Planting Zone 7a: Plants That Grow in USDA Hardiness Zone 7a

USDA hardiness zone 7a covers areas where the coldest winter night averages 0 °F to 5 °F (−17.8 °C to −15 °C). 4,856 ZIP codes in 33 states fall in zone 7a, mostly in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia and New Jersey. PlantoScan lists 245 plants that survive winter outdoors in zone 7a.

Winter low (°F)
0 °F to 5 °F
Winter low (°C)
−17.8 °C to −15 °C
US ZIP codes
4,856
Hardy plants
245

What Temperatures Define Hardiness Zone 7a?

Hardiness zone 7a is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 0 °F to 5 °F (−17.8 °C to −15 °C). This is the colder half of zone 7, which spans 0 °F to 10 °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 7abenefit 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 6b (−5 °F to 0 °F)Warmer: zone 7b (5 °F to 10 °F) →

Which States Are in Hardiness Zone 7a?

Zone 7a appears in 33 states of the contiguous US. Kentucky, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia and New Jersey have the most ZIP codes in zone 7a, based on the official 2023 USDA ZIP code table.

  • Kentucky · 728 ZIPs
  • Pennsylvania · 613 ZIPs
  • West Virginia · 416 ZIPs
  • Virginia · 386 ZIPs
  • New Jersey · 339 ZIPs
  • Missouri · 310 ZIPs
  • Oklahoma · 180 ZIPs
  • Illinois · 164 ZIPs
  • Kansas · 162 ZIPs
  • Massachusetts · 153 ZIPs
  • Washington · 125 ZIPs
  • Connecticut · 113 ZIPs
  • New York · 108 ZIPs
  • Tennessee · 104 ZIPs
  • Maryland · 98 ZIPs
  • Texas · 94 ZIPs
  • Indiana · 91 ZIPs
  • New Mexico · 91 ZIPs
  • Idaho · 82 ZIPs
  • Arkansas · 78 ZIPs
  • North Carolina · 67 ZIPs
  • Ohio · 63 ZIPs
  • Utah · 60 ZIPs
  • Rhode Island · 47 ZIPs
  • Nevada · 45 ZIPs
  • Arizona · 44 ZIPs
  • California · 41 ZIPs
  • Oregon · 37 ZIPs
  • Colorado · 13 ZIPs
  • Maine · 1 ZIPs
  • Delaware · 1 ZIPs
  • Georgia · 1 ZIPs
  • Michigan · 1 ZIPs

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

What Plants Grow in Zone 7a?

245 plants in PlantoScan's catalogue are hardy in zone 7a, meaning zone 7a falls inside their hardiness range. They include 91 trees, 37 shrubs, 56 perennials, herbs & flowers, 15 vines & climbers.

Trees for Zone 7a (91)

Shrubs for Zone 7a (37)

Perennials, Herbs & Flowers for Zone 7a (56)

Vines & Climbers for Zone 7a (15)

Succulents & Cacti for Zone 7a (4)

Grasses for Zone 7a (18)

Ferns for Zone 7a (10)

Other Plants for Zone 7a (14)

Which Popular Plants Aren't Hardy in Zone 7a?

These popular plants need a warmer zone than 7a 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 7a?

Successful zone 7a gardens rely on perennials, shrubs and trees rated to zone 7 or colder. Plants rated right at zone 7a 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 7a — 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.