{"id":25483,"date":"2024-06-28T23:19:52","date_gmt":"2024-06-28T23:19:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/?p=25483"},"modified":"2025-07-09T18:07:46","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T18:07:46","slug":"planting-zones-central-maine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/planting-zones-central-maine\/","title":{"rendered":"Planting Zones of Central Maine"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most of central Maine falls into USDA Hardiness Zones 4b and 5a, but there are some small areas of 4a, 5b, and 6a scattered throughout. Each zone has its own specific characteristics that affect which grass type and plants can thrive there.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s a guide to decoding what you can grow in your backyard based on your zone.<\/p>   <div class=\"wp-block-ub-table-of-contents-block ub_table-of-contents\" id=\"ub_table-of-contents-2eb45d28-1e69-4879-9242-fad705bfd990\" 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-central-maine\/#0-planting-zone-map-of-central-maine\" style=\"\">Planting zone map of central Maine<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/planting-zones-central-maine\/#1-planting-zones-by-city\" style=\"\">Planting zones by city<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/planting-zones-central-maine\/#2-central-maines-planting-zones-explained\" style=\"\">Central 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-central-maine\"><span id=\"planting-zone-map-of-central-maine\">Planting zone map of central 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-southern-maine\/\">Planting Zones of Southern 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>Auburn<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 5b<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Augusta<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 5b<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Bangor<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 5a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Bar Harbor<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 6a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Bingham<\/strong>: Hardiness zones 4b and 5a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Eastport<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 6a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Fairfield<\/strong>: Hardiness zones 5a and 5b<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Farmington<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 5a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Greenville<\/strong>: Hardiness zones 4b and 5a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jackman<\/strong>: Hardiness zones 4a and 4b<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Oakland<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 5b<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Rockwood<\/strong>: Hardiness zones 4a and 4b<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Rumford<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 5a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Skowhegan<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 5a<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Waterville<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 5b<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Winslow<\/strong>: Hardiness zone 5b<\/p>    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-central-maines-planting-zones-explained\"><span id=\"central-maines-planting-zones-explained\">Central Maine&#8217;s planting zones explained<\/span><\/h2>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The USDA&#8217;s plant hardiness zones are a great tool you can use to plan your planting activities. These zones are based on minimum winter temperatures divided into 10-degree Fahrenheit zones.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These zones dictate when and what type of grass you can plant, as well as other types of plants, shrubs, and trees. 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>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-zone-4a-30%C2%B0f-to-25%C2%B0f\"><span id=\"zone-4a-30f-to-25f\">Zone 4a (-30\u00b0F to -25\u00b0F)<\/span><\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The coldest parts of central Maine, primarily in the central western region, fall into Zone 4a. While no major cities are located within this zone, it can be found in the most rugged and remote areas of Franklin, Oxford, and Somerset counties.<\/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>:&nbsp;<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Common juniper<\/li>    <li>Northern bayberry<\/li>    <li>Meadow rose<\/li>    <li>Bush cinquefoil<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Perennials<\/strong>:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Asters<\/li>    <li>Coneflowers<\/li>    <li>Daylilies<\/li>    <li>Rudbeckia<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trees<\/strong>:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Striped maple<\/li>    <li>Yellow birch<\/li>    <li>American hornbeam<\/li> <\/ul>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-zone-4b-25%C2%B0f-to-20%C2%B0f\"><span id=\"zone-4b-25f-to-20f\">Zone 4b (-25\u00b0F to -20\u00b0F)<\/span><\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cities like Greenville and Jackman are located in Zone 4b, the coldest zone in central Maine. This zone experiences cold winters and a relatively short growing season.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Best grass types<\/strong>:<\/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>:&nbsp;<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Winterberry<\/li>    <li>Nannyberry<\/li>    <li>Red chokeberry<\/li>    <li>Ninebark<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Perennials<\/strong>:&nbsp;<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Bee balm<\/li>    <li>Catmint<\/li>    <li>Hostas<\/li>    <li>Salvias<\/li> <\/ul>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trees<\/strong>:<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Pagoda dogwood<\/li>    <li>Shadblow serviceberry<\/li>    <li>Showy mountain ash<\/li> <\/ul>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5-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\">Cities such as Skowhegan and Farmington are situated in Zone 5a. While still cold, this zone has slightly milder winters compared to Zone 4b.<\/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=\"6-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\">Augusta, Waterville, and Auburn are located in Zone 5b, which experiences milder winters than Zones 4b and 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=\"7-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\">The southeastern corner of central Maine, being closer to the coast, falls into the warmer Zone 6a. This zone has the mildest winters in the region and a longer growing season.<\/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>    <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\">Central Maine\u2019s planting zones range from 4a to 6a, each with its unique challenges and characteristics. What works in one zone may not work in the next, and a specific grass type or plant that thrives in one area might struggle just a few miles away.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We can help you <a href=\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/maine\">connect with an experienced local professional<\/a> who knows your planting zone and can help you make the best choices for successful gardening. From grass seed selection to shrub placement and tree planting, they can advise you every step of the way to ensure your lawn and garden are looking their best.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Main Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.m.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:11_Summer_Street,_Augusta_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>Central Maine spans USDA plant hardiness zones 4a to 6a, with the coldest areas in Zone 4a and slightly milder regions in Zone 5b to 6a.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":25491,"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-25483","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\/house-in-central-maine-1.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\/25483","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=25483"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25483\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40077,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25483\/revisions\/40077"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25491"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}