USDA Zone 9B
Near-tropical. South Florida, Rio Grande Valley, coastal Southern California. Frost is rare and brief. Many tropical plants survive outdoors.
Temperature Range
What Does Zone 9B Mean?
USDA Hardiness Zone 9B means your area's average annual extreme minimum winter temperature falls between 25°F to 30°F (-4°C to -1°C). This is the coldest temperature you can typically expect in a normal winter, based on 30 years of climate data.
Your zone primarily determines which perennial plants (trees, shrubs, perennial flowers, and fruit bushes) can survive outdoors year-round. It's also strongly correlated with your frost dates, which are the foundation for calculating when to plant annual vegetables and flowers. Learn more about what hardiness zones mean.
Enter your zip code on our homepage tool to see personalized planting dates for all 50 plants based on your specific location within Zone 9B.
States in Zone 9B
These states contain areas classified as Zone 9B:
Best Plants for Zone 9B
These plants are well-suited to Zone 9B conditions. Click any plant for detailed growing information and state-specific planting dates.
Okra
A Southern garden staple that thrives in blazing heat. Beautiful flowers are a...
Root VegetableSweet Potatoes
Not related to regular potatoes at all. Sweet potatoes need heat and a long...
Warm-Season VegetableEggplant
Beautiful purple fruits that love heat even more than tomatoes. Start early...
HerbLemongrass
Tropical grass with intense lemon flavor essential to Thai and Vietnamese...
Warm-Season VegetableJalapeño Peppers
The most popular hot pepper in America. Easy to grow, prolific producers, and...
Warm-Season VegetableHabanero Peppers
Extremely hot peppers with fruity, citrusy undertones. Need a long, warm...
Warm-Season VegetableTomatillos
The key ingredient in salsa verde, producing golf-ball-sized fruits inside...
Warm-Season VegetableBlack-Eyed Peas (Cowpeas)
Heat-loving legume essential to Southern cooking. Produces where beans fail in...
FruitFigs
Ancient Mediterranean fruit tree that thrives in warm climates and can be...
FruitBlackberries
Vigorous bramble fruit producing sweet-tart berries in summer. Thornless...
Warm-Season VegetableCherry Tomatoes
Bite-sized tomatoes that produce massive quantities with less effort than...
HerbBasil
The king of herbs. Basil and tomatoes are best friends in the garden and in the...
Frequently Asked Questions
Your calendar is inverted from most of the country. Plant warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) in February-March and again in August-September. Plant cool-season crops (lettuce, broccoli, carrots) from October through February — your mild winter IS the growing season for these crops. Summer (June-August) is too hot for most vegetables; focus on okra, sweet potatoes, and tropical herbs.
Many tropical and subtropical plants thrive here: citrus (lemons, oranges, satsumas), avocados (cold-hardy varieties), mangoes (in zone 9b), bananas (many varieties overwinter), lemongrass, ginger, and turmeric. Frost protection may be needed a few nights per year, but most subtropical plants survive zone 9 winters without issue.