USDA zone 8a in North Carolina
USDA plant hardiness zone 8a covers 82 locations across North Carolina (average annual extreme minimum 10 to 15 °F): Ahoskie, NC, Albemarle, NC, Angier, NC, Asheboro, NC, Belwood, NC, Burlington, NC, and 76 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges March 15 (New Hope) to April 16 (Lake Norman of Catawba), and growing seasons run 191–250 days (Lake Norman of Catawba to New Hope) — even within one state, because hardiness sets winter survival, not planting dates. The table below gives every North Carolina location's own frost dates; the printable planting calendar uses Rockingham, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 8a10 to 15 °F
- Last frost range
- Mar 15–Apr 16avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Oct 25–Nov 21avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 191–250days
Locations in this group
Every location below shares this zone and a nearby weather station, but keeps its own frost dates — find your town for its own numbers, or use the ZIP planner on the home page for an instant personalized answer.
| Location | Also covers | Nearest station | Last frost | First frost | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahoskie | Como, Murfreesboro, Conway, Woodland, Severn, Winton, +4 more | Murfreesboro | Apr 6 | Nov 1 | 208 |
| Albemarle | Norwood, Red Cross, Troy, Mount Gilead, Oakboro, Gold Hill, +5 more | Albemarle | Mar 29 | Nov 4 | 220 |
| Angier | — | Garner | Apr 1 | Nov 1 | 213 |
| Asheboro | Trinity, Pleasant Garden, Randleman, Franklinville, Star, Seagrove | Asheboro 2 W | Apr 5 | Oct 31 | 207 |
| Belwood | Lincolnton, Maiden, High Shoals, Iron Station, Crouse, Dellview | Lincolnton 4 W | Apr 9 | Oct 28 | 201 |
| Burlington | McLeansville, Forest Oaks, Sedalia, Alamance, Ossipee | Burlington Alamance Ap | Apr 1 | Nov 2 | 215 |
| Carthage | Vass | Carthage Wtp | Apr 1 | Nov 5 | 219 |
| Cary | Apex, Holly Springs | Apex | Mar 27 | Nov 8 | 227 |
| Charlotte | Concord, Kannapolis, Midland, Harrisburg, Davidson, Stanfield, +1 more | Concord | Apr 1 | Nov 2 | 215 |
| Charlotte | Mint Hill, Indian Trail, Waxhaw, Mineral Springs, Lancaster, Marvin, +1 more | Monroe Ap | Mar 31 | Nov 5 | 220 |
| Charlotte | Huntersville, Cornelius, Belmont, Lake Wylie | Charlotte Douglas Ap | Mar 30 | Nov 3 | 221 |
| Deep Run | Jackson Heights, Pink Hill, Trenton | Kinston 7 Se | Apr 1 | Nov 4 | 217 |
| Durham | Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Pittsboro, Governors, Carolina Meadows | Chapel Hill 2 W | Mar 31 | Nov 3 | 218 |
| Edenton | Winfall, Arrowhead Beach, Colerain | Edenton | Mar 24 | Nov 14 | 238 |
| Efland | — | Yanceyville 4 Se | Mar 31 | Nov 4 | 218 |
| Elizabeth | Moyock, Sunbury, Winfall, South Mills, Camden | Elizabeth City | Mar 27 | Nov 17 | 238 |
| Fayetteville | Spring Lake, Wade, Stedman | Fayetteville (pwc) | Mar 30 | Nov 10 | 227 |
| Fayetteville | Lumber Bridge | Fayetteville Rgnl Ap | Mar 22 | Nov 13 | 236 |
| Fuquay-Varina | — | Lillington | Mar 30 | Nov 6 | 223 |
| Garner | Clayton, Knightdale, Archer Lodge, Wendell | Clayton Wtp | Apr 7 | Nov 3 | 211 |
| Gaston | — | Emporia 1 Wnw | Mar 31 | Nov 6 | 221 |
| Gastonia | Mount Holly, Lowesville, Bessemer, Clover, Cramerton, Lowell, +4 more | Gastonia | Mar 27 | Nov 9 | 228 |
| Goldsboro | Mar-Mac | Goldsboro Ag 1 N | Mar 28 | Nov 12 | 231 |
| Gorman | — | Durham | Apr 2 | Nov 4 | 217 |
| Greensboro | High Point, Pleasant Garden, Archdale | High Pt | Mar 30 | Nov 5 | 220 |
| Greensboro | Summerfield, Stokesdale, Kernersville, Oak Ridge, Jamestown | Piedmont Triad Intl Ap | Mar 30 | Nov 5 | 220 |
| Greenville | Winterville, Stokes, Farmville, Parmele, Fountain, Simpson, +1 more | Greenville | Mar 27 | Nov 8 | 227 |
| Hertford | — | Elizabeth City Cgas | Mar 28 | Nov 12 | 230 |
| Hickory | Newton, Conover, Granite Falls, Mountain View, Icard, Claremont, +3 more | Hickory Faa Ap | Mar 31 | Nov 4 | 219 |
| Hillsborough | Efland | Chapel Hill Williams Ap | Mar 29 | Nov 5 | 222 |
| Hollister | Enfield, Warrenton, Littleton, Macon | Arcola | Apr 3 | Nov 5 | 217 |
| Hudson | — | Lenoir | Apr 7 | Oct 31 | 207 |
| Icard | Casar | Morganton | Apr 7 | Oct 28 | 202 |
| Indian Beach | — | Morehead City 2 Wnw | Mar 18 | Nov 21 | 249 |
| Ivanhoe | Burgaw, Harrells, Watha | Willard 4 Sw | Apr 2 | Nov 5 | 217 |
| Jacksonville | Holly Ridge, Pumpkin Center | New River Mcaf | Mar 23 | Nov 16 | 240 |
| Kings Mountain | Belwood, Forest, Boiling Springs, Cliffside, Fallston, Polkville, +6 more | Shelby 2 Nw | Apr 12 | Oct 25 | 195 |
| La Grange | Maury, Seven Springs | Kinston Ag Rsch | Mar 25 | Nov 11 | 232 |
| Lake Lure | — | Lake Lure 2 | Apr 5 | Oct 30 | 207 |
| Lake Lure | Columbus, Campobello, Tryon, Fingerville | Tryon | Mar 27 | Nov 12 | 231 |
| Lake Norman of Catawba | Lake Norman of Iredell, Troutman, Catawba, Stony Point | Statesville 2 Nne | Apr 16 | Oct 25 | 191 |
| Laurinburg | — | Laurinburg | Mar 21 | Nov 14 | 239 |
| Lewiston Woodville | Aulander, Scotland Neck, Roxobel, Oak, Kelford, Powellsville | Lewiston | Mar 29 | Nov 7 | 223 |
| Lexington | Thomasville, Welcome | Lexington | Apr 11 | Oct 28 | 199 |
| Monroe | Unionville, Wingate, Marshville | Monroe 2 Se | Apr 3 | Nov 1 | 213 |
| Mooresville | — | Salisbury 9 Wnw | Apr 9 | Oct 28 | 203 |
| Mount Olive | — | Mt Olive 6se | Mar 28 | Nov 7 | 226 |
| New Hope | Brogden | Goldsboro 4 Se | Mar 15 | Nov 18 | 250 |
| Newton Grove | Calypso, Faison, Turkey | Clinton 2 Ne | Mar 26 | Nov 7 | 226 |
| Plain View | Bunnlevel, Lillington, Angier, Buies Creek, Benson, Coats, +2 more | Dunn 4 Nw | Mar 28 | Nov 7 | 226 |
| Plymouth | Pantego, Creswell | Plymouth 5 E | Mar 31 | Nov 7 | 221 |
| Raleigh | Durham, Morrisville | Raleigh Durham Intl Ap | Mar 31 | Nov 4 | 219 |
| Raleigh | Garner | Raleigh State Univ | Mar 28 | Nov 8 | 229 |
| Red Springs | Maxton, Deercroft, Shannon | Laurinburg Maxton Ap | Mar 25 | Nov 8 | 228 |
| Reidsville | McLeansville | Reidsville 2 Nw | Apr 5 | Nov 2 | 213 |
| Rich Square | Jackson, Seaboard, Halifax, Branchville | Jackson | Apr 5 | Nov 1 | 211 |
| Richlands | — | Richlands | Apr 5 | Nov 4 | 214 |
| Rockingham * | Hamlet, Cordova, Deercroft, Old Hundred | Hamlet | Mar 30 | Nov 4 | 220 |
| Rocky Mount | Nashville, Elm, Sharpsburg | Rocky Mt Wilson Ap | Apr 1 | Nov 5 | 219 |
| Rocky Mount | Princeville, Bethel, Hobgood, Pinetops, Whitakers, Macclesfield, +2 more | Tarboro 1 S | Mar 30 | Nov 9 | 226 |
| Rocky Point | — | Wilmington 7 N | Mar 29 | Nov 8 | 226 |
| Rolesville | Louisburg, Youngsville, Franklinton, Spring Hope, Castalia, Bunn | Louisburg | Apr 11 | Oct 29 | 201 |
| Rougemont | Stem | Roxboro 7 Ese | Apr 15 | Oct 26 | 194 |
| Sanford | Spout Springs, Mamers, Barbecue, Moncure, Cameron | Sanford 8 Ne | Apr 10 | Oct 30 | 203 |
| Saxapahaw | Woodlawn, Haw River, Green Level, Altamahaw | Burlington Fire Stn #5 | Mar 29 | Nov 9 | 226 |
| Siler | Saxapahaw, Bennett, Liberty, Ramseur, Robbins, Staley, +1 more | Siler City 2 N | Mar 31 | Nov 4 | 220 |
| Smithfield | Wilson's Mills, Selma, Four Oaks, Pine Level, Princeton, Micro | Smithfield | Mar 29 | Nov 5 | 220 |
| Snow Hill | — | Snow Hill Waste Water Treament | Mar 26 | Nov 12 | 232 |
| South Rosemary | Gasburg, Seaboard, Garysburg, South Weldon | Roanoke Rapids | Mar 31 | Nov 9 | 222 |
| Southern Pines | Pinehurst, Aberdeen, Seven Lakes, Hoffman, Biscoe, Pinebluff, +5 more | Jackson Springs 5 Wnw | Mar 25 | Nov 14 | 235 |
| Spindale | Rutherfordton | Forest City 8 W | Apr 11 | Oct 27 | 198 |
| Taylorsville | Hiddenite | Taylorsville | Apr 2 | Nov 4 | 217 |
| Tyro | Southmont, Spencer, Granite Quarry, East Spencer | Salisbury | Apr 6 | Oct 30 | 208 |
| Vass | Silver | Raeford | Apr 3 | Nov 3 | 214 |
| Wadesboro | Polkton, Ansonville, Morven, Lilesville, Mount Croghan | Wadesboro | Mar 24 | Nov 9 | 231 |
| Wake Forest | Butner, Creedmoor | Falls Lake | Apr 4 | Nov 4 | 213 |
| Wallace | Rose Hill, Chinquapin, Magnolia, Teachey | Wallace 1se | Apr 1 | Nov 7 | 220 |
| Warsaw | Kenansville, Beulaville, Pink Hill | Warsaw 5 E | Apr 7 | Oct 30 | 204 |
| Williamston | Windsor, Jamesville, Robersonville, Pinetown, Hamilton, Everetts, +1 more | Williamston 1 E | Mar 20 | Nov 12 | 239 |
| Wilson | Kenly, Fremont, Middlesex, Pikeville, Black Creek, Bailey, +5 more | Wilson 3 Sw | Mar 22 | Nov 12 | 236 |
| Winston-Salem | Walkertown, Wallburg, Walnut Cove | Winston Salem Rynlds Ap | Mar 26 | Nov 9 | 228 |
| Zebulon | — | Clayton 3e | Mar 28 | Nov 8 | 225 |
* Rockingham is this group's median-season location — the calendar below is computed from its data.
Data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (public domain) and USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Planting windows synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides.
Planting calendar (Rockingham, representative)
Computed from Rockingham's average frost dates — the median-season location in this North Carolinazone 8a group. hatched = start seeds indoors, solid green = plant out, teal = a fall sowing, and the terracotta dot marks the estimated first harvest. Ranges are extension-guide planning guidance, not guarantees — your own location's dates may run a week or two earlier or later (see the table above).
- Start indoors
- Plant out
- Fall sowing
- First harvest
| Crop | Frost tolerance | Start indoors | Plant out | First harvest | Fall planting | Season fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Tender | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Apr 6 – Apr 13 | Jun 5 – Jun 25 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Apr 13 – Apr 20 | Jun 12 – Jul 12 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Mar 2 – Mar 9 | Apr 6 – Apr 13 | May 26 – Jun 15 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | Apr 6 – Apr 13 | May 21 – Jun 5 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | Apr 6 – Apr 13 | May 26 – Jun 5 | Sep 5 – Sep 15 | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 29 – Jun 28 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 6 – Apr 13 | May 6 – May 21 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Apr 16 – May 1 | Aug 22 – Sep 6 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 12 – Apr 27 | Aug 12 – Aug 27 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 28 – Apr 7 | Sep 1 – Sep 11 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Mar 9 – Mar 16 | May 8 – May 28 | Aug 2 – Aug 22 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Apr 26 – May 16 | Aug 7 – Aug 27 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Rockingham's own 220-day growing season (32°F, NOAA 1991–2020 median) against each crop's real days-to-maturity range: 12 of 12 crops mature here with comfortable margin. A different location in the table above with a longer or shorter season will get a different mix — the ZIP planner on the home page gives your own.
Frost & freeze dates (Rockingham)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USC00313784. The median (p50) is the average date; the 90%-safe column is the date the freeze has passed in about 9 years out of 10 — the conservative date to plant after or harvest before.
| Threshold | Last spring — avg | Last spring — 90%-safe | First fall — avg | First fall — 90%-safe | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 10 | Apr 26 | Oct 27 | Nov 7 | 198 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 30 | Apr 15 | Nov 4 | Nov 20 | 220 |
| 28°F | Mar 18 | Apr 3 | Nov 16 | Dec 6 | 245 |
| 24°F | Mar 4 | Mar 25 | Dec 1 | Dec 30 | 272 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days (GDD) accumulate warmth above a base temperature over the year — a better predictor of crop development than the calendar alone. This group's median GDD (base 50°F) across all 82 locations is 4,855; Rockingham's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 5,489 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 8,541 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 8a in North Carolina
Zone 8a means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of about 10 to 15 °F on the USDA's 2023 map — the number that tells you which perennials, shrubs, and trees reliably survive an average winter here. It does not set your planting dates, which come from the frost calendar above. North Carolina spans 6 hardiness zones in this dataset — see all North Carolina locations for the full range, including zones6b, 7a, 7b, 8b, 9a.
Explore zone 8a in other states at zone 8a, or see all USDA hardiness zones.
Frequently asked questions
- What does USDA hardiness zone 8a mean in North Carolina?
- Zone 8a means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of 10 to 15 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 82 locations in North Carolina fall in this zone. It does not set planting dates; see the frost calendar below for that.
- Where in North Carolina's zone 8a is the growing season longest?
- New Hope runs the longest season on this page at about 250 days; Lake Norman of Catawba is shortest at about 191 days — they share the same hardiness zone, but they sit at different weather stations, so their frost calendars differ.
- When should I plant tomatoes in North Carolina's zone 8a?
- Using Rockingham's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Feb 2 – Feb 16, then transplant outside about Apr 6 – Apr 13. Your own location in the table above may differ by a week or two — use the ZIP planner on the home page for your exact station's dates.
- Does every location in North Carolina's zone 8a have the same frost dates?
- No — they do not all share a weather station, so frost dates vary by a week or more across the 82 locations listed (see the table above for each location's own dates).
Sources & method
Frost, freeze, growing-season, and growing-degree-day figures are NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, one reading per location's own nearest station (see the table above). The hardiness zone is the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023, matched to each location's ZIP. Planting windows are computed by counting from the average last and first frost using per-crop offsets synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides — the full method and citations are on the methodology page.