Planting Zone 10a: Plants That Grow in USDA Hardiness Zone 10a

USDA hardiness zone 10a covers areas where the coldest winter night averages 30 °F to 35 °F (−1.1 °C to 1.7 °C). 1,234 ZIP codes in 6 states fall in zone 10a, mostly in California, Florida, Texas, Arizona and Louisiana. PlantoScan lists 236 plants that survive winter outdoors in zone 10a.

Winter low (°F)
30 °F to 35 °F
Winter low (°C)
−1.1 °C to 1.7 °C
US ZIP codes
1,234
Hardy plants
236

What Temperatures Define Hardiness Zone 10a?

Hardiness zone 10a is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 30 °F to 35 °F (−1.1 °C to 1.7 °C). This is the colder half of zone 10, which spans 30 °F to 40 °F in total.

The value is a 30-year average of each winter's single coldest night, taken from 1991–2020 weather records for the 2023 USDA map. Individual winters regularly run a few degrees colder, so plants rated exactly to zone 10abenefit from mulch and a sheltered spot. Gardeners who don't know their zone yet can look up their USDA hardiness zone by ZIP code before comparing plants.

← Colder: zone 9b (25 °F to 30 °F)Warmer: zone 10b (35 °F to 40 °F) →

Which States Are in Hardiness Zone 10a?

Zone 10a appears in 6 states of the contiguous US. California, Florida, Texas, Arizona and Louisiana have the most ZIP codes in zone 10a, based on the official 2023 USDA ZIP code table.

  • California · 623 ZIPs
  • Florida · 438 ZIPs
  • Texas · 95 ZIPs
  • Arizona · 71 ZIPs
  • Louisiana · 6 ZIPs
  • Nevada · 1 ZIPs

Hardiness zones follow elevation and water, not state lines, so most states span several zones.

What Plants Grow in Zone 10a?

236 plants in PlantoScan's catalogue are hardy in zone 10a, meaning zone 10a falls inside their hardiness range. They include 52 trees, 44 shrubs, 35 perennials, herbs & flowers, 36 vines & climbers.

Trees for Zone 10a (52)

Shrubs for Zone 10a (44)

Perennials, Herbs & Flowers for Zone 10a (35)

Vines & Climbers for Zone 10a (36)

Succulents & Cacti for Zone 10a (34)

Grasses for Zone 10a (10)

Ferns for Zone 10a (5)

Palms for Zone 10a (6)

Other Plants for Zone 10a (14)

Which Popular Plants Aren't Hardy in Zone 10a?

These popular plants need a warmer zone than 10a to survive winter outdoors. Grow them as houseplants, in containers that move indoors before the first frost, or as annuals replanted each spring.

How Do You Garden Successfully in Zone 10a?

Successful zone 10a gardens rely on perennials, shrubs and trees rated to zone 10 or colder. Plants rated right at zone 10a survive typical winters but benefit from mulch, windbreaks and a spot near a warm wall.

A hardiness zone describes winter cold only. Planting dates follow your local last spring frost and first fall frost, which differ by weeks within zone 10a — a last frost date calculator by ZIP code gives the dates for your garden. Summer heat, rainfall and soil drainage decide whether a hardy plant thrives. Microclimates matter as well: raised beds, slopes and paved areas warm up faster, while low ground collects cold air on still nights.

Zone temperatures and ZIP codes: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, USDA Agricultural Research Service and the PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University. Plant hardiness ranges come from PlantoScan's plant database and are estimates — local conditions, cultivars and winter protection change what survives.