| Key Takeaways |
|---|
| • Six zones statewide: Missouri is broken down into 6 zones: 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, and 8a. • Zone 6b dominates: Central Missouri and much of the surrounding area sit in zone 6b, the state's dominant zone. • North to south gradient: Zones run from the coldest, 5b in the far north, to the warmest, 8a along the southern border. |
What planting zone is Missouri? The state’s vast territory spans U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) hardiness zones 5b to 8a. Knowing your zone is the first step to choosing plants that will survive your local winters and thrive in your yard.
Below, we break down each of Missouri’s 6 zones, show you where they fall on the map, and explain what those numbers and letters actually mean.
When your garden is planted and the yard still needs attention, LawnLove makes lawn mowing service and other yard care easy.
What planting zone is Missouri?
Missouri runs from the coldest zone 5b in the far north to the warmest zone 8a along the southern border. Most of the state sits in zone 6b. See the Missouri planting zone map below:
Zone 5b
Comprising the northernmost counties of Missouri, zone 5b has an extreme average minimum of -15 degrees to -10 degrees. It is the coldest part of the state and encompasses counties like Atchison, Nodaway, and Putnam.
Zone 6a
Zone 6a has extreme minimums of -10 degrees to -5 degrees. It starts at the upper counties of the state’s northeast region, including Clark and Scotland counties, and extends down until part of Pike County.
This zone also extends west, from Ralls County to the upper part of Platte County.
Zone 6b
With minimum averages of -5 degrees to 0 degrees, zone 6b occupies the largest portion of Missouri. It comprises central Missouri and the southern portions of the northwest and northeast of the state. It also covers the northern parts of southwest and southeast Missouri.
Zone 6b encompasses Columbia and a few other notable cities:
- Butler
- Warrensburg
- Marshall
- Sedalia
- California
- Jefferson City
- Salem
- Farmington
- Fredericktown
Zone 7a
Zone 7a has extreme minimum averages of 0 degrees to 5 degrees. It covers the eastern border of Missouri, starting at Saint Louis County and going down until the upper border of Mississippi County.
It spreads west from Cape Girardeau County to the southern portion of Wayne and Carter counties, and then travels from Ripley County west to McDonald County.
It also covers the extreme southwest corner of the state, from McDonald and Barry counties to the lower portion of Vernon and Cedar counties.
Zone 7b
With extreme minimums of 5 degrees to 10 degrees, zone 7b goes from Charleston, extends to New Madrid, and reaches most of Pemiscot and Dunklin counties.
It also spreads west from the south of Scott County to the middle of Stoddard and Butler counties and a small portion of Ripley County.
Zone 8a
The warmest zone in the state, with minimum averages from 10 degrees to 15 degrees, zone 8a covers the southernmost border of Missouri, in the south regions of Pemiscot and Dunklin counties.
What are plant hardiness zones?
Plant hardiness zones are geographic areas the USDA maps out based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, and knowing yours tells you which plants can survive the cold where you live. Keep in mind they only tell part of the story, though.
As Mark Weathington, director of the JC Raulston Arboretum at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, notes, “in truth, hardiness zones say nothing about heat and humidity.”
The USDA splits the country into 13 main zones, and each one divides into 2 subzones that each cover a 5-degree range:
- The “a” subzone: The colder half of the main zone.
- The “b” subzone: The warmer half of the main zone.
When shopping, match a plant’s zone rating to your zone or a colder one so it survives your winter.
The USDA updated its hardiness zone map in 2023, and about half of the country shifted to the next warmer half zone compared to the 2012 version, so double-check your zone if you planted based on older information.
Matching plants to your zone saves you money and spares you dead plants come spring.
Read more: How the Hardiness Zone Helps with Your Yard
Other Missouri resources
Dig deeper into Missouri lawn care and gardening:
Read more:
- When to Plant Grass Seed in Missouri
- Missouri Native Plants for Your Landscape
- Missouri Wildflowers for Your Garden
- Month-by-Month Lawn Care Calendar for Missouri
- The Best Grass Seed for Missouri Lawns
FAQs
Missouri’s growing season varies with location, running roughly 180 to 210 days in the warmer south and about 150 to 170 days in the colder north. The last spring frost typically clears by mid-April to early May, while the first fall frost arrives from early to late October, giving southern gardeners a noticeably longer window to plant and harvest.
Springfield is located in zones 6b and 7a. The cooler 6b sections dip to roughly -5 degrees in an average winter, while the milder 7a areas bottom out closer to 0 degrees. Gardeners here should check which half of the city they live in, then choose perennials rated for 6b to stay safe, since plants hardy to the colder zone will also survive in the warmer pockets.
Kansas City, Missouri, is in hardiness zone 6b, where winter lows average -5 degrees to 0 degrees. That range suits many popular perennials, including coneflowers, daylilies, hostas, and black-eyed Susans, along with cold-hardy shrubs such as hydrangeas and boxwoods. For the best results, pick plants rated to zone 6b or colder so they reliably survive the area’s chilliest nights.
When to call a pro
Too busy to mow your lawn? Or maybe you just don’t want to get your hands dirty. Whatever your reasons, you can count on one of LawnLove’s local lawn care providers to help you out.
We have qualified professionals for St. Louis lawn care, Kansas City lawn care, Jefferson City lawn care, and throughout Missouri, ready to handle everything from lawn mowing to seasonal treatments. Get a free estimate today and let LawnLove take yard work off your to-do list.
Main Image Credit: A historic home in Kansas City, Missouri. MARELBU | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 3.0
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