USDA hardiness zone 12a
In zone 12a, the average annual extreme minimum temperature is 50 to 55°F (10.0 to 12.8°C), based on 1991–2020 data from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
What zone 12a means for your garden
A plant labeled "hardy to zone 12a" should survive a typical winter low of 50°F. Tropical and subtropical plants are an option, but many temperate fruit trees may not get enough winter chill. Zone 12b is the warmer half of zone 12.
ZIP codes in zone 12a: 24 in Hawaii, 6 in Puerto Rico. New to zones? Read how to read your hardiness zone.
Frost dates in zone 12a
No major city on this site is in zone 12a. At NOAA stations in this zone a 32°F frost is rare (estimate: frost rare at 6 NOAA stations).
Planting calendar for zone 12a
| Crop | Planting windows (frost-free climate) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 15 – Mar 31; Aug 1 – Sep 15 | |||
| Pepper | Feb 1 – Apr 15; Jul 15 – Aug 31 | |||
| Lettuce | Sep 15 – Feb 15 | |||
| Green Beans | Feb 15 – Apr 30; Aug 15 – Sep 30 | |||
| Sweet Corn | Feb 15 – Apr 15; Aug 1 – Aug 31 | |||
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 15 – Apr 15; Aug 1 – Sep 15 | |||
| Cucumber | Feb 15 – Apr 15; Aug 1 – Sep 15 | |||
| Carrot | Sep 1 – Feb 28 | |||
| Onion | Oct 15 – Jan 15 | |||
| Potato | Jan 1 – Feb 28; Sep 1 – Oct 15 | |||
| Basil | Mar 1 – Jun 30; Aug 15 – Sep 30 | |||
| Spinach | Oct 1 – Feb 15 | |||
| Kale | Sep 1 – Feb 15 | |||
| Broccoli | Sep 1 – Jan 15 | |||
| Peas | Oct 1 – Jan 31 | |||
| Eggplant | Feb 15 – Apr 30; Jul 15 – Aug 31 | |||
| Cabbage | Sep 1 – Jan 31 | |||
| Radish | Sep 15 – Mar 15 | |||
| Strawberry | Oct 1 – Nov 30 | |||
| Beets | Sep 15 – Feb 28 | |||
Where zone 12a occurs
None of the 512 major cities on this site sits in zone 12a. It occurs mostly in thinly populated areas (ZIP codes: 24 in Hawaii, 6 in Puerto Rico).
← Zone 11b · Zone 12b → · All zones
Zone 12a questions
How cold does it get in zone 12a?
Zone 12a is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 50 to 55°F (10.0 to 12.8°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 12a carry some risk in a severe year.
Does zone 12a get frost?
Rarely. Estimate: frost rare at 6 NOAA stations. Gardens in zone 12a are planted by season and heat rather than by frost date.
Which states have zone 12a?
The 2023 listings put 30 ZIP codes in zone 12a, spread over 2 states and territories. The most are in Hawaii (24), Puerto Rico (6).
Did zone 12a grow on the 2023 map?
No: 50 ZIP codes were in zone 12a on the 2012 map and 30 are on the 2023 map (-20). Of today's zone 12a ZIP codes that were also listed in 2012, 3% were in a colder zone then, 77% were already 12a, and 20% were in a warmer zone. What changed in 2023.