What Growing Zone Is Nebraska In?

Last updated September 6, 2026

USDA hardiness zones

5a to 6a

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Nebraska spans USDA hardiness zone 5a to 6a 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 68102 (Omaha)

US ZIP code

Your USDA hardiness zone

Zone 6a

Avg. annual minimum (°F)

-10°F to -5°F

Avg. annual minimum (°C)

-23°C to -21°C

Nearest reference point: Omaha, NE

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).

Nebraska's USDA Hardiness Zones

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

City	USDA Zone
Scottsbluff	5a
Norfolk	5a
North Platte	5b
Omaha	6a
Lincoln	6a

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 Nebraska

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

Panhandle (Scottsbluff, Norfolk) (zone 5): average last frost Apr 8 - Apr 22, average first frost Oct 8 - Oct 22.
Southeastern Nebraska (Omaha, Lincoln) (zone 6): average last frost Mar 29 - Apr 12, average first frost Oct 18 - Nov 1.

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

Nebraska's semi-arid Panhandle contrasts with a warmer, more humid southeast -- the 2023 USDA remap shifted some areas by roughly half a zone, a change Nebraska Extension's CropWatch team attributed mainly to a longer, more complete recent temperature record rather than a sudden climate shift.

What Grows Well in Nebraska's Zones

A few real, zone-appropriate picks recommended by Nebraska Statewide Arboretum / Nebraska Extension for Nebraska landscapes: not an exhaustive list, but a genuine starting point.

Northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa)
Black walnut (Juglans nigra)
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Peony (Paeonia spp.)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

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

Nebraska Growing Zone FAQ

What growing zone is Nebraska in?

Nebraska spans USDA hardiness zones 5a to 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Scottsbluff is zone 5a and Norfolk is zone 5a; enter your ZIP code in the Hardiness Zone Finder for your exact zone.

What growing zone is Omaha, NE?

Omaha is in USDA hardiness zone 6a 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 Lincoln, NE?

Lincoln is in USDA hardiness zone 6a 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 Scottsbluff, NE?

Scottsbluff is in USDA hardiness zone 5a 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 Norfolk, NE?

Norfolk is in USDA hardiness zone 5a 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 Nebraska plains, with farm fields, cottonwoods and big sky, planted with northern catalpa, black walnut and purple coneflower — Plants that suit Nebraska: northern catalpa, black walnut and purple coneflower. 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 Nebraska Statewide Arboretum / Nebraska Extension. Climate note sourced from Nebraska Extension CropWatch. 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.