What Growing Zone Is Georgia In?

Last updated September 6, 2026

USDA hardiness zones

7a to 9a

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Georgia spans USDA hardiness zone 7a to 9a 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

Hardiness zone for ZIP 30303 (Atlanta)

US ZIP code

Your USDA hardiness zone

Zone 8a

Avg. annual minimum (°F)

10°F to 15°F

Avg. annual minimum (°C)

-12°C to -9°C

Nearest reference point: Atlanta, GA

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).

Georgia's USDA Hardiness Zones

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

City	USDA Zone
Blairsville	7a
Clayton	7b
Atlanta	8a
Rome	8a
Gainesville	8a

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 Georgia

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

North Georgia mountains (Blairsville) (zone 7): average last frost Mar 18 - Apr 1, average first frost Oct 29 - Nov 12.
Southern Georgia (zone 9): average last frost Feb 8 - Feb 22, average first frost Dec 8 - Dec 22.

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 Georgia's frost dates, see the Georgia Planting Calendar.

North Georgia's mountain counties, where Blairsville sits at nearly 1,900 ft elevation, stay in zone 6b-7a while the Piedmont, Atlanta, and the coastal plain warm into 8a-9a -- the 2023 USDA map's elevation modeling draws that mountain-to-coast line more precisely than earlier map editions could.

What Grows Well in Georgia's Zones

A few real, zone-appropriate picks recommended by UGA Extension (Bulletin B625, Landscape Plants for Georgia) for Georgia landscapes: not an exhaustive list, but a genuine starting point.

Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)
Piedmont azalea (Rhododendron canescens)
Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Crapemyrtle, 'Tonto' (Lagerstroemia x 'Tonto')
Dwarf yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria 'Nana')

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

Georgia Growing Zone FAQ

What growing zone is Georgia in?

Georgia spans USDA hardiness zones 7a to 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Blairsville is zone 7a and Clayton is zone 7b; enter your ZIP code in the Hardiness Zone Finder for your exact zone.

What growing zone is Atlanta, GA?

Atlanta is in USDA hardiness zone 8a 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 Athens, GA?

Athens is in USDA hardiness zone 8b 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 Augusta, GA?

Augusta is in USDA hardiness zone 8b 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 Savannah, GA?

Savannah is in USDA hardiness zone 9a 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 the Georgia Piedmont, with pines, dogwoods and red clay, planted with eastern redbud, flowering dogwood and Piedmont azalea — Plants that suit Georgia: eastern redbud, flowering dogwood and Piedmont azalea. AI-generated image.

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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 UGA Extension (Bulletin B625, Landscape Plants for Georgia). Climate note sourced from USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. For more on how we build and verify reference data across this site, see our methodology page.

Growing zones in nearby states

Gardening near a state line? Zones don't stop at the border:

Or browse all 51 state growing-zone guides.