USDA hardiness zone 13a
In zone 13a, the average annual extreme minimum temperature is 60 to 65°F (15.6 to 18.3°C), based on 1991–2020 data from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
What zone 13a means for your garden
A plant labeled "hardy to zone 13a" should survive a typical winter low of 60°F. Tropical and subtropical plants are an option, but many temperate fruit trees may not get enough winter chill. Zone 13b is the warmer half of zone 13.
ZIP codes in zone 13a: 100 in Puerto Rico, 2 in Hawaii. New to zones? Read how to read your hardiness zone.
Frost dates in zone 13a
No major city on this site is in zone 13a. At NOAA stations in this zone a 32°F frost is rare (estimate: frost rare at 15 NOAA stations).
Planting calendar for zone 13a
| 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 13a occurs
None of the 512 major cities on this site sits in zone 13a. It occurs mostly in thinly populated areas (ZIP codes: 100 in Puerto Rico, 2 in Hawaii).
← Zone 12b · Zone 13b → · All zones
Zone 13a questions
How cold does it get in zone 13a?
Zone 13a is defined by an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 60 to 65°F (15.6 to 18.3°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 13a carry some risk in a severe year.
Does zone 13a get frost?
Rarely. Estimate: frost rare at 15 NOAA stations. Gardens in zone 13a are planted by season and heat rather than by frost date.
Which states have zone 13a?
The 2023 listings put 102 ZIP codes in zone 13a, spread over 2 states and territories. The most are in Puerto Rico (100), Hawaii (2).
Did zone 13a grow on the 2023 map?
No: 108 ZIP codes were in zone 13a on the 2012 map and 102 are on the 2023 map (-6). Of today's zone 13a ZIP codes that were also listed in 2012, 12% were in a colder zone then, 83% were already 13a, and 5% were in a warmer zone. What changed in 2023.