USDA Hardiness Zone 7a

Best Plants for Zone 7a

171 plants thrive in Zone 7a. Browse by category, then click any plant for a full growing guide with sun, water, and harvest info.

171
Plants for Zone 7a
7
Categories
180–200
Frost-free days
Min. Winter Temp.
0°F to 5°F
Last Frost (avg)
Mid-April
First Frost (avg)
Mid-October
Growing Season
180–200 days

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Zone 7a covers parts of the Pacific Northwest, the Ozarks, interior Southeast, and the Shenandoah Valley. Winters are cold but moderate — lows of 0°–5°F — and summers are long and warm. With a 180–200 day growing season, you can comfortably grow both warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) and a wide range of cool-season vegetables in spring and fall. Frost cloth extends the season at both ends. All 171 plants below are confirmed to grow well in Zone 7a — click any card for a full growing guide with difficulty level, sun requirements, water needs, and harvest timeline.

Plant Catalog

Browse Zone 7a Plants in Catalog →

All 171 Zone 7a plants, sorted, with filters for category, sun, difficulty, container-friendly, and ZIP-personalized GrowScores.

🪼 Vegetables

🌿
Artichoke (Green Globe)
Beginner·85-100 days (from transplant)
🥬
Arugula (Rocket)
Beginner·30-40 days
🌿
Asparagus (Jersey Knight)
Beginner·2-3 years to first harvest
🫐
Beet (Detroit Dark Red)
Beginner·55-70 days
🫑
Bell Pepper (California Wonder)
Beginner·70–85
🫑
Bell Pepper (California Wonder)
Beginner·75-90 days
🥬
Bok Choy (Joi Choi)
Beginner·30-60 days
🫘
Broad Bean (Aquadulce Claudia)
Beginner·80-100 days
🥦
Broccoli (Calabrese)
Beginner·55-75 days
🥦
Broccoli (Purple Sprouting)
Beginner·220-280 days
🥦
Broccoli Rabe (Rapini)
Beginner·40-60 days
🥦
Brussels Sprout (Long Island)
Beginner·90-110 days
🥬
Cabbage (Early Jersey Wakefield)
Beginner·60-70 days
🥕
Carrot (Danvers)
Beginner·70-80 days
🥕
Carrot (Nantes)
Beginner·65–70
🥦
Cauliflower (Snowball)
Beginner·55-80 days
Celeriac (Giant Prague)
Beginner·110-120 days
🌿
Celery (Tall Utah)
Beginner·100-130 days
🥬
Collard Greens (Georgia)
Beginner·60-75 days
🥒
Cucumber (Marketmore)
Beginner·60-70 days
🫙
Cucumber (Pickling / Calypso)
Beginner·50-55 days
🫘
Edamame (Envy)
Beginner·75-85 days
🍆
Eggplant (Black Beauty)
Beginner·70-80 days
🥬
Endive (Tres Fine)
Beginner·85-100 days
🥬
Escarole (Fleuriere)
Beginner·80-95 days
🫘
Fava Bean (Extra Precoce)
Beginner·75-85 days
🧄
Garlic (Softneck)
Beginner·240-270 days
🫘
Green Bean (Blue Lake)
Beginner·55-65 days
🥬
Kale (Lacinato)
Beginner·55-65 days
🥦
Kohlrabi (Early White Vienna)
Beginner·45-55 days
🧅
Leek (American Flag)
Beginner·100-120 days
🧅
Leek (Musselburgh)
Beginner·100-120 days
🥬
Lettuce (Buttercrunch)
Beginner·55-65 days
🥬
Lettuce (Red Leaf)
Beginner·45-60 days
🥬
Lettuce (Romaine)
Beginner·60-75 days
🫘
Lima Bean (Henderson)
Beginner·65-80 days
🥬
Mustard Greens (Southern Giant)
Beginner·35-50 days
🫛
Okra (Clemson Spineless)
Beginner·55-65 days
🧅
Onion (Evergreen Bunching)
Beginner·60–70
🧅
Onion (Walla Walla)
Beginner·100-120 days
Parsnip (Hollow Crown)
Beginner·100-120 days
🌸
Pea (Snow)
Beginner·55-65 days
🫛
Pea (Sugar Snap)
Beginner·55-70 days
🌶️
Pepper (Anaheim)
Beginner·75-85 days
🔥
Pepper (Habanero)
Beginner·90-100 days
🌶️
Pepper (Jalapeño)
Beginner·65-80 days
🫘
Pole Bean (Kentucky Wonder)
Beginner·60-70 days
🥔
Potato (Yukon Gold)
Beginner·70-90 days
🎃
Pumpkin (Connecticut Field)
Beginner·100-115 days
🔴
Radicchio (Rossa di Verona)
Beginner·80-100 days
🔴
Radish (Cherry Belle)
Beginner·22-25 days
🔴
Radish (French Breakfast)
Beginner·20-30 days
🌿
Rhubarb (Victoria)
Beginner·Year 2 onward
🫘
Runner Bean (Scarlet Emperor)
Beginner·60-70 days
🟣
Rutabaga (American Purple Top)
Beginner·85-100 days
🧅
Scallion (Evergreen Hardy)
Beginner·60-90 days
🧅
Shallot (Dutch Yellow)
Beginner·60-90 days
🥬
Spinach (Bloomsdale)
Beginner·40-55 days
🎃
Squash (Acorn Winter)
Beginner·80–90
🎃
Squash (Acorn)
Beginner·80-100 days
🎃
Squash (Butternut)
Beginner·85-110 days
🎃
Squash (Delicata)
Beginner·80-100 days
🍝
Squash (Spaghetti)
Beginner·80-100 days
🥒
Squash (Yellow Crookneck)
Beginner·45–60
🌽
Sweet Corn (Peaches and Cream)
Beginner·70-80 days
🍠
Sweet Potato (Beauregard)
Beginner·90-120 days
🌈
Swiss Chard (Rainbow)
Beginner·50-60 days
🫒
Tomatillo (Verde)
Beginner·60-75 days
🍅
Tomato (Brandywine Pink)
Beginner·80–100
🍅
Tomato (Celebrity)
Beginner·70-75 days
🍅
Tomato (Cherokee Purple)
Beginner·80–90
🍅
Tomato (San Marzano)
Beginner·80–85
🫛
Turnip (Purple Top White Globe)
Beginner·45-60 days
🌿
Watercress
Beginner·40-60 days
🥒
Zucchini (Black Beauty)
Beginner·50-60 days
🥒
Zucchini (Gold Bar)
Beginner·45-55 days
🍈
Cantaloupe (Hale's Best)
Intermediate·80-95 days

🌿 Herbs

🌿
Basil (Genovese)
Beginner·50-60 days
🌿
Basil (Lemon)
Beginner·45-60 days
🌿
Basil (Thai)
Beginner·45-60 days
💙
Borage
Beginner·50-60 days to bloom
🌿
Caraway
Beginner·Year 2 (seeds)
🌿
Catnip
Beginner·70-80 days
🌿
Chervil
Beginner·35-50 days
🌿
Chives
Beginner·60-90 days
🌿
Cilantro (Santo)
Beginner·50–60
🌿
Cilantro (Slow Bolt)
Beginner·45-70 days
🌿
Comfrey (Bocking 14)
Beginner·Year 1 (perennial)
🌿
Dill
Beginner·40-60 days
🌿
Fennel (Florence / Bulb)
Beginner·80-90 days
🌿
Garlic Chives
Beginner·60-90 days
🌿
Horehound
Beginner·90-120 days
🌿
Hyssop (Common)
Beginner·70-80 days
🌿
Lemon Balm
Beginner·70-80 days
🌿
Lovage
Beginner·Year 2 (perennial)
🌿
Marjoram (Sweet)
Beginner·60-80 days
🌿
Mint (Peppermint)
Beginner·30-40 days
🌿
Mint (Spearmint)
Beginner·30-40 days
🌿
Mullein (Common)
Beginner·Year 2 (flowers and leaves)
🌸
Nasturtium (Jewel Mix)
Beginner·50-60 days to flower
🌿
Oregano (Italian)
Beginner·80-90 days
🌿
Parsley (Curly)
Beginner·70-90 days
🌿
Parsley (Flat Leaf / Italian)
Beginner·70-90 days
🌿
Savory (Summer)
Beginner·60-70 days
🌿
Savory (Winter)
Beginner·60-80 days
🌿
Sorrel (French)
Beginner·60 days (year 2+ perennial)
🌿
Sweet Woodruff
Beginner·Year 1 (cut-and-come-again)
🌿
Tarragon (French)
Beginner·60-90 days
🌿
Thyme (Common / English)
Beginner·85-90 days
🌿
Thyme (English)
Beginner·Perennial
🌿
Yarrow (Common)
Beginner·Season 1 (perennial)
💜
Lavender (English)
Intermediate·90-200 days
🌿
Rosemary
Intermediate·80-90 days
🌿
Sage (Garden)
Intermediate·75-80 days

🍎 Fruits

🌻 Fruit Trees

🌿 Flowers

🌼
Begonia (Semperflorens / Wax)
Intermediate·50-65 days
🌻
Black-Eyed Susan
Intermediate·Season 1+ (perennial)
🌼
Calendula (Resina)
Intermediate·45-60 days
🌸
Chrysanthemum (Floral Mound)
Intermediate·Season 1+ (perennial)
🌸
Coneflower (Purple)
Intermediate·Season 1+ (perennial)
🌺
Cosmos (Sensation Mix)
Intermediate·60-75 days
🌻
Daylily (Stella de Oro)
Intermediate·Season 1+ (perennial)
💙
Delphinium (Pacific Giant)
Intermediate·100-130 days
🌹
English Rose (Garden Variety)
Intermediate·60-90 days to first bloom
🌸
Foxglove (Pam Priya)
Intermediate·Year 2
🌸
Geranium (Zonal)
Intermediate·50-70 days
🌸
Hydrangea (Big Leaf)
Intermediate·Season 2+ (planted)
🌸
Impatiens (Super Finis)
Intermediate·45-60 days
🌸
Lisianthus (Echo Mix)
Intermediate·110-130 days
🌺
Marigold (African Giant)
Intermediate·50-75 days
🌼
Marigold (French)
Intermediate·50-60 days to bloom
🌺
Morning Glory (Heavenly Blue)
Intermediate·75-90 days
💙
Nigella (Love-in-a-Mist)
Intermediate·60-90 days
🌸
Pansy (Jolly Joker)
Intermediate·60-75 days
🌺
Petunia (Wave Purple)
Intermediate·45-60 days
🌹
Rose (Hybrid Tea)
Intermediate·Season 2+ (planted)
💙
Scabiosa (Fama Blue)
Intermediate·90-110 days
🌺
Snapdragon (Potomac)
Intermediate·75-90 days
🌻
Sunflower (Mammoth)
Intermediate·80-100 days
🌸
Sweet Pea (Royal Mix)
Intermediate·75-90 days
🌺
Zinnia (Benary Giant)
Intermediate·60-75 days
🌺
Zinnia (California Giant)
Intermediate·60-70 days to bloom
🌸
Zinnia (Elegans Mix)
Intermediate·60–75

🌲 Trees

🍰 Nut Trees

Growing in Zone 7a — Common Questions

What is USDA Hardiness Zone 7a?
Zone 7a has average minimum winter temperatures of 0° to 5°F (−18° to −15°C). This includes the Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Portland), the Ozarks, central Virginia, and parts of the Texas Hill Country. The growing season runs roughly 180–200 days, giving you a solid window for both cool-season and warm-season crops.
What vegetables grow best in Zone 7a?
Zone 7a is excellent for an enormous range of vegetables. Cool-season crops like lettuce, kale, spinach, broccoli, and peas thrive in spring and fall. Warm-season crops like tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans, and corn produce well through the long, warm summer. The spring and fall windows both allow two distinct planting seasons.
When should I plant in Zone 7a?
Last frost typically arrives mid-April. Start cool-season crops indoors 6–8 weeks before this date and transplant in early March–April. Direct sow warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash) after the soil warms in late April or early May. Fall planting of brassicas and root vegetables works well in late August.
Can I grow tomatoes and peppers in Zone 7a?
Absolutely. Tomatoes and peppers thrive in Zone 7a’s warm summer. Start transplants indoors in late February or early March, and move them outside after the last frost (mid-April). With 180–200 frost-free days, most tomato varieties have time to mature fully and produce heavy yields.
What challenges should I plan for in Zone 7a?
The primary challenges are late spring frosts (a late freeze can damage transplants), humid summers that promote fungal disease on some crops, and the transition — timing your fall garden so crops mature before the first hard frost in mid-October. Good air circulation, resistant varieties, and season-extending tools (row cover, cold frames) address most issues.