What Hardiness Zone Is Virginia?
Virginia spans USDA hardiness zones 6a–8b on the 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The most common zone is 7b, covering 43% of Virginia's ZIP codes, followed by zone 7a (32%). Zone 7b means the coldest night of an average winter reaches 5°F to 10°F (−15°C to −12°C). Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.
Virginia hardiness zones by share of ZIP codes
What the zones mean for Virginia gardeners
- Coldest and warmest towns: among towns with NOAA weather stations, Mill Gap (2,421 ft) is in zone 5b, while Norfolk S (10 ft) is in zone 8b. That is a difference of about 30°F in the coldest night of a typical winter.
- Same zone, different frost dates: within zone 7b, the median last spring frost ranges from March 28 at Quantico McAs to April 24 at Martinsville Fltr Plt, 27 days apart. Your zone tells you which perennials survive winter; your frost dates tell you when to plant.
Typical frost dates in each Virginia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6b | April 30 | October 18 | 4 |
| 7a | April 22 | October 22 | 51 |
| 7b | April 8 | October 31 | 50 |
| 8a | March 31 | November 11 | 12 |
| 8b | March 23 | November 16 | 5 |
Hardiness zones for Virginia cities
Zones at the National Weather Service stations, mostly city airports, with their median frost dates.
| Ashland Hanover County Municipal Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 205 | Apr 10 | Oct 31 |
| Cape Charles 5 ENE | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 29 | Mar 28 | Nov 17 |
| Charlottesville 2 SSE | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 1,177 | Apr 2 | Nov 8 |
| Charlottesville Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 641 | Apr 3 | Nov 1 |
| Danville Regional Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 571 | Apr 10 | Oct 28 |
| Fentress Naas | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 16 | Mar 23 | Nov 18 |
| Langley AFB | 8b | 15°F to 20°F | 10 | Mar 24 | Nov 15 |
| Lynchburg Regional Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 940 | Apr 15 | Oct 24 |
| Newport News Intl Airport | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 42 | Apr 1 | Nov 9 |
| Norfolk Intl Airport | 8b | 15°F to 20°F | 30 | Mar 17 | Nov 23 |
| Norfolk NAS | 8b | 15°F to 20°F | 17 | Mar 16 | Nov 26 |
| Norfolk Rich | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 112 | Apr 6 | Nov 1 |
| Oceana NAS | 8b | 15°F to 20°F | 23 | Mar 29 | Nov 12 |
| Quantico McAs | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 10 | Mar 28 | Nov 8 |
| Richmond Intl Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 164 | Apr 3 | Nov 4 |
| Roanoke Regional Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 1,175 | Apr 3 | Nov 1 |
| Wallops Island Flight Fac | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 38 | Mar 31 | Nov 11 |
| Washington Dc Dulles Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 290 | Apr 15 | Oct 24 |
| Washington Reagan Airport | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 10 | Mar 24 | Nov 18 |
Hardiness zones for 124 towns in Virginia
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.
| Abingdon 3S | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,925 | Apr 21 | Oct 20 |
| Amelia Courthouse | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 345 | Apr 7 | Nov 2 |
| Appomattox | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 850 | Apr 7 | Nov 1 |
| Ashland | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 220 | Apr 10 | Oct 29 |
| Ashland Hanover County Municipal Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 205 | Apr 10 | Oct 31 |
| Bedford | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 894 | Apr 7 | Oct 31 |
| Big Meadows | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 3,540 | May 1 | Oct 19 |
| Big Stone Gap | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,466 | Apr 20 | Oct 23 |
| Blacksburg Nwso | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 2,103 | Apr 24 | Oct 19 |
| Bland | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 2,000 | May 6 | Oct 10 |
| Boston 4 SE | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 590 | Apr 21 | Oct 22 |
| Breaks Interstate Park | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,893 | Apr 22 | Oct 23 |
| Bremo Bluff | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 225 | Apr 28 | Oct 17 |
| Brookneal | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 408 | Apr 17 | Oct 24 |
| Buchanan | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 880 | Apr 8 | Oct 31 |
| Burkes Garden | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 3,068 | May 9 | Oct 6 |
| Cape Charles 5 ENE | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 29 | Mar 28 | Nov 17 |
| Charlotte Court House | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 569 | Apr 10 | Oct 30 |
| Charlottesville 2 SSE | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 1,177 | Apr 2 | Nov 8 |
| Charlottesville 2W | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 866 | Apr 2 | Nov 10 |
| Charlottesville Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 641 | Apr 3 | Nov 1 |
| Chase City | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 510 | Apr 6 | Nov 1 |
| Chatham | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 647 | Apr 22 | Oct 23 |
| Christiansburg | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 2,100 | Apr 19 | Oct 23 |
| Clarksville | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 330 | Mar 31 | Nov 5 |
| Clintwood 1W | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,566 | Apr 29 | Oct 16 |
| Copper Hill | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 2,846 | Apr 21 | Oct 25 |
| Corbin | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 220 | Apr 14 | Oct 27 |
| Covington Fltr Plt | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,244 | Apr 27 | Oct 18 |
| Crozier | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 350 | Apr 17 | Oct 27 |
| Dale Enterprise | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,358 | Apr 21 | Oct 23 |
| Danville 2 SE | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 392 | Apr 8 | Nov 1 |
| Danville Regional Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 571 | Apr 10 | Oct 28 |
| Disputanta | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 130 | Apr 10 | Nov 1 |
| Eastville | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 10 | Mar 26 | Nov 20 |
| Edinburg | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 928 | Apr 25 | Oct 19 |
| Elk Creek 4SSW | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 3,439 | Apr 16 | Oct 27 |
| Emporia 1 WNW | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 100 | Mar 31 | Nov 6 |
| Farmville 2 N | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 450 | Apr 12 | Oct 29 |
| Fentress Naas | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 16 | Mar 23 | Nov 18 |
| Floyd 2 NE | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 2,625 | Apr 30 | Oct 10 |
| Fort Pickett | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 330 | Apr 11 | Oct 30 |
| Fredericksburg Sewage | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 60 | Apr 6 | Nov 1 |
| Free Union | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 590 | Apr 19 | Oct 24 |
| Front Royal | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 930 | Apr 13 | Oct 28 |
| Galax Radio Wbrf | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 2,385 | Apr 26 | Oct 14 |
| Galax Wtp | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 2,341 | Apr 22 | Oct 21 |
| Greenbay 3 NE | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 500 | Apr 7 | Nov 1 |
| Grundy | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,157 | Apr 21 | Oct 26 |
| Holland 1 E | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 80 | Apr 7 | Nov 2 |
| Hopewell | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 40 | Mar 31 | Nov 6 |
| Hot Springs | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 2,244 | Apr 26 | Oct 19 |
| John H Kerr Dam | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 250 | Apr 5 | Nov 1 |
| Keysville 2 S | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 625 | Apr 8 | Nov 1 |
| Langley AFB | 8b | 15°F to 20°F | 10 | Mar 24 | Nov 15 |
| Lawrenceville 3 E | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 325 | Apr 7 | Oct 31 |
| Lebanon | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,912 | Apr 25 | Oct 16 |
| Lexington | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,097 | Apr 23 | Oct 23 |
| Louisa | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 420 | Apr 26 | Oct 20 |
| Luray 5 E | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,400 | Apr 23 | Oct 22 |
| Lynchburg #2 | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 736 | Apr 17 | Oct 25 |
| Lynchburg Regional Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 940 | Apr 15 | Oct 24 |
| Manassas | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 245 | Apr 12 | Oct 27 |
| Martinsville Fltr Plt | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 780 | Apr 24 | Oct 21 |
| Meadows Of Dan 5 SW | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 2,225 | Apr 21 | Oct 25 |
| Mill Gap | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 2,421 | May 12 | Oct 3 |
| Montebello Fish Cultural Station | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 2,667 | May 2 | Oct 13 |
| Monticello | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 758 | Apr 5 | Nov 4 |
| Mount Wx | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,659 | Apr 17 | Nov 1 |
| Mount Wx 3 | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,550 | Apr 17 | Oct 29 |
| Mustoe 1 SW | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 2,367 | May 8 | Oct 5 |
| N | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 4 | Apr 1 | Nov 10 |
| Newport News Intl Airport | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 42 | Apr 1 | Nov 9 |
| Nora 4 SSE | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 2,658 | Apr 14 | Nov 1 |
| Norfolk Intl Airport | 8b | 15°F to 20°F | 30 | Mar 17 | Nov 23 |
| Norfolk NAS | 8b | 15°F to 20°F | 17 | Mar 16 | Nov 26 |
| Norfolk Rich | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 112 | Apr 6 | Nov 1 |
| Norfolk S | 8b | 15°F to 20°F | 10 | Mar 23 | Nov 16 |
| Oceana NAS | 8b | 15°F to 20°F | 23 | Mar 29 | Nov 12 |
| Painter 2 W | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 30 | Apr 4 | Nov 7 |
| Palmyra 3S | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 410 | Apr 23 | Oct 21 |
| Pearisburg 4 SSE | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,678 | Apr 27 | Oct 17 |
| Pennington Gap | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,360 | Apr 22 | Oct 20 |
| Petersburg | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 19 | Apr 3 | Nov 3 |
| Philpott Dam 2 | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 1,123 | Apr 14 | Oct 31 |
| Piedmont Rsch Station | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 520 | Apr 7 | Oct 30 |
| Pulaski 2 E | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 2,080 | Apr 25 | Oct 17 |
| Purcellville | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 510 | Apr 16 | Oct 25 |
| Quantico McAs | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 10 | Mar 28 | Nov 8 |
| Radford 3 N | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,800 | Apr 26 | Oct 18 |
| Richlands | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,910 | Apr 27 | Oct 18 |
| Richmond Intl Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 164 | Apr 3 | Nov 4 |
| Roanoke 8 N | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 1,157 | Apr 11 | Oct 28 |
| Roanoke Regional Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 1,175 | Apr 3 | Nov 1 |
| Rocky Mount | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 1,315 | Apr 20 | Oct 25 |
| S Boston | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 329 | Apr 10 | Oct 30 |
| Saltville 1N | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,733 | Apr 23 | Oct 20 |
| Sandston | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 165 | Apr 7 | Nov 1 |
| Somerset | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 510 | Apr 17 | Oct 22 |
| Sperryville | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 750 | Apr 16 | Oct 27 |
| Star Tannery | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 950 | Apr 26 | Oct 17 |
| Staunton Wtp | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 169 | Apr 15 | Oct 27 |
| Stony Creek 2 N | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 105 | Apr 9 | Oct 29 |
| Stuart | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 1,375 | Apr 19 | Oct 27 |
| Suffolk Lake Kilby | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 22 | Mar 27 | Nov 15 |
| Tye River 1 SE | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 720 | Apr 15 | Oct 25 |
| Vienna | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 418 | Apr 14 | Oct 29 |
| W Point 2 NW | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 20 | Apr 6 | Nov 1 |
| Wakefield 1NW | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 113 | Apr 12 | Oct 30 |
| Walkerton 2 NW | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 50 | Apr 7 | Nov 1 |
| Wallaceton-lake Drummond | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 20 | Apr 20 | Oct 27 |
| Wallops Island Flight Fac | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 38 | Mar 31 | Nov 11 |
| Warrenton 3 SE | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 500 | Apr 9 | Nov 1 |
| Warsaw 2 NW | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 140 | Apr 8 | Oct 30 |
| Washington Dc Dulles Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 290 | Apr 15 | Oct 24 |
| Washington Reagan Airport | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 10 | Mar 24 | Nov 18 |
| Waynesboro Wtp | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,270 | Apr 21 | Oct 23 |
| WFO Sterling | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 288 | Apr 13 | Oct 26 |
| Williamsburg 2 N | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 70 | Mar 31 | Nov 10 |
| Winchester | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 720 | Apr 11 | Oct 29 |
| Winchester 7 SE | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 680 | Apr 25 | Oct 18 |
| Wise 1SE | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 2,564 | Apr 25 | Oct 18 |
| Woodstock 2 NE | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 675 | Apr 24 | Oct 20 |
| Wytheville | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 2,458 | Apr 25 | Oct 18 |
Frequently asked questions
What hardiness zone is Virginia?
Virginia is in USDA hardiness zones 6a–8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 7b is the most common, covering 43% of Virginia's ZIP codes, and zone 7a covers 32%. Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.
What does zone 7b mean?
Zone 7b means the average annual extreme minimum temperature, the coldest night of a typical winter, is 5°F to 10°F (−15°C to −12°C). Perennials, shrubs and trees rated for zone 7b or colder should survive winter there.
What is the coldest hardiness zone in Virginia?
Zone 6a is the coldest zone mapped in Virginia, and zone 8b is the warmest, found around Norfolk S.
Did Virginia'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 7b?
Hardiness zones don't set planting dates; frost dates do. Inside zone 7b in Virginia, the median last spring frost varies from March 28 to April 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 Virginia 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
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
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- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
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- Puerto Rico