USDA zone 8b in North Carolina
USDA plant hardiness zone 8b covers 34 locations across North Carolina (average annual extreme minimum 15 to 20 °F): Atkinson, NC, Ayden, NC, Bayview, NC, Beaufort, NC, Belhaven, NC, Boiling Spring Lakes, NC, and 28 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges March 8 (Bayview) to April 7 (Fairfield), and growing seasons run 211–272 days (Fairfield to Bayview) — 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 Lumberton, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 8b15 to 20 °F
- Last frost range
- Mar 8–Apr 7avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Nov 4–Dec 6avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 211–272days
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atkinson | — | Moores Creek Nb | Mar 27 | Nov 8 | 227 |
| Ayden | — | Greenville | Mar 27 | Nov 8 | 227 |
| Bayview | Aurora | Aurora 6 N | Mar 8 | Dec 5 | 272 |
| Beaufort | Davis | Beaufort Michael J Smith Fld | Mar 10 | Dec 1 | 265 |
| Belhaven | — | Belhaven 3 Ne | Mar 25 | Nov 11 | 233 |
| Boiling Spring Lakes | Oak Island, St. James, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Bolivia | Southport 5 N | Mar 24 | Nov 17 | 239 |
| Clinton | Roseboro, Garland, Salemburg | Clinton 2 Ne | Mar 26 | Nov 7 | 226 |
| Coinjock | — | Elizabeth City | Mar 27 | Nov 17 | 238 |
| Davis | Atlantic | Cedar Is | Mar 11 | Nov 30 | 261 |
| Elizabethtown | Dublin | Elizabethtown | Mar 29 | Nov 8 | 226 |
| Elrod | Dillon, Hamer, Raemon, Lake View, Marietta, Latta, +2 more | Dillon | Mar 28 | Nov 8 | 227 |
| Engelhard | Columbia | Columbia Ag Gum Neck | Mar 29 | Nov 13 | 231 |
| Fairfield | — | Fairfield | Apr 7 | Nov 4 | 211 |
| Fayetteville | Autryville | Fayetteville (pwc) | Mar 30 | Nov 10 | 227 |
| Fayetteville | Hope Mills, White Oak, Stedman, Parkton, Rex | Fayetteville Rgnl Ap | Mar 22 | Nov 13 | 236 |
| Goldsboro | — | Goldsboro 4 Se | Mar 15 | Nov 18 | 250 |
| Grandy | Coinjock | Elizabeth City Cgas | Mar 28 | Nov 12 | 230 |
| Grifton | Hookerton | Kinston Ag Rsch | Mar 25 | Nov 11 | 232 |
| Havelock | Newport, Minnesott Beach | Cherry Point Mcas | Mar 19 | Nov 22 | 249 |
| Hobucken | Grantsboro, Alliance, Vandemere, Oriental | Bayboro 3 Sw | Mar 30 | Nov 8 | 224 |
| Jacksonville | Piney Green, North Topsail Beach, Holly Ridge, Sneads Ferry, Swansboro, Maysville | New River Mcaf | Mar 23 | Nov 16 | 240 |
| Kelly | Evergreen, Hallsboro, Lake Waccamaw, Chadbourn, Fair Bluff, Bladenboro, +5 more | Whiteville 7 Nw | Mar 29 | Nov 6 | 224 |
| Kelly | — | Willard 4 Sw | Apr 2 | Nov 5 | 217 |
| Kinston | Dover, Cove | Kinston 7 Se | Apr 1 | Nov 4 | 217 |
| Lumberton * | Pembroke, Fairmont, St. Pauls, Proctorville, Tar Heel | Lumberton | Mar 24 | Nov 11 | 234 |
| Morehead | Pine Knoll Shores | Morehead City 2 Wnw | Mar 18 | Nov 21 | 249 |
| Peletier | Bogue | Newport/morehead City Wfo | Mar 26 | Nov 16 | 236 |
| River Bend | Bridgeton, Vanceboro, Pollocksville | New Bern Craven Co Ap | Mar 23 | Nov 15 | 237 |
| Roper | — | Plymouth 5 E | Mar 31 | Nov 7 | 221 |
| Swan Quarter | — | Swanquarter Ferry | Mar 18 | Nov 25 | 253 |
| Wanchese | Manns Harbor | Manteo Ap | Mar 15 | Dec 6 | 266 |
| Washington | Cypress Landing, Grimesland | Washington Wwtp 4w | Mar 22 | Nov 15 | 237 |
| Wilmington | Myrtle Grove, Silver Lake, Bayshore, Sandy Creek, Wrightsville Beach | Wilmington Intl Ap | Mar 19 | Nov 20 | 247 |
| Wrightsboro | Skippers Corner, Holly Ridge, Sandyfield, Long Creek, Delco | Wilmington 7 N | Mar 29 | Nov 8 | 226 |
* Lumberton 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 (Lumberton, representative)
Computed from Lumberton's average frost dates — the median-season location in this North Carolinazone 8b 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 | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Mar 31 – Apr 7 | May 30 – Jun 19 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Jan 13 – Jan 27 | Apr 7 – Apr 14 | Jun 6 – Jul 6 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Feb 24 – Mar 3 | Mar 31 – Apr 7 | May 20 – Jun 9 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | Mar 31 – Apr 7 | May 15 – May 30 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | Mar 31 – Apr 7 | May 20 – May 30 | Sep 12 – Sep 22 | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 23 – Jun 22 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Mar 31 – Apr 7 | Apr 30 – May 15 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 10 – Apr 25 | Aug 29 – Sep 13 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Apr 6 – Apr 21 | Aug 19 – Sep 3 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Mar 22 – Apr 1 | Sep 8 – Sep 18 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Mar 3 – Mar 10 | May 2 – May 22 | Aug 9 – Aug 29 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 20 – May 10 | Aug 14 – Sep 3 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Lumberton's own 234-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 (Lumberton)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USC00315177. 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 3 | Apr 19 | Nov 1 | Nov 16 | 211 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 24 | Apr 8 | Nov 11 | Dec 2 | 234 |
| 28°F | Mar 8 | Mar 30 | Nov 25 | Dec 22 | 262 |
| 24°F | Feb 17 | Mar 16 | Dec 11 | Jan 14 | 298 |
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 34 locations is 5,260; Lumberton's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 5,332 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 8,397 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 8b in North Carolina
Zone 8b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of about 15 to 20 °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, 8a, 9a.
Explore zone 8b in other states at zone 8b, or see all USDA hardiness zones.
Frequently asked questions
- What does USDA hardiness zone 8b mean in North Carolina?
- Zone 8b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of 15 to 20 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 34 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 8b is the growing season longest?
- Bayview runs the longest season on this page at about 272 days; Fairfield is shortest at about 211 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 8b?
- Using Lumberton's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Jan 27 – Feb 10, then transplant outside about Mar 31 – Apr 7. 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 8b 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 34 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.