What Hardiness Zone Is South Carolina?

Q: What hardiness zone is South Carolina?

South Carolina is in USDA hardiness zones 8a–9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 8b is the most common, covering 50% of South Carolina's ZIP codes, and zone 8a covers 39%. Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.

Q: What does zone 8b mean?

Zone 8b means the average annual extreme minimum temperature, the coldest night of a typical winter, is 15°F to 20°F (−9°C to −7°C). Perennials, shrubs and trees rated for zone 8b or colder should survive winter there.

Q: What is the coldest hardiness zone in South Carolina?

Zone 8a is the coldest zone mapped in South Carolina, found around Caesars Head, and zone 9b is the warmest.

Q: Did South Carolina'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.

Q: When should I plant in zone 8b?

Hardiness zones don't set planting dates; frost dates do. Inside zone 8b in South Carolina, the median last spring frost varies from March 6 to April 9. Look up your local frost dates and plant tender crops such as tomatoes after the 10%-risk last-frost date.

USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map · 526 ZIP codes · Data updated 2026-10-28

Quick answer

South Carolina spans USDA hardiness zones 8a–9b on the 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The most common zone is 8b, covering 50% of South Carolina's ZIP codes, followed by zone 8a (39%). Zone 8b means the coldest night of an average winter reaches 15°F to 20°F (−9°C to −7°C). Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.

South Carolina hardiness zones by share of ZIP codes

Zone 8a39% · 205 ZIPs

Zone 8b50% · 261 ZIPs

Zone 9a11% · 56 ZIPs

Zone 9b<1% · 4 ZIPs

What the zones mean for South Carolina gardeners

Coldest and warmest towns: among towns with NOAA weather stations, Caesars Head (3,200 ft) is in zone 8a, while Sullivans Island (5 ft) is in zone 9a. That is a difference of about 10°F in the coldest night of a typical winter.
Same zone, different frost dates: within zone 8b, the median last spring frost ranges from March 6 at Hampton 1S to April 9 at Graniteville 1.2 NE, 34 days apart. Your zone tells you which perennials survive winter; your frost dates tell you when to plant.

Typical frost dates in each South Carolina 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.

Zone	Last spring frost	First fall frost	Stations
8a	March 31	November 4	42
8b	March 22	November 12	47
9a	March 3	December 3	7

Hardiness zones for South Carolina cities

Zones at the National Weather Service stations, mostly city airports, with their median frost dates.


Anderson County Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	760	Mar 29	Nov 8
Beaufort McAs	9a	20°F to 25°F	37	Feb 28	Dec 3
Blackville 3 W	8b	15°F to 20°F	317	Mar 20	Nov 13
Charleston City	9a	20°F to 25°F	10	Feb 4	Dec 30
Charleston Intl Airport	9a	20°F to 25°F	40	Mar 7	Nov 27
Clemson Oconee County Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	891	Mar 21	Nov 11
Columbia	8b	15°F to 20°F	231	Mar 25	Nov 7
Columbia Owens Dwtn Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	212	Mar 13	Nov 19
Florence Regional Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	146	Mar 19	Nov 13
Greenville Dwtn Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	1,048	Mar 16	Nov 20
Greenwood County Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	631	Apr 1	Nov 2
Greer	8a	10°F to 15°F	940	Mar 28	Nov 7
N Myrtle Beach Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	32	Mar 13	Nov 20
Orangeburg Municipal Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	197	Mar 15	Nov 19
Rock Hill York County Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	669	Mar 31	Nov 4

Hardiness zones for 96 towns in South Carolina

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.

Filter by town


Aiken 2 E	8b	15°F to 20°F	542	Mar 19	Nov 14
Aiken 5SE	8b	15°F to 20°F	492	Mar 21	Nov 7
Allendale 2 NW	8b	15°F to 20°F	180	Mar 28	Nov 7
Anderson	8a	10°F to 15°F	800	Mar 23	Nov 11
Anderson County Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	760	Mar 29	Nov 8
Andrews	8b	15°F to 20°F	35	Mar 23	Nov 13
Bamberg	8b	15°F to 20°F	156	Mar 18	Nov 12
Barnwell 5 ENE	8b	15°F to 20°F	245	Mar 22	Nov 9
Batesburg	8a	10°F to 15°F	660	Mar 20	Nov 18
Beaufort McAs	9a	20°F to 25°F	37	Feb 28	Dec 3
Beaufort Wwtp	9a	20°F to 25°F	25	Mar 3	Dec 9
Bishopville 1ENE	8b	15°F to 20°F	203	Mar 29	Nov 4
Blackville 3 W	8b	15°F to 20°F	317	Mar 20	Nov 13
Brookgreen Gardens	8b	15°F to 20°F	20	Mar 18	Nov 18
Cades 4 W	8b	15°F to 20°F	80	Mar 27	Nov 9
Caesars Head	8a	10°F to 15°F	3,200	Apr 10	Nov 2
Calhoun Falls	8a	10°F to 15°F	530	Mar 27	Nov 7
Camden 3 W	8a	10°F to 15°F	140	Apr 4	Nov 4
Cedar Creek 2E	8a	10°F to 15°F	338	Apr 10	Oct 28
Charleston City	9a	20°F to 25°F	10	Feb 4	Dec 30
Charleston Intl Airport	9a	20°F to 25°F	40	Mar 7	Nov 27
Cheraw	8a	10°F to 15°F	150	Mar 26	Nov 9
Chesnee 7 WSW	8a	10°F to 15°F	748	Apr 13	Oct 26
Chester 1 SE	8a	10°F to 15°F	560	Apr 3	Nov 2
Chesterfield 3 E	8a	10°F to 15°F	205	Apr 1	Nov 3
Clarks Hill 1 W	8b	15°F to 20°F	400	Mar 15	Nov 18
Clemson Oconee County Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	891	Mar 21	Nov 11
Clemson University	8b	15°F to 20°F	800	Apr 1	Nov 3
Clinton	8a	10°F to 15°F	655	Mar 29	Nov 4
Columbia	8b	15°F to 20°F	231	Mar 25	Nov 7
Columbia Owens Dwtn Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	212	Mar 13	Nov 19
Columbia University Of Sc	8b	15°F to 20°F	223	Mar 16	Nov 16
Conway	8b	15°F to 20°F	20	Mar 15	Nov 22
Darlington	8b	15°F to 20°F	150	Mar 30	Nov 6
Dillon	8b	15°F to 20°F	118	Mar 28	Nov 8
Edgefield 2.2 ENE	8a	10°F to 15°F	607	Mar 16	Nov 13
Edisto Island Middleton Plantation	9a	20°F to 25°F	12	Mar 1	Dec 6
Elliott 0.8 NW	8b	15°F to 20°F	173	Mar 19	Nov 15
Florence Regional Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	146	Mar 19	Nov 13
Fountain Inn 2 SW	8a	10°F to 15°F	830	Mar 29	Nov 5
Georgetown County Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	30	Mar 12	Nov 24
Graniteville 1.2 NE	8b	15°F to 20°F	298	Apr 9	Nov 1
Greenville	8a	10°F to 15°F	960	Mar 28	Nov 7
Greenville Dwtn Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	1,048	Mar 16	Nov 20
Greenwood	8a	10°F to 15°F	615	Mar 26	Nov 12
Greenwood 8NE	8a	10°F to 15°F	530	Mar 22	Nov 13
Greenwood County Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	631	Apr 1	Nov 2
Greer	8a	10°F to 15°F	940	Mar 28	Nov 7
Hampton 1S	8b	15°F to 20°F	95	Mar 6	Nov 26
Hartsville	8b	15°F to 20°F	185	Mar 30	Nov 6
Hemingway 8 ESE	8b	15°F to 20°F	40	Mar 23	Nov 15
Holly Hill 1 SW	8b	15°F to 20°F	95	Mar 22	Nov 12
Jamestown	8b	15°F to 20°F	35	Mar 22	Nov 13
Jocassee 8 WNW	8a	10°F to 15°F	2,540	Apr 26	Oct 17
Johnston 4 SW	8a	10°F to 15°F	629	Mar 26	Nov 8
Kingstree	8b	15°F to 20°F	75	Mar 29	Nov 6
Lake City 2 SE	8b	15°F to 20°F	75	Mar 20	Nov 13
Lake Greenwood	8a	10°F to 15°F	422	Apr 1	Nov 4
Laurens	8a	10°F to 15°F	589	Apr 1	Nov 5
Little Mountain	8a	10°F to 15°F	711	Mar 22	Nov 11
Long Creek	8a	10°F to 15°F	1,625	Apr 9	Oct 29
Manning	8b	15°F to 20°F	85	Mar 25	Nov 11
Marion	8b	15°F to 20°F	75	Mar 22	Nov 11
McClellanville	9a	20°F to 25°F	12	Mar 17	Nov 21
McColl 3 NNW	8a	10°F to 15°F	190	Mar 26	Nov 8
McCormick	8b	15°F to 20°F	507	Mar 28	Nov 7
Moncks Corner 4 N	8b	15°F to 20°F	49	Mar 10	Nov 26
Mullins	8b	15°F to 20°F	110	Mar 26	Nov 11
Myrtle Beach	8b	15°F to 20°F	39	Mar 21	Nov 13
N 5NE	8b	15°F to 20°F	322	Mar 26	Nov 6
N Myrtle Beach Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	32	Mar 13	Nov 20
Newberry	8a	10°F to 15°F	513	Mar 31	Nov 7
Ninety Nine Island	8a	10°F to 15°F	500	Apr 20	Oct 24
Orangeburg 2	8b	15°F to 20°F	185	Mar 13	Nov 15
Orangeburg Municipal Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	197	Mar 15	Nov 19
Pageland	8a	10°F to 15°F	520	Mar 27	Nov 8
Pelion 0.8 NW	8a	10°F to 15°F	451	Mar 28	Nov 4
Pickens	8a	10°F to 15°F	1,075	Apr 1	Nov 3
Rock Hill York County Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	669	Mar 31	Nov 4
Saluda	8a	10°F to 15°F	480	Mar 31	Nov 4
Sandhill Rsch - Elgin	8b	15°F to 20°F	440	Mar 22	Nov 15
Sandy Springs 2 NE	8a	10°F to 15°F	765	Apr 5	Oct 30
Santuck	8a	10°F to 15°F	520	Apr 4	Nov 1
Spartanburg 3 SSE	8a	10°F to 15°F	610	Apr 8	Nov 1
Sullivans Island	9a	20°F to 25°F	5	Mar 13	Nov 30
Summerville 4W	8b	15°F to 20°F	65	Mar 22	Nov 12
Sumter	8b	15°F to 20°F	177	Mar 24	Nov 7
W Pelzer	8a	10°F to 15°F	705	Apr 1	Nov 4
Wagener 1SW	8b	15°F to 20°F	380	Mar 26	Nov 9
Walhalla	8a	10°F to 15°F	980	Apr 11	Oct 30
Walterboro 1 SW	8b	15°F to 20°F	56	Mar 19	Nov 12
Wedgefield	8b	15°F to 20°F	250	Mar 21	Nov 13
Winnsboro	8a	10°F to 15°F	530	Mar 31	Nov 6
Winthrop University	8a	10°F to 15°F	650	Mar 27	Nov 5
Yemassee 1 N	8b	15°F to 20°F	44	Mar 23	Nov 6
York 5 SSE	8a	10°F to 15°F	660	Apr 1	Nov 3

Frequently asked questions

What hardiness zone is South Carolina?

South Carolina is in USDA hardiness zones 8a–9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 8b is the most common, covering 50% of South Carolina's ZIP codes, and zone 8a covers 39%. Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.

What does zone 8b mean?

Zone 8b means the average annual extreme minimum temperature, the coldest night of a typical winter, is 15°F to 20°F (−9°C to −7°C). Perennials, shrubs and trees rated for zone 8b or colder should survive winter there.

What is the coldest hardiness zone in South Carolina?

Zone 8a is the coldest zone mapped in South Carolina, found around Caesars Head, and zone 9b is the warmest.

Did South Carolina'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 8b?

Hardiness zones don't set planting dates; frost dates do. Inside zone 8b in South Carolina, the median last spring frost varies from March 6 to April 9. 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 South Carolina 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.