USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 5

Zone 5 covers winter lows from -20°F to -10°F, split into 5a (-20 to -15°F) and 5b (-15 to -10°F).

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 5 is a cold-temperate zone defined by an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of -20 to -10 degrees F. Because it sits in the colder half of the map, it is a useful benchmark for deciding which perennials, shrubs, and trees can survive a typical winter without dying back to the ground or being killed outright. Many gardeners further split it into Zone 5a (-20 to -15 F) and Zone 5b (-15 to -10 F) for finer plant selection.

Climate and where it is found

Zone 5 stretches across a wide band of the northern United States, including much of the Midwest and Great Plains, the interior Northeast, and higher valleys in the Mountain West. Typical example states are Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and parts of Pennsylvania, upstate New York, New England, Michigan, Colorado, and Kansas. Winters are genuinely cold with reliable snow cover in many areas, while summers are warm to hot, giving four distinct seasons. The frost-free growing season is moderate, generally running about 150 to 180 days, with the last spring frost around mid to late May and the first fall frost in late September to early October.

States most often in Zone 5

Based on locations in our database, these states have the most ZIP codes falling in Zone 5:

What grows in Zone 5

A broad range of cold-hardy plants overwinters dependably in Zone 5, which is why it supports classic four-season gardens. Hardy fruit trees such as apples, pears, and many cherries and plums thrive, along with cold-tolerant small fruits like raspberries, currants, and rhubarb that need a real winter chill to fruit well. Most cool-season and warm-season vegetables can be grown as annuals within the frost-free window, and a large selection of perennial flowers, ornamental grasses, and hardy shrubs returns each spring. When choosing perennials, trees, and shrubs, look for a rated hardiness of Zone 5 or lower (Zones 1 through 5) so they can take the coldest expected temperatures.

• Apples and pears
• Cold-hardy cherries and plums
• Tomatoes and peppers (grown as warm-season annuals)
• Cool-season greens such as lettuce, spinach, and kale
• Root crops like carrots, beets, and potatoes
• Raspberries and currants
• Rhubarb and asparagus (hardy perennials)
• Hardy perennial flowers such as coneflower, daylily, and peony

Gardening tips for Zone 5

The single most important number in Zone 5 is your local frost date, since the roughly 150 to 180 day season sets the outer limits for warm-season crops. Start heat-loving plants like tomatoes and peppers indoors several weeks ahead and set them out only after the danger of spring frost has passed, usually mid to late May. Season-extension tools such as cold frames, row covers, low tunnels, and raised beds let you plant cool-season crops earlier in spring and harvest later into fall, and a good layer of mulch protects perennial roots through winter freeze and thaw cycles. When buying perennials, shrubs, and trees, check the plant tag for a hardiness rating of Zone 5 or colder, and give marginal or borderline plants a sheltered, well-drained spot.

Sample locations in Zone 5

Open any location for its live weather, frost dates, and planting calendar:

Related tools

Hardiness zones tell you what survives winter. To decide when to plant, check your frost dates and planting calendar, and browse crops and growing guides for individual plants.

Zone boundaries follow the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which is based on 1991-2020 winter minimum temperatures. Local microclimates, elevation, and unusual winters can differ from the map. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.