USDA Planting Zone 4 with Map

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What is Zone 4 USDA Planting Zones?

USDA Zone 4 has average annual minimum winter temperatures of -30°F to -20°F (-34.4°C to -28.9°C), characterized by very cold winters, extended freezing periods, and a short growing season.

Hardy plants like conifers and Siberian iris thrive here, adapted to survive extreme cold. The growing season lasts 100–120 days, with the last spring frost in mid-to-late May and the first fall frost in mid-September.

Geographically, USDA Zone 4 spans 15 U.S. states, including northern regions such as the Northeast (e.g., Maine), Upper Midwest (e.g., Minnesota), and Mountain areas (e.g., Montana). It divides into two subzones: 4a (-30°F to -25°F/-34.4°C to -31.7°C) and 4b (-25°F to -20°F/-31.7°C to -28.9°C), each with distinct growing conditions.

Search USDA Planting Zones 4 by ZipCode

USDA Planting Zones 4 Map

USA Planting Zone Map – Zone 4

Planting Zones

Zone 4a
Zone 4b

Planting Zones

Zone 4a
Zone 4b

Zone 4a

Zone 4a has minimum temperatures of -30°F to -25°F (-34.4°C to -31.7°C) and features:

  • 120+ days of sub-freezing temperatures
  • Warm summers
  • A 100-day growing season (late May–early September)
USDA Zone 4a Map

Zone 4b

USDA Zone 4b Map

Zone 4b ranges from -25°F to -20°F (-31.7°C to -28.9°C) and offers:

  • Milder winters than 4a (90–110 freezing days)
  • Warm summers
  • A 110-day growing season (mid-May–mid-September)

States in Zone 4

USDA Zone 4 spans 15 U.S. states, as listed below.

USDA Zone 4 Map

1. Colorado

Zone 4 covers high-elevation regions and mountain valleys. Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F) includes towns like Craig (81626) and Hartsel (80449). Zone 4b (-25°F to -20°F) spans colder valleys such as Alamosa (81101), Silverthorne (80497), and Steamboat Springs (80477), along with remote communities like Walden (80480) and Homelake (81135). These areas are suited for ultra-hardy plants that thrive in harsh alpine winters.

2. Idaho

Zone 4 is found in mountainous regions. Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F) includes high-elevation areas like Island Park (83429) and Macks Inn (83433). Zone 4b (-25°F to -20°F) features smaller communities such as Monteview (83435) and Terreton (83450), ideal for cold-tolerant gardening in Idaho’s most extreme climates.

3. Minnesota

Zone 4 dominates much of the state. Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F) blankets northern regions with cities like Brainerd (56401), Aitkin (56431), and Breckenridge (56520), along with smaller towns such as Hackensack (56452). Zone 4b (-25°F to -20°F) covers central areas, including Rochester (55902), Delano (55328), and Lake City (55041), plus communities like Zumbrota (55992). These zones reflect Minnesota’s frigid winters and hearty growing conditions.

4. Montana

Zone 4 spans central and eastern regions. Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F) includes cities like Butte (59702), Cut Bank (59427), and Conrad (59425), along with smaller communities such as Big Sandy (59520) and Browning (59417). Zone 4b (-25°F to -20°F) covers areas like Choteau (59422), Cooke City (59020), and West Yellowstone (59758), offering colder pockets ideal for hardy vegetation in Montana’s diverse climate.

5. North Dakota

Nearly the entire state falls under Zone 4, with Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F) dominating major cities like Bismarck (58501), Fargo (58102), and Beulah (58523), plus towns such as Lignite (58752) and Sharon (58277). Zone 4b (-25°F to -20°F) includes sparse communities like Reeder (58649) and Rhame (58651), highlighting the state’s extreme winter conditions.

6. South Dakota

Zone 4 focuses on northern and central regions. Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F) includes Aberdeen (57401), Britton (57430), and Groton (57445), along with smaller towns like Castlewood (57223) and Hecla (57446). Zone 4b (-25°F to -20°F) features communities such as Gettysburg (57442) and Timber Lake (57656), contrasting with the milder Black Hills zone in the west.

7. Wisconsin

Zone 4 is concentrated in the northern part of the state. Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F) covers cities like Hayward (54843), Grantsburg (54840), and Boulder Junction (54512), with communities such as Cable (54821) and Drummond (54832). Zone 4b (-25°F to -20°F) includes Sparta (54656), Stanley (54768), and Augusta (54722), along with towns like Athens (54411), reflecting Wisconsin’s colder northern climate compared to its southern zones.

8. Iowa

Zone 4 is limited to Zone 4b (-25°F to -20°F) in northern areas near the Minnesota border. Major cities include Cresco (52136), Elkader (52043), and Sibley (51249), with smaller communities like Arlington (50606) and Strawberry Point (52076). Iowa lacks Zone 4a, making this its coldest gardening zone.

9. Maine

Zone 4 dominates central and northern regions. Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F) includes cities like Caribou (04736), Presque Isle (04769), and Greenville (04441), along with towns such as Ashland (04732) and Limestone (04750). Zone 4b (-25°F to -20°F) features communities like Andover (04216) and Corinna (04928), reflecting Maine’s coldest growing conditions outside its coastal zones.

10. Michigan

Zone 4 is concentrated in the Upper Peninsula. Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F) covers towns like Crystal Falls (49920), Iron River (49935), and Wakefield (49968), with remote communities such as Covington (49919). Zone 4b (-25°F to -20°F) includes Bessemer (49911), Felch (49831), and Indian River (49749), highlighting the UP’s rugged, frost-prone climate.

11. New Hampshire

Zone 4 spans northern and central mountainous areas. Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F) includes Colebrook (03576), Pittsburg (03592), and Mount Washington (03589), known for extreme cold. Zone 4b (-25°F to -20°F) covers Berlin (03570), Littleton (03561), and Lancaster (03584), along with towns like Groveton (03582) and Jefferson (03583), balancing alpine climates with hardy gardening potential.

12. New York

New York features USDA Hardiness Zone 4 in its northern regions, including the Adirondack Mountains. Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F) covers towns like Lake Placid (12946), Saranac Lake (12983), and Old Forge (13420), along with smaller communities such as Blue Mountain Lake (12812) and Paul Smiths (12970). Zone 4b (-25°F to -20°F) includes areas like Mooers Forks (12959) and Natural Bridge (13665).

13. Utah

Utah’s Zone 4 areas are limited to high-elevation regions. Only Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F) applies here, with Randolph (84064) as the notable community. No cities fall under Zone 4b in the state.

14. Vermont

Vermont has widespread Zone 4 regions, especially in its northern and elevated areas. Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F) includes towns like Derby (5829), Island Pond (5846), and Canaan (5903), plus rural spots like Beecher Falls (5902). Zone 4b (-25°F to -20°F) features Barton (5822), Danville (5828), and Craftsbury (5826), along with communities such as Albany (5820) and East Burke (5832).

15. Wyoming

Wyoming’s Zone 4 spans mountainous regions and high valleys. Zone 4a (-30°F to -25°F) includes Laramie (82072), Big Piney (83113), and smaller areas like Farson (82932). Zone 4b (-25°F to -20°F) covers Jackson (83001, 83002), Dubois (82513), and towns like Hulett (82720) near Devils Tower.