{"id":25478,"date":"2024-06-28T19:45:41","date_gmt":"2024-06-28T19:45:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/?p=25478"},"modified":"2025-07-09T18:12:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T18:12:20","slug":"planting-zones-southern-maine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/planting-zones-southern-maine\/","title":{"rendered":"Planting Zones of Southern Maine"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Southern Maine primarily falls into USDA plant hardiness zones 5a to 6a, with some small areas reaching as warm as Zone 6b and even 7a in the warmest microclimates off the coast in the Penobscot Bay area.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s what you need to know about southern Maine&#8217;s planting zones and what they mean for your backyard decisions.<\/p>   <div class=\"wp-block-ub-table-of-contents-block ub_table-of-contents\" id=\"ub_table-of-contents-9994ec7b-d6c8-49d5-8b5d-8fbbe215695e\" data-linktodivider=\"false\" data-showtext=\"show\" data-hidetext=\"hide\" data-scrolltype=\"auto\" data-enablesmoothscroll=\"false\" data-initiallyhideonmobile=\"false\" data-initiallyshow=\"true\"><div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-header-container\" style=\"\"> \t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-header\" style=\"text-align: left; \"> \t\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-title\" style=\"\">In this article:<\/div> \t\t\t\t \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-extra-container\" style=\"\"> \t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-container ub_table-of-contents-1-column\"> \t\t\t\t<ul style=\"\"><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/planting-zones-southern-maine\/#0-planting-zone-map-of-southern-maine\" style=\"\">Planting zone map of southern Maine<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/planting-zones-southern-maine\/#1-planting-zones-by-city\" style=\"\">Planting zones by city<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/planting-zones-southern-maine\/#2-southern-maines-planting-zones-explained\" style=\"\">Southern Maine&#8217;s planting zones explained<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>   <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"0-planting-zone-map-of-southern-maine\"><span id=\"planting-zone-map-of-southern-maine\">Planting zone map of southern Maine<\/span><\/h2>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"791\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Maine-USDA-Map-1-791x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Maine USDA plant hardiness map\" class=\"wp-image-25476\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Maine-USDA-Map-1-791x1024.jpg 791w, https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Maine-USDA-Map-1-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Maine-USDA-Map-1-768x994.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Maine-USDA-Map-1-610x789.jpg 610w, https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Maine-USDA-Map-1.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 791px) 100vw, 791px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/planthardiness.ars.usda.gov\/system\/files\/ME300_HS.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Are you interested in learning more about the zones of Maine or other parts of the state? Here are our detailed guides to planting zones in Maine:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/planting-zones-maine\/\">Planting Zones of Maine<\/a><\/li>    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/planting-zones-northern-maine\/\">Planting Zones of Northern Maine<\/a><\/li>    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/planting-zones-central-maine\/\">Planting Zones of Central Maine<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-planting-zones-by-city\"><span id=\"planting-zones-by-city\">Planting zones by city<\/span><\/h2>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Biddeford<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 6a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Brunswick<\/strong>: Hardiness zones 5b and 6a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Kennebunkport<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 6a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Kittery<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 6a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Old Orchard Beach<\/strong>: Hardiness zones 6a and 6b<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Portland<\/strong>: Hardiness zones 5b, 6a and 6b<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Saco<\/strong>: Hardiness zones 5b, 6a and 6b<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Sanford<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 5b<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Scarborough<\/strong>: Hardiness zones 5b and 6a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>South Berwick<\/strong>: Hardiness zones 5b and 6a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>South<\/strong> <strong>Portland<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 6a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Wells<\/strong>: Hardiness zones 5b and 6a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Westbrook<\/strong>: Hardiness zones 5b and 6a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Windham<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 5b<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>York<\/strong>: Hardiness zones 6a and 6b<\/p>    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-southern-maines-planting-zones-explained\"><span id=\"southern-maines-planting-zones-explained\">Southern Maine&#8217;s planting zones explained<\/span><\/h2>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Surely, you might think the concept of observing planting zones is somewhat hocus-pocus. After all, aren\u2019t seeds destined to sprout when you give them soil, water, and a pinch of sunlight? Well\u2026it turns out there\u2019s a little more science to it.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Different plants and crops have varying needs for sunlight, temperature, and rainfall. Plant hardiness zones help in determining which plants would flourish best in certain regions. It can affect the grass seed planting windows and what specific grass types are suitable for your zone. You can check out these articles for more information:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/best-grass-seed-maine\/\">Best Grass Seed for Maine Lawns<\/a><\/li>    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/when-to-plant-grass-seed-maine\/\">Best Time to Plant Grass Seed in Maine<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Note<\/strong>: It&#8217;s important to understand that these planting zones are based on the average annual minimum winter temperatures in a given area.<\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-zone-5a-20%C2%B0f-to-15%C2%B0f\"><span id=\"zone-5a-20f-to-15f\">Zone 5a (-20\u00b0F to -15\u00b0F)<\/span><\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parts of Oxford County in western Maine fall into Zone 5a. This zone experiences cold winters but is slightly milder than the colder zones further north.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Best grass types<\/strong>:&nbsp;<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Kentucky bluegrass<\/li>    <li>Fine fescues<\/li>    <li>Tall fescue<\/li>    <li>Perennial ryegrass<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Shrubs<\/strong>:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Highbush blueberry<\/li>    <li>Lilac<\/li>    <li>Hydrangea<\/li>    <li>Azalea<\/li>    <li>Roses<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Perennials<\/strong>:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Astilbe<\/li>    <li>Black-eyed Susans<\/li>    <li>Delphinium<\/li>    <li>Hollyhock<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trees<\/strong>:&nbsp;<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>American elder<\/li>    <li>Black cherry<\/li>    <li>Common chokecherry<\/li> <\/ul>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-zone-5b-15%C2%B0f-to-10%C2%B0f\"><span id=\"zone-5b-15f-to-10f\">Zone 5b (-15\u00b0F to -10\u00b0F)<\/span><\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cities like Sanford, Scarborough, Westbrook, Windham, South Berwick, and Portland fall into Zone 5b. This zone has relatively cold winters but is warmer than Zone 5a.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Best grass types<\/strong>:&nbsp;<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Kentucky bluegrass<\/li>    <li>Fine fescues<\/li>    <li>Tall fescue<\/li>    <li>Perennial ryegrass<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Shrubs<\/strong>:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Butterfly bush<\/li>    <li>Forsythia<\/li>    <li>Spirea<\/li>    <li>Viburnum<\/li>    <li>Weigela<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Perennials<\/strong>:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Coneflowers<\/li>    <li>Coreopsis<\/li>    <li>Phlox<\/li>    <li>Rudbeckia<\/li>    <li>Sedum<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trees<\/strong>:&nbsp;<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Kousa dogwood<\/li>    <li>Japanese maple<\/li>    <li>Redbud<\/li> <\/ul>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5-zone-6a-10%C2%B0f-to-5%C2%B0f\"><span id=\"zone-6a-10f-to-5f\">Zone 6a (-10\u00b0F to -5\u00b0F)<\/span><\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Coastal cities and towns like Portland, Biddeford, Saco, Kennebunkport, Kittery, and Old Orchard Beach fall into the milder Zone 6a due to their proximity to the ocean.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Best grass types<\/strong>:&nbsp;<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Kentucky bluegrass<\/li>    <li>Fine fescues<\/li>    <li>Tall fescue<\/li>    <li>Perennial ryegrass<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Shrubs<\/strong>:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Boxwood<\/li>    <li>Camellia<\/li>    <li>Daphne<\/li>    <li>Rhododendron<\/li>    <li>Yew<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Perennials<\/strong>:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Ageratum<\/li>    <li>Campanula<\/li>    <li>Foxglove<\/li>    <li>Lavender<\/li>    <li>Snapdragon<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trees<\/strong>:&nbsp;<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Birch<\/li>    <li>Honey locust<\/li>    <li>Linden<\/li>    <li>Red maple<\/li>    <li>Tulip tree<\/li> <\/ul>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"6-zone-6b-5%C2%B0f-to-0%C2%B0f\"><span id=\"zone-6b-5f-to-0f\">Zone 6b (-5\u00b0F to 0\u00b0F)<\/span><\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some areas right along the coast like parts of Portland, Saco, and York are in the even warmer Zone 6b, experiencing some of the mildest winters in the region.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Best grass types<\/strong>:&nbsp;<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Kentucky bluegrass<\/li>    <li>Fine fescues<\/li>    <li>Tall fescue<\/li>    <li>Perennial ryegrass<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Shrubs<\/strong>:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Winterberry<\/li>    <li>Northern Bayberry<\/li>    <li>Gray Dogwood<\/li>    <li>Ninebark<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Perennials<\/strong>:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Bee balm<\/li>    <li>Coneflowers<\/li>    <li>Hostas<\/li>    <li>Daylilies<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trees<\/strong>:&nbsp;<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Shadbush<\/li>    <li>American hornbeam<\/li>    <li>Striped maple<\/li>    <li>Pagoda dogwood<\/li> <\/ul>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"7-zone-7a-0%C2%B0f-to-5%C2%B0f\"><span id=\"zone-7a-0f-to-5f\">Zone 7a (0\u00b0F to 5\u00b0F)<\/span><\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The only location in southern Maine that reaches Zone 7a is Matinicus Island, which benefits from the warming influence of the surrounding ocean waters.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Best grass types<\/strong>:&nbsp;<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Kentucky bluegrass<\/li>    <li>Fine fescues<\/li>    <li>Tall fescue<\/li>    <li>Perennial ryegrass<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Shrubs<\/strong>:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Bigleaf maple<\/li>    <li>Atlas cedar<\/li>    <li>English holly<\/li>    <li>Hydrangea<\/li>    <li>Lilac<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Perennials<\/strong>:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Bleeding heart<\/li>    <li>Columbine<\/li>    <li>Daylily<\/li>    <li>Hosta<\/li>    <li>Salvia<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trees<\/strong>:&nbsp;<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>American holly<\/li>    <li>Japanese maple<\/li>    <li>Red maple<\/li>    <li>River birch<\/li>    <li>Weeping willow<\/li> <\/ul>    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"8-call-a-lawn-care-pro-for-help\"><span id=\"call-a-lawn-care-pro-for-help\">Call a lawn care pro for help<\/span><\/h2>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes, the best approach to understanding your planting zone is to consult with a seasoned professional. They have years of experience observing the local weather patterns and soil conditions, which can give them a distinct edge in determining what plants and grass types will thrive and under what circumstances.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We can help you <a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/maine\">connect with experienced local pros<\/a> who can provide valuable advice and guidance.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Main Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.m.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:261_Western_Promenade,_Portland_ME.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John Phelan<\/a> | Wikimedia Commons | <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/deed.en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Southern Maine spans USDA plant hardiness zones 5a to 7a, with the coldest areas in Zone 5a and warmest areas in Zone 6b to 7a.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":25619,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[206],"tags":[132,542],"class_list":["post-25478","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-maine","tag-gardening","tag-lawn-care-me"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Western-Promenade-Portland-Maine-main-image.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Adrian Nita","author_link":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/author\/adrian-nita\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25478","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25478"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25478\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40079,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25478\/revisions\/40079"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}