USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
Zone 12a Frost Dates & Planting Calendar
27 ZIP codes across 2 states fall in zone 12a.
- Zone
- 12a
- Average Annual Low
- 50 to 55°F
- Typical Growing Season
- 322 days
- ZIP Codes
- 27
What zone 12a actually tells you
A hardiness zone describes one thing: the average coldest night of the year, which in zone 12a falls between 50 to 55°F. It answers whether a perennial will survive the winter — not when to plant in spring.
Frost dates answer the planting question, and they vary widely inside a single zone. Zone 12a spans 2 states, and a coastal ZIP can differ from an inland one by three weeks despite sharing the zone. Pick your own ZIP code below rather than planting by zone alone.