Planting Zone 9a: Plants That Grow in USDA Hardiness Zone 9a

USDA hardiness zone 9a covers areas where the coldest winter night averages 20 °F to 25 °F (−6.7 °C to −3.9 °C). 2,199 ZIP codes in 13 states fall in zone 9a, mostly in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, California and Georgia. PlantoScan lists 221 plants that survive winter outdoors in zone 9a.

Winter low (°F)
20 °F to 25 °F
Winter low (°C)
−6.7 °C to −3.9 °C
US ZIP codes
2,199
Hardy plants
221

What Temperatures Define Hardiness Zone 9a?

Hardiness zone 9a is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 20 °F to 25 °F (−6.7 °C to −3.9 °C). This is the colder half of zone 9, which spans 20 °F to 30 °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 9abenefit 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 8b (15 °F to 20 °F)Warmer: zone 9b (25 °F to 30 °F) →

Which States Are in Hardiness Zone 9a?

Zone 9a appears in 13 states of the contiguous US. Texas, Louisiana, Florida, California and Georgia have the most ZIP codes in zone 9a, based on the official 2023 USDA ZIP code table.

  • Texas · 555 ZIPs
  • Louisiana · 344 ZIPs
  • Florida · 270 ZIPs
  • California · 236 ZIPs
  • Georgia · 211 ZIPs
  • Washington · 137 ZIPs
  • Oregon · 115 ZIPs
  • Alabama · 87 ZIPs
  • Arizona · 67 ZIPs
  • South Carolina · 56 ZIPs
  • Nevada · 52 ZIPs
  • Mississippi · 49 ZIPs
  • North Carolina · 20 ZIPs

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

What Plants Grow in Zone 9a?

221 plants in PlantoScan's catalogue are hardy in zone 9a, meaning zone 9a falls inside their hardiness range. They include 67 trees, 39 shrubs, 46 perennials, herbs & flowers, 23 vines & climbers.

Trees for Zone 9a (67)

Shrubs for Zone 9a (39)

Perennials, Herbs & Flowers for Zone 9a (46)

Vines & Climbers for Zone 9a (23)

Succulents & Cacti for Zone 9a (7)

Grasses for Zone 9a (20)

Ferns for Zone 9a (4)

Palms for Zone 9a (2)

Other Plants for Zone 9a (13)

Which Popular Plants Aren't Hardy in Zone 9a?

These popular plants need a warmer zone than 9a 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 9a?

Successful zone 9a gardens rely on perennials, shrubs and trees rated to zone 9 or colder. Plants rated right at zone 9a 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 9a — 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.