claremore | 74019 | 7a | 0 °F to 5 °F | Apr 7 | Oct 30 |
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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma Are in Each Zone?
Zone 6b, the coldest Oklahoma zone, covers 2% of ZIP codes around Guymon, Hooker and Beaver. Zone 8a, the warmest, covers 14% around Ardmore, Duncan and Durant. The table lists the largest places in every zone.
| Zone | Avg. coldest night | Share of ZIPs | Largest places in this zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 6b | −5 °F to 0 °F | 2% (15) | Guymon, Hooker, Beaver, Boise City |
| Zone 7a | 0 °F to 5 °F | 24% (180) | Enid, Stillwater, Bartlesville, Ponca City |
| Zone 7b | 5 °F to 10 °F | 60% (460) | Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, Broken Arrow |
| Zone 8a | 10 °F to 15 °F | 14% (106) | Ardmore, Duncan, Durant, Idabel |
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 Oklahoma Gardeners?
A Oklahoma gardener in zone 8a sees winter lows about 15 °F milder than one in zone 6b, 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 Oklahoma, a plant labelled “zones 7–8” survives winter in at least 98% 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 Oklahoma towns in the same zone can have last frosts weeks apart.
What Plants Grow Well Across Oklahoma?
230 plants in PlantoScan's catalogue are hardy in every zone from 7a to 8a, the zones that cover 98% of Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma's colder or warmer edge zones should check each plant's full range.
When Is the Last Frost in Oklahoma?
Across most Oklahoma ZIP codes, the average last spring frost falls between March 28 and April 11, from March 18 in Ardmore to April 11 in Bartlesville. Tender vegetables such as tomatoes go out 1 to 2 weeks after the local date.
The last and first frost dates for Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma?
- Oklahoma spans USDA hardiness zones 6b to 8a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 7b is the most common, covering 60% of the state's 761 ZIP codes, and zones 7a to 8a together cover 98%.
- What hardiness zone is Oklahoma City, Oklahoma?
- Oklahoma City is in USDA hardiness zone 7b (ZIP 73102), where the average coldest winter night reaches 5 °F to 10 °F. Its average last spring frost is April 4 and its first fall frost November 2.
- What hardiness zone is Tulsa, Oklahoma?
- Tulsa is in USDA hardiness zone 7b (ZIP 74112), where the average coldest winter night reaches 5 °F to 10 °F. Its average last spring frost is March 31 and its first fall frost November 4.
- What hardiness zone is Norman, Oklahoma?
- Norman is in USDA hardiness zone 7b (ZIP 73071), where the average coldest winter night reaches 5 °F to 10 °F. Its average last spring frost is March 31 and its first fall frost November 5.
- What is the coldest hardiness zone in Oklahoma?
- Zone 6b (−5 °F to 0 °F) is the coldest zone in Oklahoma, found in 15 ZIP codes around Guymon and Hooker. The warmest is zone 8a (10 °F to 15 °F), around Ardmore and Duncan.
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.