What Growing Zone Is Alaska In?

Last updated September 6, 2026

USDA hardiness zones

2a to 7b

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Alaska spans USDA hardiness zone 2a to 7b across its major population centers, according to the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. That's a real range, not a single number: where you fall in it depends on where in the state you actually are.

Find your exact zone by ZIP code

Find your exact zone

US ZIP code

Your USDA hardiness zone

Zone 6b

Avg. annual minimum (°F)

-5°F to 0°F

Avg. annual minimum (°C)

-21°C to -18°C

Nearest reference point: Chicago, IL

This is a regional estimate based on the nearest of 826 reference points, each matched to the official 2023 USDA zone map. It’s accurate to within about a half-zone across most of the country, but elevation shifts zones over short distances, so if you’re in mountainous terrain, check the official USDA map for your exact address (see Sources below).

Alaska's USDA Hardiness Zones

Here's how the zone shifts across Alaska's major cities:

City	USDA Zone
Utqiagvik	2a
Fairbanks	2a
Nome	3b
Anchorage	5b
Juneau	6a
Sitka	7b

For your exact zone by ZIP code, use the Hardiness Zone Finder, and for what a zone number actually measures (and doesn't), see how zones actually work.

Frost Dates in Alaska

Frost dates track zone, so they shift across Alaska the same way the zone number does:

Interior and Arctic Alaska (Fairbanks, Utqiagvik) (zone 2): average last frost May 23 - Jun 6, average first frost Aug 24 - Sep 7.
Southeast Panhandle (Sitka) (zone 7): average last frost Mar 18 - Apr 1, average first frost Oct 29 - Nov 12.

These are averages, not guarantees. For your specific frost window, use the Frost Date Calculator. For a full vegetable-by-vegetable planting calendar already calculated from Alaska's frost dates, see the Alaska Planting Calendar.

Alaska spans five distinct climate zones, from maritime conditions in the Southeast Panhandle to true arctic conditions on the North Slope -- mean annual temperatures range from the low 40s (F) under maritime influence in the south to around 10F along the Arctic coast, per the Western Regional Climate Center.

What Grows Well in Alaska's Zones

A few real, zone-appropriate picks recommended by UAF Cooperative Extension Service for Alaska landscapes: not an exhaustive list, but a genuine starting point.

Amur chokecherry (Prunus maackii)
Manchurian crabapple (Malus baccata)
American mountain ash (Sorbus americana)
Saskatoon serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia)
American plum (Prunus americana)
Littleleaf linden (Tilia cordata)

Ready to find your exact zone? Use the Hardiness Zone Finder: enter your ZIP code for a precise match against the 2023 USDA map.

Alaska Growing Zone FAQ

What growing zone is Alaska in?

Alaska spans USDA hardiness zones 2a to 7b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Utqiagvik is zone 2a and Fairbanks is zone 2a; enter your ZIP code in the Hardiness Zone Finder for your exact zone.

What growing zone is Utqiagvik, AK?

Utqiagvik is in USDA hardiness zone 2a on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.

What growing zone is Fairbanks, AK?

Fairbanks is in USDA hardiness zone 2a on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.

What growing zone is Nome, AK?

Nome is in USDA hardiness zone 3b on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.

What growing zone is Anchorage, AK?

Anchorage is in USDA hardiness zone 5b on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.

A home yard in south-central Alaska, with birch and spruce trees and distant snow-capped mountains, planted with Amur chokecherry, Manchurian crabapple and American mountain ash — Plants that suit Alaska: Amur chokecherry, Manchurian crabapple and American mountain ash. AI-generated image.

Free book · 23 pages, PDF

The Spacing & Planting Cheat Sheet

When to start, when to plant, how far apart.

Sources & further reading

Zone and city data checked against the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Plant recommendations sourced from UAF Cooperative Extension Service. Climate note sourced from Western Regional Climate Center. For more on how we build and verify reference data across this site, see our methodology page.

Growing zones in comparable climates

Alaska doesn't border another state, so these are the closest comparisons by climate:

Or browse all 51 state growing-zone guides.