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

USDA hardiness zone 11b covers areas where the coldest winter night averages 45 °F to 50 °F (7.2 °C to 10 °C). 11 ZIP codes in 1 state fall in zone 11b, mostly in Florida. PlantoScan lists 348 plants that survive winter outdoors in zone 11b.

Winter low (°F)
45 °F to 50 °F
Winter low (°C)
7.2 °C to 10 °C
US ZIP codes
11
Hardy plants
348

What Temperatures Define Hardiness Zone 11b?

Hardiness zone 11b is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 45 °F to 50 °F (7.2 °C to 10 °C). This is the warmer 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 11bbenefit 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 11a (40 °F to 45 °F)Warmer: zone 12a (50 °F to 55 °F) →

Which States Are in Hardiness Zone 11b?

Zone 11b appears in 1 state of the contiguous US. Florida has the most ZIP codes in zone 11b, based on the official 2023 USDA ZIP code table.

  • Florida · 11 ZIPs

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

What Plants Grow in Zone 11b?

348 plants in PlantoScan's catalogue are hardy in zone 11b, meaning zone 11b falls inside their hardiness range. They include 63 trees, 71 shrubs, 31 perennials, herbs & flowers, 92 vines & climbers.

Trees for Zone 11b (63)

Shrubs for Zone 11b (71)

Perennials, Herbs & Flowers for Zone 11b (31)

Vines & Climbers for Zone 11b (92)

Succulents & Cacti for Zone 11b (40)

Grasses for Zone 11b (6)

Ferns for Zone 11b (12)

Palms for Zone 11b (10)

Other Plants for Zone 11b (23)

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

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

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