USDA Hardiness Zone Finder
Find your USDA hardiness zone from the official 2023 map, then see which low-input lawn species and seed are rated for it.
What this does
Enter your ZIP or state and we return your USDA hardiness zone from the 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map, then filter our catalogue to the species and seed rated for that zone.
How the lookup works
suited_products = { p : your_zone ∈ p.usda_zones }
Your USDA hardiness zone is set by the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature, on the official 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (built from 1991–2020 climate normals by the USDA Agricultural Research Service and Oregon State University’s PRISM group). The finder maps your location to that zone, then keeps only the species whose rated zone range includes yours.
State-level lookup is live now; ZIP-precision uses the official USDA map, which we recommend confirming directly for borderline addresses, since elevation and local microclimates can shift a single street half a zone.
Method & data pinned to: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — 2023 edition (1991–2020 normals).
Run the numbers
The interactive USDA Hardiness Zone Finder loads here.
Until then, the formula above gives the same result by hand.
Step by step
- 1. Enter your ZIP code (or pick your state).
- 2. Read your USDA hardiness zone from the 2023 map.
- 3. Browse the species and seed rated for that zone, or jump into the finder to narrow by site.
Getting an accurate answer
Hardiness zones describe winter cold only — they don’t capture summer heat, humidity or rainfall, so pair your zone with our regional guides for the full picture.
For borderline locations, confirm your ZIP on the official USDA map; microclimates near water, pavement or elevation can nudge your zone.
A warmer zone tells you what survives winter, not necessarily what thrives in summer.
Data source & assumptions
Pinned to USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 edition (1991–2020 normals)). Assumptions:
- Zone = average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.
- 2023 USDA map (ARS + Oregon State PRISM); 1991–2020 data.
- State-level lookup live; confirm ZIP precision on the USDA map.
- Zone covers winter cold only, not summer heat or rainfall.
Common questions
Where does the zone come from?
Directly from the official 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which uses 30 years of winter-low data (1991–2020). We don’t invent or adjust it.
Why confirm my ZIP on the USDA site?
Local microclimates — elevation, nearby water, urban heat — can shift a precise address half a zone. For borderline spots the official map is the final word.
Does my zone tell me everything?
No. It tells you winter cold-hardiness only. Summer heat, humidity and rainfall matter too — our regional guides cover those.
What if I’m between two zones?
Choose the colder (lower) zone to be safe; a species rated for the colder zone will also handle the warmer one.