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

USDA hardiness zone 10b covers areas where the coldest winter night averages 35 °F to 40 °F (1.7 °C to 4.4 °C). 751 ZIP codes in 3 states fall in zone 10b, mostly in California, Florida and Texas. PlantoScan lists 337 plants that survive winter outdoors in zone 10b.

Winter low (°F)
35 °F to 40 °F
Winter low (°C)
1.7 °C to 4.4 °C
US ZIP codes
751
Hardy plants
337

What Temperatures Define Hardiness Zone 10b?

Hardiness zone 10b is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 35 °F to 40 °F (1.7 °C to 4.4 °C). This is the warmer 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 10bbenefit 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 10a (30 °F to 35 °F)Warmer: zone 11a (40 °F to 45 °F) →

Which States Are in Hardiness Zone 10b?

Zone 10b appears in 3 states of the contiguous US. California, Florida and Texas have the most ZIP codes in zone 10b, based on the official 2023 USDA ZIP code table.

  • California · 527 ZIPs
  • Florida · 223 ZIPs
  • Texas · 1 ZIPs

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

What Plants Grow in Zone 10b?

337 plants in PlantoScan's catalogue are hardy in zone 10b, meaning zone 10b falls inside their hardiness range. They include 70 trees, 66 shrubs, 38 perennials, herbs & flowers, 70 vines & climbers.

Trees for Zone 10b (70)

Shrubs for Zone 10b (66)

Perennials, Herbs & Flowers for Zone 10b (38)

Vines & Climbers for Zone 10b (70)

Succulents & Cacti for Zone 10b (40)

Grasses for Zone 10b (10)

Ferns for Zone 10b (12)

Palms for Zone 10b (10)

Other Plants for Zone 10b (21)

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

These popular plants need a warmer zone than 10b 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 10b?

Successful zone 10b gardens rely on perennials, shrubs and trees rated to zone 10 or colder. Plants rated right at zone 10b 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 10b — 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.