7 Planting Zones in North Carolina with Map

North Carolina has 7 USDA planting zones, ranging from zone 6a to zone 9a. Average annual minimum temperatures range from -10°F to 25°F, according to the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Western North Carolina (the Appalachian Mountains) covers zones 6a through 7b. The Piedmont covers zones 7b and 8a. Eastern North Carolina and the coast cover zones 8a, 8b, and 9a. Charlotte and Raleigh are in zone 8a, and the Outer Banks are in zone 9a.

Find your North Carolina (NC) growing zone — also called the gardening zone, plant zone, garden zone, hardiness zone, or climate zone — using our ZIP code tool or the North Carolina city map below. Browse every North Carolina city, town, and county with its USDA zone in the North Carolina cities, towns and counties directory.

Search North Carolina Planting Zones by ZipCode

Planting Zones North Carolina Map

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

What are the 7 planting zones in North Carolina?

1. Zone 6a

Zone 6a, shown in dark blue on our map, is the coldest zone in North Carolina and covers the highest elevations of the western part of the state. Average annual minimum temperatures range from -10°F to -5°F (-23.3°C to -20.6°C). This zone includes Beech Mountain and parts of Avery County.

2. Zone 6b

Zone 6b, shown in light blue on our map, covers the western mountains of North Carolina. Average annual minimum temperatures range from -5°F to 0°F (-20.6°C to -17.8°C). Cities in zone 6b include Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, Newland, and Linville.

3. Zone 7a

Zone 7a, shown in teal on our map, covers much of the western third of North Carolina, including the lower elevations of the Appalachian Mountains. Average annual minimum temperatures range from 0°F to 5°F (-17.8°C to -15°C). Cities in zone 7a include Boone, Black Mountain, Waynesville, Highlands, and Burnsville.

4. Zone 7b

Zone 7b, shown in light teal on our map, spans from the foothills to the central piedmont of North Carolina. Average annual minimum temperatures range from 5°F to 10°F (-15°C to -12.2°C). Cities in zone 7b include Asheville, Winston Salem, Statesville, Mount Airy, Morganton, and Hendersonville.

5. Zone 8a

Zone 8a, shown in light green on our map, covers much of central and eastern North Carolina, including the Piedmont. Average annual minimum temperatures range from 10°F to 15°F (-12.2°C to -9.4°C). Cities in zone 8a include Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Cary, Fayetteville, Chapel Hill, and Hickory.

6. Zone 8b

Zone 8b, shown in pale green on our map, covers the southeastern coast of North Carolina. Average annual minimum temperatures range from 15°F to 20°F (-9.4°C to -6.7°C). Cities in zone 8b include Wilmington, New Bern, Morehead City, Jacksonville, and Havelock.

7. Zone 9a

Zone 9a, shown in bright yellow on our map, is the warmest zone in North Carolina and covers the Outer Banks and the southeasternmost tip of the state. Average annual minimum temperatures range from 20°F to 25°F (-6.7°C to -3.9°C). Cities in zone 9a include Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Manteo, Hatteras, Ocracoke, and Point Harbor.

North Carolina Planting Zones by Region

What planting zone is Charlotte?

Charlotte is in USDA zone 8a, with average annual minimum temperatures from 10°F to 15°F. Charlotte-area cities in the same zone include Concord, Huntersville, Matthews, Pineville, and Mooresville.

What planting zone is Raleigh?

Raleigh is in USDA zone 8a, with average annual minimum temperatures from 10°F to 15°F. The Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Triangle falls entirely in zone 8a.

What planting zone is Asheville?

Asheville is in USDA zone 7b, with average annual minimum temperatures from 5°F to 10°F. Nearby cities in zone 7b include Hendersonville, Brevard, and Weaverville.

What planting zone is eastern North Carolina?

Eastern North Carolina falls in USDA zones 8a, 8b, and 9a, covering the coastal plain and the Outer Banks, with average annual minimum temperatures from 10°F to 25°F. Cities include Wilmington, Greenville, New Bern, Jacksonville, and the Outer Banks towns of Nags Head and Ocracoke.

What planting zone is western North Carolina?

Western North Carolina falls in USDA zones 6a through 7b, covering the Appalachian Mountains and the Blue Ridge, with average annual minimum temperatures from -10°F to 10°F. Cities include Asheville, Boone, Blowing Rock, Waynesville, and Hendersonville.

Planting Zones in North Carolina with Cities

Find the USDA hardiness zone for every North Carolina city, town, and county in the table below. Data Source: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Planting Zones in North Carolina	Temp Range (°F)	Cities
7b	5 to 10	Advance, Alexander, Ararat, Arden, Asheville, Barium Springs, Bat Cave, Bethania, Blanch, Boomer, Boonville, Bostic, Brasstown, Brevard, Bryson City, Bullock, Cedar Mountain, Chimney Rock, China Grove, Clemmons, Cleveland, Collettsville, Cooleemee, Culberson, Dana, Danbury, Deep Gap, Dillsboro, Dobson, Drexel, East Bend, East Flat Rock, Eden, Edneyville, Elkin, Enka, Etowah, Faith, Ferguson, Flat Rock, Fletcher, Fontana Dam, Franklin, Germanton, Glen Alpine, Glenwood, Granite Quarry, Gulf, Hamptonville, Harmony, Hayesville, Hays, Henderson, Hendersonville, Hurdle Mills, Jonesville, King, Kittrell, Lake Toxaway, Landis, Lawsonville, Leasburg, Lenoir, Lewisville, Lexington, Lowgap, Madison, Manson, Marble, Marion, Mayodan, Mc Grady, Middleburg, Millers Creek, Mills River, Milton, Mocksville, Moravian Falls, Morganton, Mount Airy, Mount Ulla, Mountain Home, Murphy, Naples, Nebo, Norlina, North Wilkesboro, Old Fort, Olin, Otto, Oxford, Patterson, Pelham, Penrose, Pfafftown, Pilot Mountain, Pine Hall, Pinnacle, Prospect Hill, Providence, Purlear, Ridgeway, Roaring River, Rockwell, Ronda, Rosman, Rougemont, Roxboro, Ruffin, Rural Hall, Salisbury, Saluda, Sandy Ridge, Sapphire, Semora, Siloam, Skyland, State Road, Statesville, Stoneville, Stovall, Sylva, Thurmond, Timberlake, Toast, Tobaccoville, Townsville, Traphill, Turnersburg, Tuxedo, Union Grove, Union Mills, Valdese, Vaughan, Walnut Cove, Warne, Weaverville, Webster, Wentworth, Westfield, White Plains, Wilkesboro, Winston Salem, Wise, Woodleaf, Yadkinville, Yanceyville, Zirconia
8a	10 to 15	Aberdeen, Ahoskie, Alamance, Albemarle, Albertson, Alexis, Altamahaw, Angier, Ansonville, Apex, Asheboro, Aulander, Badin, Bahama, Bailey, Battleboro, Bear Creek, Belews Creek, Bellarthur, Belmont, Belvidere, Bennett, Benson, Bessemer City, Bethel, Beulaville, Biscoe, Black Creek, Boiling Springs, Bonlee, Broadway, Browns Summit, Buies Creek, Bunn, Bunnlevel, Burgaw, Burlington, Butner, Bynum, Calypso, Camden, Cameron, Candor, Caroleen, Carrboro, Carthage, Cary, Casar, Castalia, Catawba, Cedar Falls, Cedar Grove, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Cherryville, Chinquapin, Claremont, Clayton, Cliffside, Climax, Coats, Cofield, Colerain, Colfax, Columbus, Comfort, Como, Concord, Conetoe, Connellys Springs, Conover, Conway, Corapeake, Cordova, Cornelius, Cramerton, Creedmoor, Creswell, Crouse, Cumberland, Cumnock, Dallas, Davidson, Deep Run, Denton, Denver, Dudley, Dunn, Durham, Eagle Rock, Eagle Springs, Earl, East Spencer, Edenton, Efland, Elizabeth City, Ellenboro, Ellerbe, Elm City, Elon College, Enfield, Erwin, Ether, Eure, Everetts, Faison, Falcon, Falkland, Fallston, Farmville, Fayetteville, Forest City, Fort Bragg, Fountain, Four Oaks, Franklinton, Franklinville, Fremont, Fuquay Varina, Garner, Garysburg, Gaston, Gastonia, Gates, Gatesville, Gibson, Gibsonville, Godwin, Gold Hill, Goldsboro, Goldston, Graham, Granite Falls, Greensboro, Greenville, Grover, Halifax, Hamilton, Hamlet, Harrells, Harrellsville, Harris, Harrisburg, Hassell, Haw River, Henrico, Henrietta, Hertford, Hickory, Hiddenite, High Point, High Shoals, Highfalls, Hildebran, Hillsborough, Hobbsville, Hobgood, Hoffman, Hollister, Holly Springs, Hudson, Huntersville, Icard, Indian Trail, Iron Station, Ivanhoe, Jackson, Jackson Springs, Jacksonville, Jamestown, Jamesville, Julian, Kannapolis, Kelford, Kenansville, Kenly, Kernersville, Kings Mountain, Kinston, Kipling, Knightdale, La Grange, Lake Lure, Lakeview, Lattimore, Laurel Hill, Laurinburg, Lawndale, Lemon Springs, Lewiston Woodville, Lexington, Liberty, Lilesville, Lillington, Lincolnton, Linden, Linwood, Littleton, Locust, Louisburg, Lowell, Lucama, Lumber Bridge, Lynn, Macclesfield, Macon, Magnolia, Maiden, Mamers, Maple Hill, Margarettsville, Marshville, Marston, Matthews, Maury, Maxton, Mc Adenville, Mc Farlan, Mc Leansville, Mebane, Merry Hill, Micro, Middlesex, Midland, Mill Spring, Mineral Springs, Misenheimer, Moncure, Monroe, Mooresboro, Mooresville, Morrisville, Morven, Mount Gilead, Mount Holly, Mount Mourne, Mount Olive, Mount Pleasant, Moyock, Murfreesboro, Nashville, New Hill, New London, Newell, Newton, Newton Grove, Norman, Norwood, Oak City, Oak Ridge, Oakboro, Olivia, Pantego, Parmele, Paw Creek, Peachland, Pendleton, Pikeville, Pine Level, Pinebluff, Pinehurst, Pinetops, Pinetown, Pineville, Pink Hill, Pittsboro, Pleasant Garden, Pleasant Hill, Plymouth, Polkton, Polkville, Pope A F B, Potecasi, Powellsville, Princeton, Raeford, Raleigh, Ramseur, Randleman, Red Oak, Red Springs, Reidsville, Rhodhiss, Rich Square, Richfield, Richlands, Roanoke Rapids, Robbins, Robersonville, Rockingham, Rocky Mount, Rocky Point, Roduco, Rolesville, Rose Hill, Roxobel, Rutherford College, Rutherfordton, Salisbury, Sanford, Saratoga, Saxapahaw, Scotland Neck, Scotts, Seaboard, Seagrove, Sedalia, Selma, Seven Springs, Severn, Shannon, Sharpsburg, Shelby, Sherrills Ford, Siler City, Simpson, Sims, Smithfield, Snow Camp, Snow Hill, Sophia, South Mills, Southern Pines, Southmont, Speed, Spencer, Spindale, Spring Hope, Spring Lake, Staley, Stanfield, Stanley, Stantonsburg, Star, Statesville, Stedman, Stem, Stokes, Stokesdale, Stony Point, Summerfield, Sunbury, Swepsonville, Tarboro, Taylorsville, Teachey, Terrell, Thomasville, Tillery, Trenton, Trinity, Troutman, Troy, Tryon, Turkey, Tyner, Vale, Vass, Waco, Wade, Wadesboro, Wagram, Wake Forest, Walkertown, Wallace, Wallburg, Walstonburg, Warrenton, Warsaw, Waxhaw, Welcome, Weldon, Wendell, West End, Whitakers, Whitsett, Willard, Williamston, Willow Spring, Wilson, Wilsons Mills, Windsor, Winfall, Wingate, Winston Salem, Winterville, Winton, Woodland, Youngsville, Zebulon
8b	15 to 20	Alliance, Arapahoe, Ash, Atkinson, Atlantic, Atlantic Beach, Aurora, Autryville, Ayden, Aydlett, Barco, Barnesville, Bath, Bayboro, Beaufort, Belhaven, Bladenboro, Blounts Creek, Bolivia, Bolton, Bridgeton, Brunswick, Calabash, Camp Lejeune, Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne, Cedar Island, Cerro Gordo, Chadbourn, Cherry Point, Chocowinity, Clarendon, Clarkton, Clinton, Coinjock, Columbia, Corolla, Council, Cove City, Currie, Currituck, Davis, Delco, Dover, Dublin, Durants Neck, Edward, Elizabethtown, Emerald Isle, Engelhard, Ernul, Evergreen, Fair Bluff, Fairfield, Fairmont, Fayetteville, Garland, Goldsboro, Grandy, Grantsboro, Grifton, Grimesland, Hallsboro, Hampstead, Havelock, Hobucken, Holly Ridge, Hookerton, Hope Mills, Hubert, Jacksonville, Kelly, Kinston, Knotts Island, Kure Beach, Lake Waccamaw, Leland, Longwood, Lowland, Lumberton, Manns Harbor, Maple, Marietta, Maysville, Mccutcheon Field, Merritt, Midway Park, Morehead City, Nakina, New Bern, Newport, Oak Island, Ocean Isle Beach, Oriental, Orrum, Parkton, Pembroke, Pollocksville, Poplar Branch, Proctorville, Rex, Riegelwood, Roper, Roseboro, Rowland, Saint Pauls, Salemburg, Scranton, Sealevel, Shallotte, Shawboro, Shiloh, Smyrna, Sneads Ferry, South Brunswick, Southport, Stacy, Stella, Stonewall, Stumpy Point, Sunset Beach, Supply, Swanquarter, Swansboro, Tabor City, Tar Heel, Tarawa Terrace, Vanceboro, Vandemere, Washington, White Oak, Whiteville, Williston, Wilmington, Winnabow, Wrightsville Beach
9a	20 to 25	Avon, Buxton, Frisco, Gloucester, Harbinger, Harkers Island, Hatteras, Jarvisburg, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Manteo, Marshallberg, Nags Head, Ocracoke, Point Harbor, Powells Point, Rodanthe, Salvo, Wanchese, Waves
6b	-5 to 0	Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, Elk Park, Jonas Ridge, Linville, Minneapolis, Montezuma, Newland, Pineola
7a	0 to 5	Almond, Andrews, Bakersville, Balsam, Balsam Grove, Barnardsville, Black Mountain, Boone, Burnsville, Candler, Canton, Cashiers, Cherokee, Clyde, Creston, Crossnore, Crumpler, Cullowhee, Ennice, Fairview, Fleetwood, Gerton, Glade Valley, Glendale Springs, Glenville, Grassy Creek, Green Mountain, Hazelwood, Highlands, Horse Shoe, Hot Springs, Jefferson, Lake Junaluska, Lansing, Laurel Springs, Leicester, Linville Falls, Little Switzerland, Maggie Valley, Mars Hill, Marshall, Micaville, Montreat, Penland, Piney Creek, Pisgah Forest, Plumtree, Ridgecrest, Roaring Gap, Robbinsville, Scaly Mountain, Scottville, Sparta, Spruce Pine, Sugar Grove, Swannanoa, Todd, Topton, Tuckasegee, Valle Crucis, Vilas, Warrensville, Waynesville, West Jefferson, Whittier, Zionville

How does the 2023 USDA map affect North Carolina planting zones?

The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map shifted North Carolina zones up by about half a zone, reflecting warmer winter temperatures. North Carolina zones now range from 6a in the highest Appalachian elevations to 9a along the Outer Banks. The map uses temperature data from 13,412 weather stations over 1991–2020. Search the USA planting zones map by ZIP code for local information.