Check before you plant
Will this plant survive where I live?
Choose a plant and tell us where you live. We’ll compare its winter needs with your area and give you a clear answer before you buy or plant it.
Choose your plant
1Search a common or scientific name.
Tell us where
2Choose a plant and enter your ZIP.
We’ll tell you whether your winters are a good match for that plant.
How to use the answer
A matching zone is a good start.
For plants that return year after year, the right hardiness zone is the first thing to check. Then look at the exact spot in your yard.
- Make sure the plant will get the sun and soil it needs.
- Give a newly planted tree or shrub time to grow strong roots before winter.
- A sheltered spot may help, but it cannot guarantee a plant will survive.
Where the information comes from
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — the 2023 map of typical winter lows across the U.S.
Questions gardeners ask
What does “hardy” mean for a plant?
A hardy plant can usually survive a typical winter in the zones listed for it. An unusually cold winter, a windy spot, or a newly planted root system can still cause problems.
Does my ZIP code always have one exact hardiness zone?
A ZIP code gives you a useful starting point. Hills, buildings, wind, shade, and city heat can make one yard—or even one corner of a yard—warmer or colder than another.
Why can a plant struggle even when its zone matches?
A hardiness zone only tells you about winter cold. Summer heat, sunlight, soggy or dry soil, wind, and a plant’s first year in the ground all matter too.