Deconstruct SunHardiness Zone 12a: Temperature, States & Cities
In USDA zone 12a, the coldest night of a typical winter falls between 50 and 55 °F (10.0 to 12.8 °C).
average annual extreme minimum
Where is zone 12a?
On the 2023 USDA map, zone 12a appears in Hawaii, Puerto Rico.
Gardening in zone 12a
Pick perennials, shrubs and trees labeled for zone 12a or a lower number. Then match the light: every plant tag also lists full sun, part sun or shade, and that depends on the exact spot, not the zone.
Check your zone
Zone checked. Now measure the sun.
Deconstruct Sun shows how many hours of direct sun one exact spot gets, today and in every season. Free on iPhone.
Questions
What is the temperature range for zone 12a?
In zone 12a, the average coldest winter night is 50 to 55 °F (10.0 to 12.8 °C). That is the average of each year’s lowest temperature from 1991 to 2020.
What is the difference between zone 12a and 12b?
Both are part of zone 12. The “a” half is 5 °F colder than the “b” half. Zone 12a averages 50 to 55 °F and zone 12b averages 55 to 60 °F.
Can I grow zone 12b plants in zone 12a?
A plant rated for a warmer zone may survive a mild winter, but one hard freeze can kill it. Choose plants rated for your zone or colder for permanent plantings, and treat warmer-zone plants as annuals or grow them in pots you can move.
This is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones are derived from the official 2023 dataset, resampled to about 2 km.