USDA hardiness zone 10a
In zone 10a, the average annual extreme minimum temperature is 30 to 35°F (-1.1 to 1.7°C), based on 1991–2020 data from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
What zone 10a means for your garden
A plant labeled "hardy to zone 10a" should survive a typical winter low of 30°F. Tropical and subtropical plants are an option, but many temperate fruit trees may not get enough winter chill. Zone 10b is the warmer half of zone 10.
ZIP codes in zone 10a: 1,234 in contiguous U.S.. New to zones? Read how to read your hardiness zone.
Frost dates in zone 10a
Across 54 major cities in zone 10a, the 30%-risk last spring frost ranges from Jan 3 to Feb 24 (median Jan 26), and the first fall frost has a median of Dec 15. In 9 more cities frost is rare. Frost timing depends on elevation, latitude and distance from water — a zone does not set a frost date, so check your city page for local dates.
Typical planting calendar for zone 10a
Based on the median frost dates above. For your exact dates, use your city page.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Dec 1 – Dec 15 | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 17 – Dec 1 | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 15 – Dec 29 | Jan 12 – Feb 2 | Dec 29 – Feb 9 | Oct 6 – Nov 3 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 2 – Mar 9 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 2 – Mar 2 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Dec 29 – Jan 5 | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Feb 2 – Feb 23 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Cucumber | Dec 29 – Jan 5 | Feb 9 – Feb 16 | Feb 2 – Feb 23 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 5 – Feb 9 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 3 – Nov 17 | Dec 29 – Jan 12 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Dec 29 – Jan 19 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 15 – Dec 29 | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Feb 9 – Mar 2 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 15 – Jan 12 | Oct 20 – Nov 17 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 1 – Dec 15 | Dec 29 – Jan 19 | Dec 29 – Jan 19 | Oct 6 – Nov 3 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 1 – Dec 15 | Jan 12 – Feb 2 | — | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 15 – Jan 5 | Oct 6 – Oct 20 |
| Eggplant | Nov 17 – Dec 1 | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 1 – Dec 15 | Dec 29 – Jan 12 | — | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 22 – Feb 9 | Nov 3 – Dec 1 |
| Strawberry | — | Dec 29 – Jan 19 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 5 – Feb 16 | Oct 6 – Oct 20 |
Cities in zone 10a (63)
Major cities whose center falls in zone 10a:
- Los Angeles, CA — frost rare
- Oakland, CA — frost rare
- Tampa, FL — last frost Jan 31, first frost Jan 3
- Orlando, FL — last frost Feb 4, first frost Jan 1
- Riverside, CA — last frost Jan 25, first frost Dec 15
- Corpus Christi, TX — last frost Jan 31, first frost Jan 1
- Port St. Lucie, FL — last frost Jan 30, first frost Jan 10
- Scottsdale, AZ — last frost Feb 13, first frost Dec 11
- Santa Clarita, CA — last frost Jan 26, first frost Dec 20
- San Bernardino, CA — last frost Feb 10, first frost Dec 11
- Fontana, CA — last frost Jan 13, first frost Dec 22
- Brownsville, TX — last frost Jan 13, first frost Dec 24
- Glendale, CA — last frost Jan 14, first frost Jan 1
- Ontario, CA — last frost Jan 13, first frost Dec 22
- Rancho Cucamonga, CA — last frost Jan 13, first frost Dec 22
- Oceanside, CA — last frost Feb 4, first frost Dec 1
- Corona, CA — last frost Jan 29, first frost Dec 19
- Hayward, CA — last frost Jan 12, first frost Dec 17
- Escondido, CA — last frost Jan 14, first frost Dec 23
- McAllen, TX — last frost Jan 30, first frost Dec 22
- Pomona, CA — last frost Jan 26, first frost Dec 19
- Palm Bay, FL — last frost Jan 30, first frost Jan 6
- Fullerton, CA — frost rare
- Pasadena, CA — last frost Jan 14, first frost Jan 1
- Simi Valley, CA — last frost Feb 12, first frost Dec 6
- Lakeland, FL — last frost Feb 3, first frost Jan 1
- Thousand Oaks, CA — last frost Feb 12, first frost Dec 6
- Berkeley, CA — last frost Jan 12, first frost Dec 25
- Clearwater, FL — last frost Jan 26, first frost Jan 6
- Richmond, CA — last frost Jan 14, first frost Dec 27
- Carlsbad, CA — frost rare
- Murrieta, CA — last frost Feb 14, first frost Jan 3
- Ventura, CA — frost rare
- Edinburg, TX — last frost Jan 27, first frost Dec 24
- Jurupa Valley, CA — last frost Jan 29, first frost Dec 19
- West Covina, CA — last frost Jan 13, first frost Dec 28
- Rialto, CA — last frost Feb 10, first frost Dec 11
- Burbank, CA — last frost Jan 10, first frost Dec 16
- El Cajon, CA — last frost Jan 21, first frost Dec 12
- San Mateo, CA — last frost Jan 3, first frost Dec 21
- Daly City, CA — last frost Jan 23, first frost Dec 12
- Vista, CA — last frost Feb 24, first frost Dec 24
- San Marcos, CA — last frost Jan 14, first frost Dec 23
- Indio, CA — last frost Jan 5, first frost Dec 17
- Chino, CA — last frost Feb 3, first frost Dec 10
- North Port, FL — last frost Feb 11, first frost Dec 28
- Westminster, CA — frost rare
- Mission, TX — last frost Jan 29, first frost Dec 26
- Melbourne, FL — last frost Feb 5, first frost Jan 1
- Mountain View, CA — last frost Jan 18, first frost Dec 15
- San Leandro, CA — last frost Jan 22, first frost Dec 10
- Kissimmee, FL — last frost Feb 6, first frost Dec 30
- Redwood City, CA — last frost Jan 31, first frost Dec 4
- Buena Park, CA — frost rare
- Largo, FL — last frost Jan 26, first frost Jan 6
- Pharr, TX — last frost Jan 29, first frost Dec 26
- Alhambra, CA — last frost Jan 13, first frost Dec 28
- Milpitas, CA — last frost Jan 26, first frost Dec 12
- Upland, CA — last frost Jan 26, first frost Dec 19
- Tustin, CA — frost rare
- Alameda, CA — last frost Jan 22, first frost Dec 10
- Lakewood, CA — frost rare
- Chino Hills, CA — last frost Feb 3, first frost Dec 10
← Zone 9b · Zone 10b → · All zones
Zone 10a questions
How cold does it get in zone 10a?
Zone 10a is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 30 to 35°F (-1.1 to 1.7°C) for 1991–2020 — the average of each year's single coldest night, not the record low. Individual winters can be colder, so plants rated exactly for zone 10a carry some risk in a severe year.
When is the last frost in zone 10a?
It depends far more on the city than on the zone. Among 54 zone 10a cities on this site, the 30%-risk last spring frost runs from Jan 3 in San Mateo, CA to Feb 24 in Vista, CA — 52 days apart (median Jan 26).
Which states have zone 10a?
The 2023 listings put 1,234 ZIP codes in zone 10a, spread over 6 states and territories. The most are in California (623), Florida (438), Texas (95), Arizona (71), Louisiana (6).
Did zone 10a grow on the 2023 map?
Yes: 919 ZIP codes were in zone 10a on the 2012 map and 1,234 are on the 2023 map (+315). Of today's zone 10a ZIP codes that were also listed in 2012, 52% were in a colder zone then, 45% were already 10a, and 3% were in a warmer zone. What changed in 2023.
Which big cities are in zone 10a?
The largest cities on this site in zone 10a are Los Angeles, CA, Oakland, CA, Tampa, FL; 63 cities in all are listed below.