ZonePlant

State reference · Midwest

Iowa

Iowa (IA) covers 4 primary USDA hardiness zones across 1,042 zip codes. Capital: Des Moines.

USDA hardiness zones in Iowa

Zone share is computed from the 1,042 zip codes within Iowa. The most common zone is the best starting point for state-wide guidance; check your local zip for microclimate accuracy.

State-wide baseline

Zone 5a covers the largest share of Iowa, with winter lows around -20°F to -15°F and a typical growing season of 150 days. Zone 5a guide →

Crops suited to Iowa

Crops whose recommended USDA zone range overlaps Iowa's dominant zones. 87 crops match.

Tree fruit

12 crops
Diospyros virginiana 450936388 (persimmon-american)

American Persimmon

Diospyros virginiana

zones 4b–9a

Malus domestica 'Stark's Earliest'. Locatie De Kruidhof 02 (apple)

Apple

Malus domestica

zones 3a–9a

Apricots (apricot)

Apricot

Prunus armeniaca

zones 5a–8a

Plum (plum-european)

European Plum

Prunus domestica

zones 4a–8a

Starr 080405-3957 Prunus salicina (plum-japanese)

Japanese Plum

Prunus salicina

zones 5b–9a

Ziziphus jujuba (fruit) (jujube)

Jujube

Ziziphus jujuba

zones 6a–9b

Morus alba fruits (mulberry)

Mulberry

Morus species

zones 4b–9a

common pawpaw (pawpaw)

Pawpaw

Asimina triloba

zones 5a–8b

See all 12 tree fruit →

Berries

20 crops
Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) - Killarney, Ontario (aronia)

Aronia (Black Chokeberry)

Aronia melanocarpa

zones 3a–8a

Blackcurrant (currant-black)

Black Currant

Ribes nigrum

zones 3a–7a

Rubus occidentalis (35029818313) (raspberry-black)

Black Raspberry

Rubus occidentalis

zones 4a–8a

Ripe, ripening, and green blackberries (blackberry)

Blackberry

Rubus subgenus Rubus

zones 5a–9a

Vaccinium macrocarpon (15054125499) (cranberry)

Cranberry

Vaccinium macrocarpon

zones 3a–7a

Sambucus nigra subsp canadensis - Indiana (elderberry)

Elderberry

Sambucus canadensis

zones 3b–9a

Starr 080103-1271 Fragaria x ananassa (strawberry-everbearing)

Everbearing Strawberry

Fragaria x ananassa

zones 3b–9a

Lycium-barbarum-fruits (goji-berry)

Goji Berry

Lycium barbarum

zones 3b–10a

See all 20 berries →

Nuts

6 crops
Almendras (Prunus dulcis), Huérmeda, España 2012-05-19, DD 01 (almond)

Almond

Prunus dulcis

zones 6a–9a

Juglans nigra nuts (walnut-black)

Black Walnut

Juglans nigra

zones 4a–9a

Gebarsten bolster van een paardenkastanje (Aesculus) 20-09-2020 (d.j.b.) 01 (chestnut)

Chestnut

Castanea species and hybrids

zones 4b–8b

Juglans regia Echte Walnussfrucht 1 (walnut-english)

English Walnut

Juglans regia

zones 5a–9a

Hazelnuts (hazelnut)

Hazelnut

Corylus species and hybrids

zones 4a–8a

Carya illinoinensis foliagenuts (pecan)

Pecan

Carya illinoinensis

zones 6a–9a

Vegetables

40 crops
Starr 070906-8899 Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa (arugula)

Arugula

Eruca vesicaria

zones 3b–9a

Steam-boiling green asparagus (asparagus)

Asparagus

Asparagus officinalis

zones 3b–8b

Beta vulgaris, San Francisco farmers market (beet)

Beet

Beta vulgaris

zones 3a–9a

Brassica oleracea var. italica Limba 2022-04-24 7316 (broccoli)

Broccoli

Brassica oleracea var. italica

zones 3a–9a

Young brussels sprouts plant (brussels-sprouts)

Brussels Sprouts

Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera

zones 3b–8a

Ayocote (bean-bush)

Bush Bean

Phaseolus vulgaris

zones 3b–9a

Weißkohl Brassica oleracea var. capitata 2011 (cabbage)

Cabbage

Brassica oleracea var. capitata

zones 3a–9b

Carrots at Ljubljana Central Market (carrot)

Carrot

Daucus carota subsp. sativus

zones 3a–9a

See all 40 vegetables →

Herbs

9 crops
Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum) (basil)

Basil

Ocimum basilicum

zones 4a–10b

Allium schoenoprasum subsp. schoenoprasum - Copenhagen Botanical Garden - DSC07940 (chives)

Chives

Allium schoenoprasum

zones 3a–8b

A scene of Coriander leaves (cilantro)

Cilantro / Coriander

Coriandrum sativum

zones 3b–9b

Starr 070906-8839 Anethum graveolens (dill)

Dill

Anethum graveolens

zones 3b–9a

Mentha piperita (1) (mint)

Mint

Mentha species

zones 3b–9b

Origanum vulgare 149176132 (oregano)

Oregano

Origanum vulgare

zones 4a–9b

Petroselinum crispum 003 (parsley)

Parsley

Petroselinum crispum

zones 3b–9b

Salvia leucantha (Mexican Bush Sage) (sage)

Sage

Salvia officinalis

zones 4a–9a

See all 9 herbs →

Largest cities in Iowa

Cities ranked by population (GeoNames public-domain data). Each city has a curated planting reference with its USDA zone, frost dates, and recommended crops.

Curated zip pages in Iowa

Related

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