Information on Hardiness Zones

One of the most important concepts to understand when growing perennial vegetables is hardiness zones. I use the USDA plant hardiness system, which rates each region based on its average minimum temperature in the winter. You can use your zone to determine what perennials are likely to survive winter in your garden.

Steps to determining your hardiness zone, and perennials that can survive your winters:

  1. Look up your hardiness zone here to start. These maps show the USDA plant hardiness system for almost all countries in the world. Those in the US can input their zip code, everyone else can scroll down to select your country/province. 
  2. Once you've determined your hardiness zone number, you know you can grow anything rated to that zone, or colder (a lower number). For example, if you are in zone 8, you can grow any plant rated hardy from zones 1-8. 
  3. We have organized our varieties by hardiness zone for make choosing easier. The links below include perennials rated to your zone or colder.

Please note that hardiness zones are approximate, and there may be microclimates that are warmer or cooler, and variances due to climate change, genetic variation in the plants, etc. Areas that have snow cover over winter can help insulate plants.

Browse Perennial Vegetables By Hardiness Zone: 

Perennial Vegetables Hardy to Zone 2

Perennial Vegetables Hardy to Zone 3

Perennial Vegetables Hardy to Zone 4

Perennial Vegetables Hardy to Zone 5

Perennial Vegetables Hardy to Zone 6

Perennial Vegetables Hardy to Zone 7

Perennial Vegetables Hardy to Zone 8

Perennial Vegetables Hardy to Zone 9

 

Please let us know if you find a plant does or doesn't do well in your zone so we can add to the knowledge base about these varieties! 

Caveats About Hardiness Zones

  1. Please note that hardiness zones do NOT take summer temperatures into account- they only have to do with coldest temperatures. So if your region has mild winters but particularly hot summers, you may need to experiment with varieties that can withstand the summer heat. 
  2. You may be able to grow more tender perennials as annuals. For example in zone 7 you can grow Cape Gooseberries as an annual, but they probably won't survive the winter and return next year like they would in warmer zones.
  3. Also note there are other varieties that we carry that won't be listed here- for example annuals that mature in your growing window, or self-seeders that may reseed themselves for next year.
  4. For adventurous gardeners or "zone pushers", it can be fun and fruitful to experiment with plants that are rated a bit too tender for your growing zone. For example if you are in zone 5, you may wish to try growing some zone 6 perennials. Ways to give plants a bit of extra protection in the winter include: planting in a sheltered location such as beside a building, deep mulch of winter, covering with remay or row cover when temperatures dip, utilizing cold frames or hoop houses, etc. Passive solar greenhouses are also an option for a lower-energy way to grow plants slightly out of your zone. Have fun and experiment! And please let us know if you have success!