What Growing Zone Is Kentucky In?
USDA hardiness zones
6b to 7a
2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
Kentucky spans USDA hardiness zone 6b to 7a 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.
Hardiness zone for ZIP 40202 (Louisville)
Your USDA hardiness zone
Zone 7a
Avg. annual minimum (°F)
0°F to 5°F
Avg. annual minimum (°C)
-18°C to -15°C
Nearest reference point: Louisville, KY
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).
Kentucky's USDA Hardiness Zones
Here's how the zone shifts across Kentucky's major cities:
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 Kentucky
Frost dates track zone, so they shift across Kentucky the same way the zone number does:
- Northern Kentucky (Covington) (zone 6): average last frost Mar 29 - Apr 12, average first frost Oct 18 - Nov 1.
- Central and southern Kentucky (Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green) (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 Kentucky's frost dates, see the Kentucky Planting Calendar.
What Grows Well in Kentucky's Zones
A few real, zone-appropriate picks recommended by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension for Kentucky landscapes: not an exhaustive list, but a genuine starting point.
- Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)
- Bee balm (Monarda didyma)
- Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana)
- Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
- Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
- Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Ready to find your exact zone? Use the Hardiness Zone Finder: enter your ZIP code for a precise match against the 2023 USDA map.
Kentucky Growing Zone FAQ
What growing zone is Kentucky in?
Kentucky spans USDA hardiness zones 6b to 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Covington is zone 6b and Louisville is zone 7a; enter your ZIP code in the Hardiness Zone Finder for your exact zone.
What growing zone is Louisville, KY?
Louisville is in USDA hardiness zone 7a 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 Lexington, KY?
Lexington is in USDA hardiness zone 7a 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 Covington, KY?
Covington is in USDA hardiness zone 6b 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 Bowling Green, KY?
Bowling Green is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.
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 University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. 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:
- Illinois growing zones
- Ohio growing zones
- Virginia growing zones
- Tennessee growing zones
- Indiana growing zones
- Missouri growing zones
Or browse all 51 state growing-zone guides.