USDA hardiness zones for Germany & Europe

Explore Germany & Europe

Choose a German weather station or explore winter cold extremes across Europe. Coloured dots classify actual observation records into USDA half-zones. Search for an available station to see its value and all 30 annual minima.

An average of annual extremes

The 2023 USDA map uses the lowest temperature recorded each year during 1991–2020. The average of these annual extremes is considered for each location. This is neither the average winter temperature nor the lowest temperature ever recorded. Individual winters can be considerably colder.

A zone helps put winter cold risk into context. Whether a particular plant survives also depends on its species, cultivar, developmental stage and growing conditions.

Decode the number and letter

Higher numbers indicate milder annual cold extremes. A full zone spans 10 °F, approximately 5.6 °C. Letters a and b divide it into half-zones of 5 °F, approximately 2.8 °C. Zone 8a, for example, runs from 10 to below 15 °F, or approximately −12.2 to below −9.4 °C.

Check before overwintering

• Identify the plant: Check species and cultivar. Broad groups such as palms, cacti and hydrangeas do not share one reliable hardiness zone.
• Distinguish growing conditions: An established plant in the ground differs from a young plant or a container specimen. A potted root ball is more exposed.
• Assess the site: Shelter, drainage and suitable winter accommodation belong in the decision.
• Watch the current winter: A climate classification does not replace weather observation or timely protection.

What the zone leaves unanswered

Prolonged freezing, winter wetness, frost after budbreak and wood maturity affect potential damage. A zone rating therefore offers no frost guarantee for containers, young plants or newly emerged growth.

A USDA zone does not measure summer heat or guarantee flowering or yield. The upper end of a listed plant zone range is not an independent heat-tolerance rating either. For seasonal vegetables such as tomatoes, local frost dates and a sufficiently long warm growing season are often more useful.

Further reference: the official US maps

View the USA and Northeast USA

The US overview shows broad geographic differences. The northeastern US map makes regional transitions easier to see. Open the images to enlarge them; the originals retain their full legends and attribution.

Colours represent temperature intervals, rather than state or vegetation boundaries. Both maps show US areas and cannot directly assign a zone to a German garden.

Frequently asked questions