what to plant in my zone

What to Plant in My Zone: Get Plants Matched to Where You Live

Sow finds your USDA zone automatically and shows you only the plants that can thrive there.

The short answer: plant what is rated for your USDA hardiness zone — the standardized measure of your area's average coldest winter temperature. Perennials, shrubs and trees rated for your zone (or colder) will survive winter; anything rated warmer is an annual or a gamble. Your zone comes from your zip code, and Sow detects it automatically the moment you set your location.

Zone is the first filter, not the whole answer. Within your zone, the right plant for a spot also depends on sun exposure, soil moisture, mature size and what you want the plant to do. Sow layers all of those filters over a 10,000+ plant library so "what can I plant here?" becomes a browsable list instead of a research project.

What USDA hardiness zones actually mean

The USDA map divides North America into zones by average annual minimum winter temperature, in 10°F bands (each split into a and b half-zones of 5°F). A plant "hardy to zone 5" survives winters that average -20°F at their coldest. If you are in zone 7, you can grow plants rated for zones 7 and colder (6, 5, 4...) as perennials; zone 8+ plants will likely die over winter.

Zones changed in the 2023 USDA update — about half of the U.S. shifted a half-zone warmer — so if you learned your zone years ago, it is worth rechecking.

Beyond zone: sun, space and purpose

Two zone-7 yards can support completely different plants depending on sunlight. Full sun means 6+ hours; part shade 3–6; full shade under 3. Add mature size (that cute one-gallon shrub may want 8 feet), moisture, and purpose — privacy screening, pollinator support, four-season structure — and the honest plant list narrows fast. Sow's filters handle every one of these dimensions, including traits like Native, Butterfly Host and Pet Safe.

Microclimates: your yard is not one zone

South-facing walls, wind-exposed corners and low frost pockets can behave a half-zone warmer or colder than the map says. Mapping your yard in Sow — including its solar overlays — helps you notice these patterns and place borderline plants where they will actually make it.

Step by step

How to find zone-right plants with Sow

01
Set your location in Sow
Enter your zip code and Sow determines your USDA hardiness zone automatically.
02
Browse zone-filtered plants
The plant library shows what thrives in your zone — refine by sun, size, and traits like Native or Pet Safe.
03
Check each plant's card
Every plant shows its zone range, mature size, and sun needs so you can confirm fit for the exact spot.
04
Design and plant with confidence
Generate designs that only use zone-appropriate plants, then track frost dates and watering in the app.

Try it in Sow — free

Free to download on iPhone and Android — design your space with real plants, identify what's already growing, and save it all into your own library.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find my planting zone by zip code?+

Enter your zip code in Sow and it detects your USDA hardiness zone instantly — then filters every plant recommendation to it automatically.

Can I grow plants rated for a warmer zone?+

Only as annuals, in containers you overwinter indoors, or in a protected microclimate. For plants you want back every year, stick to your zone or colder.

Does my zone tell me when to plant?+

Zone tells you what survives winter; frost dates tell you when to plant. Sow tracks your local frost dates and forecast so you get timing along with plant choices.

Explore the plant data yourself

Every plant in a Sow design is real and published — 11,000+ outdoor species with hardiness zones, mature size, bloom timing, and prices we re-check daily.