Iowa Planting Zones Map: USDA Hardiness & Growing Zones

Iowa has 4 USDA planting zones, ranging from Zone 4b to Zone 6a, per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. These hardiness zones, also called growing zones, gardening zones, garden zones, or plant zones, divide the state by average annual minimum temperature.

Zone 4b, the coldest, is found in the northeastern part of the state, while zones 5a and 5b cover the central regions. Zone 6a, the warmest, is limited to the southernmost tip of the state.

Find your Iowa planting zone by ZIP code below, or pick your city on the interactive map. The Iowa cities, towns, and counties list shows hardiness zones for every IA location.

Search Iowa Planting Zones by ZipCode

Planting Zones Iowa Map

Select your Iowa city in the selection box below. Use the top-right corner button in the map view to toggle map layers.

What are the 4 planting zones in Iowa?

1. Zone 4b

Zone 4b, shown in purple on our map, covers a small portion of northeastern Iowa. With average annual minimum temperatures ranging from -25°F to -20°F (-31.7°C to -28.9°C), it is the coldest region in the state. Cities in Zone 4b include Volga, Cresco, and Elkader along the Mississippi River valley.

2. Zone 5a

Zone 5a, shown in dark blue on our map, covers the majority of northern and central Iowa. This zone experiences average annual minimum temperatures between -20°F to -15°F (-28.9°C to -26.1°C). Cities in Zone 5a include Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and Sioux City across Iowa’s prairie farmland.

3. Zone 5b

Zone 5b, shown in light green on our map, covers much of southern Iowa and extends into parts of central Iowa. This zone has average annual minimum temperatures from -15°F to -10°F (-26.1°C to -23.3°C). Cities in Zone 5b include Des Moines, Council Bluffs, Ottumwa, and Davenport.

4. Zone 6a

Zone 6a, shown in yellow on our map, is the warmest zone in Iowa and sits on the southernmost tip of the state. With average annual minimum temperatures ranging from -10°F to -5°F (-23.3°C to -20.6°C), this region experiences milder winters than the rest of Iowa. Cities in Zone 6a include Keokuk and Fort Madison along the Mississippi River.

Planting Zones in Iowa with Cities

USDA hardiness zones for Iowa cities, towns, and counties. Data source: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Planting Zones in Iowa	Temp Range (°F)	Cities
5b	-15 to -10	Ackworth, Adair, Adel, Afton, Agency, Ainsworth, Albia, Alleman, Allerton, Altoona, Amana, Ames, Anita, Ankeny, Arion, Arispe, Atalissa, Avoca, Barnes City, Batavia, Baxter, Beacon, Bedford, Benton, Berwick, Bettendorf, Birmingham, Blakesburg, Blanchard, Blockton, Bloomfield, Blue Grass, Bondurant, Booneville, Braddyville, Bridgewater, Brighton, Buffalo, Bussey, Calamus, Camanche, Cambridge, Carbon, Carlisle, Carson, Casey, Castana, Cedar, Cedar Rapids, Centerville, Chariton, Chillicothe, Cincinnati, Clarinda, Clearfield, Clinton, Clio, Clive, Coin, Colfax, College Springs, Collins, Columbia, Columbus City, Columbus Junction, Conesville, Coralville, Corning, Corydon, Council Bluffs, Crawfordsville, Crescent, Creston, Cromwell, Cumberland, Cumming, Dallas, Dallas Center, Davenport, Davis City, De Soto, De Witt, Decatur, Deep River, Delta, Derby, Des Moines, Dexter, Diagonal, Dixon, Donahue, Douds, Drakesville, Dunlap, Durant, Earlham, Earling, Eddyville, Eldon, Eldridge, Elkhart, Elliott, Ellston, Emerson, Essex, Exline, Fairfield, Farragut, Floris, Fontanelle, Fremont, Fruitland, Garden Grove, Gibson, Gilbert, Grand River, Grandview, Granger, Grant, Gravity, Greenfield, Grimes, Grinnell, Griswold, Guernsey, Hamburg, Hamilton, Hancock, Harlan, Harper, Hartford, Harvey, Hastings, Hayesville, Hedrick, Henderson, Hills, Homestead, Honey Creek, Humeston, Huxley, Imogene, Indianola, Iowa City, Ira, Jefferson, Johnston, Kalona, Kellerton, Kelley, Kellogg, Keosauqua, Keota, Keswick, Killduff, Kimballton, Kirkville, Knoxville, Lacona, Lamoni, Laurel, Le Claire, Leighton, Lenox, Leon, Letts, Lewis, Liberty Center, Libertyville, Lineville, Lockridge, Logan, Lone Tree, Long Grove, Lorimor, Lovilia, Low Moor, Lucas, Lynnville, Macedonia, Macksburg, Madrid, Magnolia, Malvern, Marne, Martensdale, Martinsburg, Massena, Maxwell, Mc Causland, Mc Clelland, Mediapolis, Melbourne, Melcher, Melrose, Menlo, Middle Amana, Millersburg, Millerton, Milo, Milton, Minden, Mineola, Mingo, Missouri Valley, Mitchellville, Modale, Mondamin, Monroe, Montezuma, Montpelier, Moorhead, Moravia, Morning Sun, Moscow, Moulton, Mount Ayr, Mount Pleasant, Mount Union, Murray, Muscatine, Mystic, Neola, Nevada, New Liberty, New London, New Market, New Sharon, New Virginia, Newton, Nichols, Nodaway, North English, North Liberty, Northboro, Norwalk, Oakland, Oakville, Olds, Ollie, Orient, Osceola, Oskaloosa, Otley, Ottumwa, Oxford, Pacific Junction, Packwood, Panama, Parnell, Patterson, Pella, Percival, Persia, Peru, Pisgah, Plano, Pleasant Valley, Pleasantville, Polk City, Portsmouth, Prairie City, Prescott, Princeton, Prole, Promise City, Pulaski, Randolph, Reasnor, Red Oak, Redding, Rhodes, Richland, Riverside, Riverton, Rome, Rose Hill, Runnells, Russell, Saint Charles, Saint Marys, Searsboro, Selma, Seymour, Shambaugh, Shannon City, Sharpsburg, Shelby, Sheldahl, Shenandoah, Sidney, Sigourney, Slater, Soldier, Solon, South English, Stanton, Stockton, Stuart, Sully, Swan, Swedesburg, Thayer, Thornburg, Thurman, Tiffin, Tingley, Tracy, Treynor, Truro, Udell, Underwood, Unionville, University Park, Urbandale, Van Meter, Van Wert, Villisca, Walcott, Wapello, Washington, Waukee, Wayland, Webster, Weldon, Wellman, Welton, West Branch, West Chester, West Des Moines, West Liberty, What Cheer, Williamsburg, Williamson, Wilton, Windsor Heights, Winfield, Winterset, Wiota, Woodbine, Woodburn, Yarmouth, Yorktown
5a	-20 to -15	Ackley, Akron, Albert City, Albion, Alburnett, Alden, Alexander, Algona, Allison, Alta, Alta Vista, Alton, Alvord, Anamosa, Andover, Andrew, Anthon, Aplington, Arcadia, Archer, Aredale, Armstrong, Arnolds Park, Arthur, Ashton, Aspinwall, Atkins, Atlantic, Auburn, Audubon, Aurelia, Aurora, Austinville, Ayrshire, Badger, Bagley, Baldwin, Bancroft, Barnum, Battle Creek, Bayard, Beaman, Beaver, Belle Plaine, Bellevue, Belmond, Bennett, Bernard, Blairsburg, Blairstown, Blencoe, Bode, Boone, Bouton, Boxholm, Boyden, Bradgate, Brandon, Brayton, Breda, Bristow, Britt, Bronson, Brooklyn, Brunsville, Bryant, Buckeye, Buckingham, Buffalo Center, Burnside, Burt, Callender, Calmar, Calumet, Carpenter, Carroll, Cascade, Castalia, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Center Junction, Center Point, Central City, Charles City, Charlotte, Charter Oak, Chelsea, Cherokee, Churdan, Clare, Clarence, Clarion, Clarksville, Clear Lake, Cleghorn, Clemons, Clermont, Climbing Hill, Clutier, Coggon, Colesburg, Colo, Colwell, Conrad, Conroy, Coon Rapids, Correctionville, Corwith, Coulter, Crystal Lake, Curlew, Cushing, Cylinder, Dakota City, Dana, Danbury, Dawson, Dayton, Decorah, Dedham, Defiance, Delhi, Delmar, Deloit, Denison, Denver, Dewar, Dickens, Dike, Dolliver, Doon, Dorchester, Dougherty, Dow City, Dows, Dubuque, Dumont, Duncombe, Dundee, Dunkerton, Durango, Dyersville, Dysart, Eagle Grove, Earlville, Early, Elberon, Eldora, Elgin, Elk Horn, Ellsworth, Ely, Emmetsburg, Epworth, Estherville, Evansdale, Everly, Exira, Fairbank, Fairfax, Farley, Farmersburg, Farnhamville, Fayette, Fenton, Ferguson, Fertile, Floyd, Fonda, Forest City, Fort Atkinson, Fort Dodge, Fostoria, Fredericksburg, Frederika, Galt, Galva, Garber, Garden City, Garnavillo, Garner, Garrison, Garwin, Geneva, George, Gilbertville, Gillett Grove, Gilman, Gilmore City, Gladbrook, Glidden, Goldfield, Goodell, Goose Lake, Gowrie, Graettinger, Grafton, Grand Junction, Grand Mound, Granville, Gray, Greene, Greenville, Grundy Center, Guthrie Center, Guttenberg, Halbur, Hamlin, Hampton, Hanlontown, Harcourt, Hardy, Harpers Ferry, Harris, Hartley, Hartwick, Havelock, Haverhill, Hawarden, Hawkeye, Hazleton, Hiawatha, Highlandville, Hinton, Holland, Holstein, Holy Cross, Hopkinton, Hornick, Hospers, Hubbard, Hudson, Hull, Humboldt, Ida Grove, Independence, Inwood, Ionia, Iowa Falls, Ireton, Irwin, Jamaica, Janesville, Jesup, Jewell, Joice, Jolley, Kamrar, Kanawha, Kensett, Keystone, Kingsley, Kirkman, Kiron, Klemme, Knierim, La Motte, La Porte City, Ladora, Lake City, Lake Mills, Lake Park, Lake View, Lakota, Lamont, Lanesboro, Langworthy, Lansing, Larchwood, Larrabee, Latimer, Laurens, Lawler, Lawton, Le Grand, Le Mars, Ledyard, Lehigh, Leland, Lester, Lidderdale, Lincoln, Linden, Linn Grove, Lisbon, Liscomb, Little Cedar, Little Rock, Little Sioux, Livermore, Lohrville, Lone Rock, Lost Nation, Lowden, Lu Verne, Luana, Luther, Luxemburg, Luzerne, Lytton, Malcom, Mallard, Manchester, Manilla, Manly, Manning, Manson, Mapleton, Maquoketa, Marathon, Marble Rock, Marcus, Marengo, Marion, Marquette, Marshalltown, Martelle, Mason City, Masonville, Matlock, Maurice, Maynard, Mc Callsburg, Mc Gregor, Mc Intire, Mechanicsville, Melvin, Meriden, Merrill, Meservey, Miles, Milford, Minburn, Monmouth, Monona, Monticello, Montour, Moorland, Morrison, Mount Auburn, Mount Vernon, Moville, Nashua, Nemaha, New Albin, New Hampton, New Hartford, New Providence, New Vienna, Newell, Newhall, Nora Springs, North Buena Vista, North Washington, Northwood, Norway, Ocheyedan, Odebolt, Oelwein, Ogden, Okoboji, Olin, Onawa, Onslow, Oran, Orange City, Orchard, Osage, Ossian, Otho, Oto, Ottosen, Oxford Junction, Palmer, Palo, Panora, Parkersburg, Paton, Paullina, Peosta, Perry, Peterson, Pierson, Pilot Mound, Plainfield, Plover, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Pomeroy, Popejoy, Postville, Prairieburg, Preston, Primghar, Quasqueton, Quimby, Radcliffe, Rake, Ralston, Randalia, Randall, Raymond, Readlyn, Redfield, Reinbeck, Rembrandt, Remsen, Renwick, Ricketts, Ringsted, Rippey, Robins, Rock Falls, Rock Rapids, Rock Valley, Rockford, Rockwell, Rockwell City, Rodney, Roland, Rolfe, Rowan, Rowley, Royal, Rudd, Ruthven, Rutland, Ryan, Sabula, Sac City, Saint Ansgar, Saint Anthony, Saint Donatus, Saint Lucas, Saint Olaf, Salix, Sanborn, Scarville, Schaller, Schleswig, Scranton, Sergeant Bluff, Sheffield, Sheldon, Shell Rock, Shellsburg, Sherrill, Sioux Center, Sioux City, Sioux Rapids, Sloan, Smithland, Somers, South Amana, Spencer, Spirit Lake, Spragueville, Springbrook, Springville, Stacyville, Stanhope, Stanley, Stanwood, State Center, Steamboat Rock, Storm Lake, Story City, Stout, Stratford, Sumner, Superior, Sutherland, Swaledale, Swea City, Swisher, Tama, Teeds Grove, Templeton, Terril, Thompson, Thor, Thornton, Tipton, Titonka, Toddville, Toledo, Traer, Tripoli, Troy Mills, Truesdale, Union, Urbana, Ute, Vail, Van Horne, Varina, Ventura, Victor, Vincent, Vining, Vinton, Wadena, Walford, Walker, Wall Lake, Wallingford, Walnut, Washta, Waterloo, Waterville, Watkins, Waucoma, Waukon, Waverly, Webb, Webster City, Wellsburg, Wesley, West Bend, West Union, Westfield, Westgate, Westside, Wheatland, Whiting, Whittemore, Whitten, Williams, Winthrop, Woden, Woodward, Woolstock, Worthington, Wyoming, Yale, Zearing, Zwingle
4b	-25 to -20	Arlington, Chester, Cresco, Delaware, Edgewood, Elkader, Elkport, Elma, Greeley, Lime Springs, Protivin, Riceville, Ridgeway, Sibley, Spillville, Strawberry Point, Volga
6a	-10 to -5	Argyle, Bonaparte, Burlington, Cantril, Carter Lake, Council Bluffs, Danville, Denmark, Donnellson, Farmington, Fort Madison, Glenwood, Hillsboro, Houghton, Keokuk, Middletown, Montrose, Mount Sterling, Pilot Grove, Saint Paul, Salem, Silver City, Sperry, Stockport, Tabor, West Burlington, West Point, Wever

Best plants for Iowa planting zones

1. Zone 4b: Peony (Paeonia)
2. Zone 5a: Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
3. Zone 5b: Daylily (Hemerocallis)
4. Zone 6a: Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)