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Home Garden Lot: Garden & Home Improvement

What Hardiness Zone Is Minnesota?

USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map · 943 ZIP codes · Data updated 2026-10-28

Quick answer

Minnesota spans USDA hardiness zones 3a–5a on the 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The most common zone is 4b, covering 36% of Minnesota's ZIP codes, followed by zone 5a (29%). Zone 4b means the coldest night of an average winter reaches −25°F to −20°F (−32°C to −29°C). Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.

Minnesota hardiness zones by share of ZIP codes

Zone 3a<1% · 5 ZIPs
Zone 3b13% · 123 ZIPs
Zone 4a21% · 200 ZIPs
Zone 4b36% · 344 ZIPs
Zone 5a29% · 271 ZIPs

What the zones mean for Minnesota gardeners

  • Coldest and warmest towns: among towns with NOAA weather stations, Tower 2S (1,430 ft) is in zone 3a, while Duluth Harbor Station (610 ft) is in zone 5a. That is a difference of about 20°F in the coldest night of a typical winter.
  • Same zone, different frost dates: within zone 4b, the median last spring frost ranges from April 23 at Minnesota City Dam 5 to May 24 at Grand Portage, 31 days apart. Your zone tells you which perennials survive winter; your frost dates tell you when to plant.

Typical frost dates in each Minnesota zone

Medians across NOAA weather stations in each zone. Colder zones usually have later spring frosts, but local terrain can shift the dates by weeks.

ZoneLast spring frostFirst fall frostStations
3bMay 16September 2623
4aMay 10September 2941
4bMay 3October 458
5aApril 29October 1037

Hardiness zones for Minnesota cities

Zones at the National Weather Service stations, mostly city airports, with their median frost dates.
Alexandria Municipal Airport4b−25°F to −20°F1,416May 2Oct 8
Brainerd Crow Wing County Airport4a−30°F to −25°F1,221May 13Sep 27
Duluth4b−25°F to −20°F1,428May 13Oct 1
Hibbing Chisholm Hibbing Airport3b−35°F to −30°F1,352Jun 5Sep 8
Intl Falls Intl Airport3a−40°F to −35°F1,183May 29Sep 13
Minneapolis/st Paul Airport5a−20°F to −15°F872Apr 23Oct 18
Mpls Crystal Airport5a−20°F to −15°F861Apr 30Oct 8
Mpls Flying Cloud Airport5a−20°F to −15°F907Apr 23Oct 14
Redwood Falls Municipal Airport4b−25°F to −20°F1,021Apr 30Oct 4
Rochester Intl Airport4b−25°F to −20°F1,304Apr 30Oct 6
Sandstone 6 W4a−30°F to −25°F1,130May 13Sep 29
St Cloud Regional Airport4b−25°F to −20°F1,018May 7Sep 30
St Paul Downtown Airport5a−20°F to −15°F700Apr 24Oct 16

Hardiness zones for 163 towns in Minnesota

Each NOAA weather station is shown with the USDA zone of the nearest ZIP code (within 8 miles). Coldest night is the zone's range for the average annual extreme minimum temperature. Click a column to sort.
Ada4a−30°F to −25°F907May 11Sep 27
Agassiz Refuge3b−35°F to −30°F1,142May 6Oct 3
Aitkin 2E4a−30°F to −25°F1,215May 16Sep 28
Albert Lea 3SE5a−20°F to −15°F1,230Apr 27Oct 9
Alexandria Municipal Airport4b−25°F to −20°F1,416May 2Oct 8
Amboy5a−20°F to −15°F1,030Apr 30Oct 7
Andover 1N4b−25°F to −20°F899May 5Oct 2
Argyle4a−30°F to −25°F847May 15Sep 26
Artichoke Lake 1 E4b−25°F to −20°F1,098May 1Oct 8
Austin Waste Wtp Facility4b−25°F to −20°F1,199Apr 30Oct 5
Babbitt3b−35°F to −30°F1,481May 28Sep 14
Baudette3b−35°F to −30°F1,094May 14Sep 26
Benson4b−25°F to −20°F1,030May 4Oct 3
Blackduck3b−35°F to −30°F1,340May 24Sep 17
Brainerd4a−30°F to −25°F1,180May 8Sep 29
Brainerd Crow Wing County Airport4a−30°F to −25°F1,221May 13Sep 27
Breckenridge 3E4a−30°F to −25°F971May 4Oct 3
Brimson 2S3b−35°F to −30°F1,486Any monthAny month
Browns Valley4b−25°F to −20°F978May 9Sep 28
Brownton Wwtp4b−25°F to −20°F1,040Apr 30Oct 4
Bruno 7ENE4a−30°F to −25°F1,253May 18Sep 26
Buffalo 2NE4b−25°F to −20°F992Apr 30Oct 9
Byron 4NORTH4b−25°F to −20°F1,041May 12Sep 28
Caledonia5a−20°F to −15°F1,166Apr 29Oct 10
Cambridge4b−25°F to −20°F965May 2Oct 4
Canby4b−25°F to −20°F1,210May 2Oct 5
Cass Lake3b−35°F to −30°F1,296May 17Sep 26
Cedar4b−25°F to −20°F907May 1Oct 7
Chanhassen Wsfo5a−20°F to −15°F946Apr 30Oct 9
Chaska 2NW4b−25°F to −20°F923May 5Oct 5
Cloquet4a−30°F to −25°F1,265May 26Sep 23
Collegeville St John's4b−25°F to −20°F1,210May 3Oct 7
Cotton3b−35°F to −30°F1,323May 27Sep 20
Crookston NW Experiment Station4a−30°F to −25°F891May 11Sep 27
Dassel 3SE4b−25°F to −20°F1,065Apr 30Oct 10
Deep Portage4a−30°F to −25°F1,471May 5Oct 5
Delano4b−25°F to −20°F975Apr 30Oct 8
Detroit Lakes 1 NNE4a−30°F to −25°F1,355May 15Sep 24
Detroit Lakes 12E4a−30°F to −25°F1,542May 4Oct 3
Duluth4b−25°F to −20°F1,428May 13Oct 1
Duluth Harbor Station5a−20°F to −15°F610May 14Oct 12
Duluth NWS4b−25°F to −20°F1,433May 18Oct 1
Elk River4b−25°F to −20°F880May 4Oct 5
Ely3b−35°F to −30°F1,382May 24Sep 23
Ely3b−35°F to −30°F1,475May 14Sep 29
Embarrass3a−40°F to −35°F1,425Any monthAny month
Eveleth Wwtp3b−35°F to −30°F1,445May 12Oct 1
Fairmont5a−20°F to −15°F1,187Apr 25Oct 14
Faribault4b−25°F to −20°F970May 5Oct 5
Farmington 3 NW5a−20°F to −15°F980Apr 27Oct 10
Fergus Falls4a−30°F to −25°F1,250May 4Oct 5
Floodwood 3 NE4a−30°F to −25°F1,260May 29Sep 18
Forest Lake 5NE4b−25°F to −20°F905May 3Oct 5
Fosston 1 E3b−35°F to −30°F1,300May 15Sep 26
Gaylord4b−25°F to −20°F1,020Apr 24Oct 15
Georgetown 1 E4a−30°F to −25°F885May 9Oct 1
Glenwood 2WNW4b−25°F to −20°F1,198May 11Sep 27
Grand Meadow4b−25°F to −20°F1,350May 6Oct 1
Grand Portage4b−25°F to −20°F730May 24Sep 29
Grand Rpds Forest Lab4a−30°F to −25°F1,310May 17Sep 24
Granite Falls4b−25°F to −20°F930May 4Oct 1
Gull Lake Dam4a−30°F to −25°F1,215May 2Oct 6
Hallock3b−35°F to −30°F815May 8Sep 30
Hastings Dam 25a−20°F to −15°F680Apr 23Oct 19
Hibbing Chisholm Hibbing Airport3b−35°F to −30°F1,352Jun 5Sep 8
Hinckley4a−30°F to −25°F1,035May 16Sep 24
Hutchinson 1 N4b−25°F to −20°F1,095Apr 28Oct 8
Intl Falls Intl Airport3a−40°F to −35°F1,183May 29Sep 13
Isabella 14W3b−35°F to −30°F1,740May 31Sep 15
Island Lake 4E4a−30°F to −25°F1,410May 21Sep 27
Jordan 1SSW4b−25°F to −20°F900May 2Oct 5
Kabetogama3b−35°F to −30°F1,200May 28Sep 16
Kimball 3N4b−25°F to −20°F1,160May 2Oct 5
La Crescent Dam 75a−20°F to −15°F647Apr 15Oct 28
Lake Wilson5a−20°F to −15°F1,653May 7Sep 29
Lakefield 2NE5a−20°F to −15°F1,530May 2Oct 2
Lamberton SW Rsch & Outreach C5a−20°F to −15°F1,140May 3Oct 2
Leech Lake3b−35°F to −30°F1,302May 8Oct 1
Litchfield4b−25°F to −20°F1,120May 6Oct 2
Little Falls 2NNE4a−30°F to −25°F1,120May 4Oct 5
Long Prairie4a−30°F to −25°F1,340May 13Sep 27
Lower St Anthony Falls5a−20°F to −15°F754Apr 23Oct 16
Lutsen 3NNE3b−35°F to −30°F1,300May 26Sep 27
Mabel4b−25°F to −20°F1,112May 10Sep 28
Madison Wwtp4b−25°F to −20°F1,075May 3Oct 2
Mahnomen4a−30°F to −25°F1,212May 7Sep 28
Mankato5a−20°F to −15°F850Apr 30Oct 9
Marcell 5NE3b−35°F to −30°F1,387May 14Oct 2
Marshall5a−20°F to −15°F1,149May 5Oct 3
Melrose4b−25°F to −20°F1,195May 4Oct 1
Milaca4a−30°F to −25°F1,064May 8Oct 1
Milan 1NW4b−25°F to −20°F1,020May 3Oct 2
Minneapolis/st Paul Airport5a−20°F to −15°F872Apr 23Oct 18
Minnesota City Dam 54b−25°F to −20°F670Apr 23Oct 16
Montevideo 1SW4b−25°F to −20°F990May 4Oct 1
Moorhead4a−30°F to −25°F904May 5Oct 3
Moose Lake 1 SSE4a−30°F to −25°F1,110May 12Oct 2
Mora4a−30°F to −25°F1,018May 9Sep 30
Morris W Central Rsch & Outreach4b−25°F to −20°F1,140May 4Oct 1
Mpls Crystal Airport5a−20°F to −15°F861Apr 30Oct 8
Mpls Flying Cloud Airport5a−20°F to −15°F907Apr 23Oct 14
New Hope5a−20°F to −15°F910Apr 29Oct 12
New London4b−25°F to −20°F1,250May 4Oct 4
New Ulm 2 SE5a−20°F to −15°F890Apr 29Oct 7
New Ulm 3SE5a−20°F to −15°F925May 2Oct 7
New York Mills4a−30°F to −25°F1,406May 10Sep 29
Northome 3S3b−35°F to −30°F1,415May 16Sep 26
Olivia 3E4b−25°F to −20°F1,100May 6Oct 1
Orr 3E3b−35°F to −30°F1,315Jun 2Sep 15
Ottertail4a−30°F to −25°F1,349May 5Oct 5
Owatonna4b−25°F to −20°F1,140May 5Oct 6
Pine River Dam4a−30°F to −25°F1,250May 6Oct 7
Pipestone4b−25°F to −20°F1,705May 4Oct 2
Pokegama Dam4a−30°F to −25°F1,280May 16Oct 1
Preston4b−25°F to −20°F930May 14Sep 28
Red Lake Falls3b−35°F to −30°F1,038May 9Sep 30
Red Lake Indian Agcy3b−35°F to −30°F1,216May 12Oct 4
Red Wing Dam 34b−25°F to −20°F677Apr 23Oct 14
Redwood Falls5a−20°F to −15°F1,020Apr 30Oct 10
Redwood Falls Municipal Airport4b−25°F to −20°F1,021Apr 30Oct 4
Rice4a−30°F to −25°F1,060May 10Sep 29
Rochester Intl Airport4b−25°F to −20°F1,304Apr 30Oct 6
Rosemount Rsch & Outreach Center5a−20°F to −15°F945May 2Oct 5
Rothsay4a−30°F to −25°F1,204May 5Oct 3
Rushford4b−25°F to −20°F770May 8Oct 3
Sandstone 6 W4a−30°F to −25°F1,130May 13Sep 29
Sherburn 3WSW5a−20°F to −15°F1,320Apr 28Oct 8
Springfield 1 NW5a−20°F to −15°F1,066May 4Oct 1
St Cloud Regional Airport4b−25°F to −20°F1,018May 7Sep 30
St James Wwtp5a−20°F to −15°F1,070Apr 30Oct 7
St Paul5a−20°F to −15°F900Apr 26Oct 12
St Paul 3SW5a−20°F to −15°F925Apr 25Oct 12
St Paul Downtown Airport5a−20°F to −15°F700Apr 24Oct 16
St Peter4b−25°F to −20°F795May 2Oct 4
Stillwater 1 SE5a−20°F to −15°F710Apr 22Oct 19
Stillwater 2SW4b−25°F to −20°F898Apr 30Oct 11
Tamarac Wildlife Re4a−30°F to −25°F1,508May 5Oct 3
Theilman 1SSW4b−25°F to −20°F753May 7Oct 2
Thief River Falls 24a−30°F to −25°F1,128May 14Sep 28
Tower 2S3a−40°F to −35°F1,430Any monthAny month
Tracy5a−20°F to −15°F1,403May 2Oct 5
Two Harbors4b−25°F to −20°F625May 12Oct 6
U Of Mn St Paul5a−20°F to −15°F970Apr 28Oct 8
Vadnais Lake5a−20°F to −15°F890Apr 23Oct 20
Wadena 3 S4a−30°F to −25°F1,372May 10Sep 30
Walker4a−30°F to −25°F1,430May 4Oct 7
Warren Wsd4a−30°F to −25°F855May 5Oct 2
Warroad3b−35°F to −30°F1,073May 16Sep 24
Waseca S Rsch & Outreach Center4b−25°F to −20°F1,153May 2Oct 4
Waskish 4NE3b−35°F to −30°F1,191May 22Sep 17
Wells4b−25°F to −20°F1,135Apr 30Oct 6
Wheaton4b−25°F to −20°F1,018May 1Oct 9
White Rock Dam4b−25°F to −20°F1,024May 3Oct 3
Wild River State Park4a−30°F to −25°F840May 19Sep 25
Willmar 5N4b−25°F to −20°F1,190May 1Oct 6
Willmar Wwtp4b−25°F to −20°F1,100Apr 30Oct 7
Windom5a−20°F to −15°F1,384Apr 30Oct 10
Winnebago5a−20°F to −15°F1,110Apr 27Oct 10
Winona5a−20°F to −15°F652Apr 21Oct 19
Wolf Ridge Elc4a−30°F to −25°F1,400May 15Oct 1
Worthington 2 NNE5a−20°F to −15°F1,570May 3Oct 4
Wright 3 E4a−30°F to −25°F1,330May 31Sep 18
Zumbrota4b−25°F to −20°F970May 9Sep 30

Frequently asked questions

What hardiness zone is Minnesota?

Minnesota is in USDA hardiness zones 3a–5a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 4b is the most common, covering 36% of Minnesota's ZIP codes, and zone 5a covers 29%. Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.

What does zone 4b mean?

Zone 4b means the average annual extreme minimum temperature, the coldest night of a typical winter, is −25°F to −20°F (−32°C to −29°C). Perennials, shrubs and trees rated for zone 4b or colder should survive winter there.

What is the coldest hardiness zone in Minnesota?

Zone 3a is the coldest zone mapped in Minnesota, found around Tower 2S, and zone 5a is the warmest, found around Duluth Harbor Station.

Did Minnesota's hardiness zones change in 2023?

The USDA released a new Plant Hardiness Zone Map in November 2023, based on 1991–2020 temperatures instead of 1976–2005. About half of the United States shifted half a zone warmer. Check your ZIP code here, because plant tags and older books may still list your 2012 zone.

When should I plant in zone 4b?

Hardiness zones don't set planting dates; frost dates do. Inside zone 4b in Minnesota, the median last spring frost varies from April 23 to May 24. Look up your local frost dates and plant tender crops such as tomatoes after the 10%-risk last-frost date.

Zone and frost dates: use both

Your hardiness zone answers one question: will this plant survive the winter here? Choose perennials, shrubs, trees and bulbs rated for your zone or a colder one. For vegetables and annuals, what matters is the length of the frost-free season. See Minnesota frost dates by town, or get a planting calendar for your ZIP code with start-indoors, transplant and sowing dates for 30 crops.

Sources and method

Zones are from the USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP-code files published by the PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, based on 1991–2020 minimum temperatures. ZIP codes are assigned to states by USPS prefix. Town zones use the ZIP code nearest each NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals station. This is an independent tool, not an official USDA site. Full methodology.

Hardiness zones in other states