Planting Zone 11a: Plants That Grow in USDA Hardiness Zone 11a

USDA hardiness zone 11a covers areas where the coldest winter night averages 40 °F to 45 °F (4.4 °C to 7.2 °C). 197 ZIP codes in 2 states fall in zone 11a, mostly in Florida and California. PlantoScan lists 321 plants that survive winter outdoors in zone 11a.

Winter low (°F)
40 °F to 45 °F
Winter low (°C)
4.4 °C to 7.2 °C
US ZIP codes
197
Hardy plants
321

What Temperatures Define Hardiness Zone 11a?

Hardiness zone 11a is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 40 °F to 45 °F (4.4 °C to 7.2 °C). This is the colder half of zone 11, which spans 40 °F to 50 °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 11abenefit 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 10b (35 °F to 40 °F)Warmer: zone 11b (45 °F to 50 °F) →

Which States Are in Hardiness Zone 11a?

Zone 11a appears in 2 states of the contiguous US. Florida and California have the most ZIP codes in zone 11a, based on the official 2023 USDA ZIP code table.

  • Florida · 169 ZIPs
  • California · 28 ZIPs

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

What Plants Grow in Zone 11a?

321 plants in PlantoScan's catalogue are hardy in zone 11a, meaning zone 11a falls inside their hardiness range. They include 62 trees, 66 shrubs, 27 perennials, herbs & flowers, 78 vines & climbers.

Trees for Zone 11a (62)

Shrubs for Zone 11a (66)

Perennials, Herbs & Flowers for Zone 11a (27)

Vines & Climbers for Zone 11a (78)

Succulents & Cacti for Zone 11a (40)

Grasses for Zone 11a (6)

Ferns for Zone 11a (12)

Palms for Zone 11a (10)

Other Plants for Zone 11a (20)

Which Popular Plants Aren't Hardy in Zone 11a?

These popular plants need a warmer zone than 11a 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 11a?

Successful zone 11a gardens rely on perennials, shrubs and trees rated to zone 11 or colder. Plants rated right at zone 11a 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 11a — 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.