Planting Zone 12b: Plants That Grow in USDA Hardiness Zone 12b

USDA hardiness zone 12b covers areas where the coldest winter night averages 55 °F to 60 °F (12.8 °C to 15.6 °C). Zone 12b doesn't occur in the contiguous United States; it is found in Hawaii and Puerto Rico. PlantoScan lists 234 plants that survive winter outdoors in zone 12b.

Winter low (°F)
55 °F to 60 °F
Winter low (°C)
12.8 °C to 15.6 °C
US ZIP codes
—
Hardy plants
234

What Temperatures Define Hardiness Zone 12b?

Hardiness zone 12b is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 55 °F to 60 °F (12.8 °C to 15.6 °C). This is the warmer half of zone 12, which spans 50 °F to 60 °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 12bbenefit 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 12a (50 °F to 55 °F)Warmer: zone 13a (60 °F to 65 °F) →

Which States Are in Hardiness Zone 12b?

Zone 12b doesn't occur in the contiguous United States. On the 2023 USDA map it is found in Hawaii and Puerto Rico, which the USDA ZIP code table doesn't cover.

What Plants Grow in Zone 12b?

234 plants in PlantoScan's catalogue are hardy in zone 12b, meaning zone 12b falls inside their hardiness range. They include 42 trees, 50 shrubs, 14 perennials, herbs & flowers, 84 vines & climbers.

Trees for Zone 12b (42)

Shrubs for Zone 12b (50)

Perennials, Herbs & Flowers for Zone 12b (14)

Vines & Climbers for Zone 12b (84)

Succulents & Cacti for Zone 12b (11)

Grasses for Zone 12b (3)

Ferns for Zone 12b (8)

Palms for Zone 12b (7)

Other Plants for Zone 12b (15)

How Do You Garden Successfully in Zone 12b?

Successful zone 12b gardens rely on perennials, shrubs and trees rated to zone 12 or colder. Plants rated right at zone 12b 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 12b — 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.