What Growing Zone Is Virginia In?

Last updated September 6, 2026

USDA hardiness zones

7a to 8b

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Virginia spans USDA hardiness zone 7a to 8b 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 23219 (Richmond)

US ZIP code

Your USDA hardiness zone

Zone 7b

Avg. annual minimum (°F)

5°F to 10°F

Avg. annual minimum (°C)

-15°C to -12°C

Nearest reference point: Richmond, VA

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).

Virginia's USDA Hardiness Zones

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

City	USDA Zone
Winchester	7a
Front Royal	7a
Charlottesville	7b
Richmond	7b
Alexandria	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 Virginia

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

Shenandoah Valley (Winchester, Front Royal) (zone 7): average last frost Mar 18 - Apr 1, average first frost Oct 29 - Nov 12.
Coastal Tidewater (Norfolk) (zone 8): average last frost Mar 8 - Mar 22, average first frost Nov 8 - Nov 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 Virginia's frost dates, see the Virginia Planting Calendar.

Virginia's cooler western corridor along the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Valley (Winchester, Front Royal, zone 7a) gives way to the warmer, Bay- and Atlantic-moderated Tidewater coast near Norfolk (zone 8b) -- elevation and ocean influence pulling the state's hardiness zones in opposite directions from west to east.

What Grows Well in Virginia's Zones

A few real, zone-appropriate picks recommended by Virginia Cooperative Extension (HORT-84P) for Virginia landscapes: not an exhaustive list, but a genuine starting point.

Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica)
Summersweet clethra (Clethra alnifolia)
Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)
Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)
Blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium)

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

Virginia Growing Zone FAQ

What growing zone is Virginia in?

Virginia spans USDA hardiness zones 7a to 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Winchester is zone 7a and Front Royal is zone 7a; enter your ZIP code in the Hardiness Zone Finder for your exact zone.

What growing zone is Richmond, VA?

Richmond is in USDA hardiness zone 7b 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 Roanoke, VA?

Roanoke is in USDA hardiness zone 7b 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 Alexandria, VA?

Alexandria 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 Fredericksburg, VA?

Fredericksburg is in USDA hardiness zone 7b 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 Virginia countryside, with rolling hills, hardwoods and the Blue Ridge in the distance, planted with Virginia sweetspire, summersweet clethra and oakleaf hydrangea — Plants that suit Virginia: Virginia sweetspire, summersweet clethra and oakleaf hydrangea. 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 Virginia Cooperative Extension (HORT-84P). 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.