Maine Planting Zones Map: USDA Hardiness & Growing Zones

Maine has 8 USDA planting zones, ranging from Zone 3b to Zone 7a, per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. These hardiness zones, also called growing zones, gardening zones, or plant zones, divide the state by average annual minimum temperature. The 8 zones are listed below.

1. Zone 3b: Zone 3b is Maine’s coldest planting zone (-35°F and -30°F / -37.2°C to -34.4°C) and is limited to a small area in the northwestern part of the state, around Clayton Lake.
2. Zone 4a: Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F / -34.4°C to -31.7°C) covers northern and some central interior regions and has cities like Caribou, Presque Isle, and Fort Fairfield.
3. Zone 4b: Zone 4b (-25°F and -20°F / -31.7°C to -28.9°C) includes broader areas of northern and north-central Maine and covers cities like Houlton, Fort Kent, and Jackman.
4. Zone 5a: Zone 5a (-20°F to -15°F / -28.9°C to -26.1°C) covers most of central and western Maine and includes Bangor, Millinocket, and Farmington.
5. Zone 5b: Zone 5b (-15°F to -10°F / -26.1°C to -23.3°C) stretches across central Maine and down the coast and includes cities like Augusta, Lewiston, and Belfast.
6. Zone 6a: Zone 6a (-10°F and -5°F / -23.3°C to -20.6°C) covers southern coastal regions and islands in Maine and has areas like Portland, Bar Harbor, and Rockland.
7. Zone 6b: Zone 6b (-5°F and 0°F / -20.6°C to -17.8°C) is limited to small coastal areas and islands in southern Maine and has locations like Monhegan, Islesford, and Vinalhaven.
8. Zone 7a: Zone 7a (0°F to 5°F / -17.8°C to -15°C) exists only in a tiny area on the southern coast of Maine in and around Matinicus, featuring Maine’s mildest growing conditions.

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

Search Maine Planting Zones by ZipCode

Planting Zones Maine Map

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

What are the 8 planting zones in Maine?

Zone 3b, the coldest, sits in a small area of northwestern Maine, while zones 4a and 4b cover most of the northern and central interior. Zones 5a and 5b cover central Maine and parts of the coast. Southern coastal areas and islands fall into zones 6a and 6b, with a pocket of zone 7a on the southernmost coast.

1. Zone 3b

Zone 3b, shown in purple on our map, is the coldest planting zone in Maine. With average annual minimum temperatures ranging from -35°F to -30°F (-37.2°C to -34.4°C), this zone sits in a small area of northwestern Maine around Clayton Lake.

2. Zone 4a

Zone 4a, shown in blue on our map, covers the northern and some central interior regions of Maine. This zone experiences average annual minimum temperatures between -30°F and -25°F (-34.4°C to -31.7°C). Cities in Zone 4a include Caribou, Presque Isle, and Fort Fairfield in Aroostook County, Maine’s potato-growing region.

3. Zone 4b

Zone 4b, shown in deep teal on our map, covers a broader area of northern and north-central Maine. With temperatures ranging from -25°F to -20°F (-31.7°C to -28.9°C), this zone includes Houlton, Fort Kent, and Jackman, marking the transition from the coldest north to central Maine.

4. Zone 5a

Zone 5a, shown in light teal on our map, covers most of central and western Maine. This zone experiences average annual minimum temperatures from -20°F to -15°F (-28.9°C to -26.1°C). Cities in Zone 5a include Bangor, Millinocket, and Farmington.

5. Zone 5b

Zone 5b, shown in dark green on our map, stretches across central Maine and down the coast. With temperatures ranging from -15°F to -10°F (-26.1°C to -23.3°C), this zone includes Augusta, Lewiston, and Belfast.

6. Zone 6a

Zone 6a, shown in light green on our map, covers the southern coastal regions and islands of Maine. This zone experiences average annual minimum temperatures between -10°F and -5°F (-23.3°C to -20.6°C). Cities in Zone 6a include Portland, Bar Harbor, and Rockland along Maine’s southern coast.

7. Zone 6b

Zone 6b, shown in brighter green on our map, covers small coastal areas and islands in southern Maine. With temperatures ranging from -5°F to 0°F (-20.6°C to -17.8°C), this zone includes Monhegan, Islesford, and Vinalhaven, home to some of the mildest winters in the state along the Atlantic coast.

8. Zone 7a

Zone 7a, the warmest in Maine, appears in yellow on our map on a tiny area of the southern coast. With average annual minimum temperatures from 0°F to 5°F (-17.8°C to -15°C), this zone covers Matinicus Island off the Atlantic coast.

Planting Zones in Maine with Cities

USDA hardiness zones for Maine Cities, Towns, and Counties. Data source: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Planting Zones in Maine	Temp Range (°F)	Cities
6a	-10 to -5	Addison, Bailey Island, Bar Harbor, Bass Harbor, Bath, Beals, Bernard, Berwick, Birch Harbor, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Bremen, Bristol, Brooklin, Cape Elizabeth, Cape Neddick, Cape Porpoise, Chamberlain, Chebeague Island, Cliff Island, Corea, Cumberland Foreside, Cushing, Cutler, Damariscotta, Deer Isle, East Boothbay, Eastport, Eliot, Falmouth, Freeport, Friendship, Georgetown, Gouldsboro, Harborside, Harpswell, Harrington, Hulls Cove, Islesboro, Jonesport, Kennebunkport, Kittery, Little Deer Isle, Long Island, Lubec, Machiasport, Milbridge, Moody, Mount Desert, New Harbor, North Haven, North Yarmouth, Northeast Harbor, Ocean Park, Ogunquit, Old Orchard Beach, Orrs Island, Owls Head, Peaks Island, Pemaquid, Perry, Phippsburg, Portland, Prospect Harbor, Rockland, Rockport, Round Pond, Salsbury Cove, Sargentville, Scarborough, Seal Cove, Seal Harbor, Sebasco Estates, Sorrento, South Berwick, South Bristol, South Freeport, South Portland, South Thomaston, Southport, Southwest Harbor, Spruce Head, Squirrel Island, Steuben, Stonington, Sunset, Thomaston, Trevett, Waldoboro, Walpole, Wells, West Boothbay Harbor, Winter Harbor, Yarmouth, York, York Beach, York Harbor
6b	-5 to 0	Cranberry Isles, Frenchboro, Isle Au Haut, Islesford, Kittery Point, Monhegan, Port Clyde, Swans Island, Tenants Harbor, Vinalhaven
5b	-15 to -10	Acton, Alfred, Alna, Auburn, Augusta, Baileyville, Bar Mills, Belfast, Belgrade, Biddeford, Blue Hill, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brooksville, Brunswick, Buckfield, Calais, Camden, Casco, Castine, Cherryfield, China, Columbia Falls, Cumberland Center, Danville, Dennysville, Dresden, Durham, East Blue Hill, East Livermore, East Machias, East Orland, East Poland, East Vassalboro, East Waterboro, East Winthrop, Edgecomb, Ellsworth, Farmingdale, Franklin, Gardiner, Gorham, Grand Lake Stream, Gray, Greene, Hallowell, Hancock, Hebron, Hollis Center, Hope, Jefferson, Jonesboro, Kennebunk, Kents Hill, Lebanon, Leeds, Lewiston, Liberty, Lincolnville, Lincolnville Center, Lisbon, Lisbon Falls, Litchfield, Livermore, Livermore Falls, Machias, Manchester, Mechanic Falls, Meddybemps, Minot, Monmouth, Morrill, Mount Vernon, New Gloucester, Newcastle, Newfield, Nobleboro, North Berwick, North Monmouth, North Turner, North Vassalboro, Orland, Oxford, Palermo, Parsonsfield, Pembroke, Penobscot, Poland, Pownal, Princeton, Randolph, Raymond, Readfield, Richmond, Robbinston, Sabattus, Saco, Sandy Point, Sanford, Searsmont, Searsport, Sedgwick, Shapleigh, Shawmut, South Casco, South China, South Gardiner, South Paris, South Windham, Springvale, Standish, Stockton Springs, Sullivan, Surry, Topsham, Turner, Union, Vassalboro, Warren, Washington, Waterboro, Waterville, Wayne, Wesley, West Buxton, West Kennebunk, West Minot, West Newfield, West Poland, West Rockport, Westbrook, Whitefield, Whiting, Windham, Windsor, Winthrop, Wiscasset, Woolwich
5a	-20 to -15	Abbot, Albion, Anson, Athens, Aurora, Bangor, Belgrade Lakes, Benedicta, Bethel, Bingham, Bradford, Bradley, Brewer, Bridgton, Brooks, Brookton, Brownfield, Brownville, Brownville Junction, Bryant Pond, Bucksport, Burlington, Burnham, Cambridge, Canaan, Canton, Caratunk, Cardville, Carmel, Center Lovell, Charleston, Clinton, Corinth, Cornish, Denmark, Detroit, Dexter, Dixfield, Dixmont, Dover Foxcroft, East Andover, East Baldwin, East Dixfield, East Millinocket, East Newport, East Parsonfield, East Wilton, Eddington, Etna, Exeter, Fairfield, Farmington, Farmington Falls, Frankfort, Freedom, Fryeburg, Garland, Guilford, Hampden, Hanover, Harmony, Harrison, Hartland, Hinckley, Hiram, Holden, Howland, Hudson, Jay, Kenduskeag, Kingfield, Kingman, Lagrange, Lambert Lake, Lee, Levant, Limerick, Limington, Lincoln, Locke Mills, Lovell, Madison, Mattawamkeag, Medway, Mexico, Milford, Millinocket, Milo, Monroe, Monson, Naples, New Portland, New Sharon, New Vineyard, Newry, Norridgewock, North Anson, North Bridgton, North Jay, North Waterboro, North Waterford, Norway, Oakland, Old Town, Orono, Orrington, Palmyra, Passadumkeag, Peru, Pittsfield, Plymouth, Porter, Roxbury, Rumford, Saint Albans, Sangerville, Sebago, Sebec, Sherman Mills, Sherman Station, Shirley Mills, Skowhegan, Smithfield, Solon, Springfield, Steep Falls, Stetson, Stillwater, Stoneham, Strong, Sumner, Temple, Thorndike, Topsfield, Troy, Unity, Vanceboro, Vienna, Waite, Waterford, Weld, West Baldwin, West Bethel, West Enfield, West Farmington, West Paris, Wilton, Winn, Winterport
4b	-25 to -20	Andover, Bridgewater, Corinna, Danforth, Dryden, Eustis, Fort Kent, Frenchville, Greenville Junction, Houlton, Island Falls, Jackman, Madawaska, New Limerick, Newport, North New Portland, Oakfield, Oquossoc, Orient, Oxbow, Patten, Phillips, Rangeley, Rockwood, Saint David, Saint Francis, Smyrna Mills, Stratton, West Forks, Wytopitlock
4a	-30 to -25	Ashland, Blaine, Caribou, Crouseville, Eagle Lake, Easton, Fort Fairfield, Fort Kent Mills, Grand Isle, Greenville, Limestone, Mapleton, Mars Hill, Monticello, New Sweden, Perham, Portage, Presque Isle, Saint Agatha, Sheridan, Sinclair, Soldier Pond, Stockholm, Van Buren, Washburn, Westfield
3b	-35 to -30	Clayton Lake
7a	0 to 5	Matinicus

Best plants for Maine?

Based on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, these 8 plants suit Maine’s zones:

1. Zone 3b (-35°F to -30°F): Siberian Larch – This cold-hardy conifer thrives in the extreme conditions of northwestern Maine.
2. Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F): Sugar Maple – Iconic in northern Maine, including areas around Caribou and Presque Isle.
3. Zone 4b (-25°F to -20°F): White Spruce – Well-adapted to the cooler regions, including Houlton and Fort Kent.
4. Zone 5a (-20°F to -15°F): Red Oak – Suitable for central Maine, including areas around Bangor and Millinocket.
5. Zone 5b (-15°F to -10°F): Eastern White Pine – Maine’s state tree, thriving in central regions and along parts of the coast.
6. Zone 6a (-10°F to -5°F): American Beech – Well-suited to southern coastal areas, including Portland and Bar Harbor.
7. Zone 6b (-5°F to 0°F): Northern Bayberry – Adapted to milder coastal areas and islands like Vinalhaven.
8. Zone 7a (0°F to 5°F): Beach Plum – Thrives in the warmest areas of Maine’s coast, such as Matinicus Island.