USDA zone 8a in South Carolina
USDA plant hardiness zone 8a covers 44 locations across South Carolina (average annual extreme minimum 10 to 15 °F): Abbeville, SC, Anderson, SC, Batesburg-Leesville, SC, Bennettsville, SC, Boiling Springs, SC, Bradley, SC, and 38 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges March 13 (Orangeburg) to April 30 (Tamassee), and growing seasons run 167–250 days (Tamassee to Greenville) — even within one state, because hardiness sets winter survival, not planting dates. The table below gives every South Carolina location's own frost dates; the printable planting calendar uses Fountain Inn, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 8a10 to 15 °F
- Last frost range
- Mar 13–Apr 30avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Oct 15–Nov 20avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 167–250days
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbeville | Lake Secession, Calhoun Falls, Due West, Lowndesville | Calhoun Falls | Mar 27 | Nov 7 | 226 |
| Anderson | Belton, Williamston, Honea Path | Anderson | Mar 23 | Nov 11 | 234 |
| Batesburg-Leesville | — | Batesburg | Mar 20 | Nov 18 | 244 |
| Bennettsville | McColl, Gibson, Tatum | Mccoll 3 Nnw | Mar 26 | Nov 8 | 228 |
| Boiling Springs | Inman, Chesnee, Henrietta, Fingerville | Chesnee 7 Wsw | Apr 13 | Oct 26 | 195 |
| Bradley | Silverstreet, Saluda, Ward, Monetta | Saluda | Mar 31 | Nov 4 | 218 |
| Buffalo | Whitmire, Cross Anchor | Union 8 S | Apr 6 | Oct 30 | 207 |
| Centerville | Homeland Park, Starr | Anderson Co Ap | Mar 29 | Nov 8 | 227 |
| Chesterfield | Ruby, Mount Croghan | Chesterfield 3 E | Apr 1 | Nov 3 | 216 |
| Clemson | Pendleton, Central, Norris | Clemson Univ | Apr 1 | Nov 3 | 217 |
| Clinton | Laurens, Ware Shoals, Joanna, Mountville, Gray Court, Waterloo, +1 more | Laurens | Apr 1 | Nov 5 | 219 |
| Cross Hill | — | Greenwood 8ne | Mar 22 | Nov 13 | 236 |
| Easley | Liberty, Pickens, Dacusville, Six Mile | Pickens | Apr 1 | Nov 3 | 216 |
| East Camden | — | Camden 3 W | Apr 4 | Nov 4 | 213 |
| Edgefield | Johnston, Ridge Spring, Trenton | Johnston 4 Sw | Mar 26 | Nov 8 | 228 |
| Fair Play | Hartwell, Lavonia, Franklin Springs | Hartwell | Mar 20 | Nov 15 | 241 |
| Fort Mill | York, Newport, Tega Cay | Rock Hill York Co Ap | Mar 31 | Nov 4 | 218 |
| Fountain Inn * | — | Fountain Inn 2 Sw | Mar 29 | Nov 5 | 222 |
| Gaffney | Blacksburg, Hickory Grove, Sharon, Smyrna, Cherokee Falls | Ninety Nine Is | Apr 20 | Oct 24 | 186 |
| Great Falls | Winnsboro, Heath Springs, Ridgeway, Jenkinsville | Winnsboro | Mar 31 | Nov 6 | 221 |
| Greenville | Mauldin, Gantt, Simpsonville, Wade Hampton, Berea, Parker, +2 more | Greenville Dwtn Ap | Mar 16 | Nov 20 | 250 |
| Greenwood | Bradley, Coronaca, Donalds, Hodges | Greenwood | Mar 26 | Nov 12 | 233 |
| Greer | Taylors, Five Forks, Lyman, Duncan, Wellford, Reidville, +2 more | Greer | Mar 28 | Nov 7 | 224 |
| Joanna | Helena | Newberry | Mar 31 | Nov 7 | 223 |
| Kershaw | Abney Crossroads | Wateree Dam | Mar 23 | Nov 14 | 237 |
| Longcreek | — | Long Creek | Apr 9 | Oct 29 | 205 |
| Lugoff | Blythewood | Sandhill Rsch - Elgin | Mar 22 | Nov 15 | 239 |
| McBee | Bethune, Patrick | Hartsville | Mar 30 | Nov 6 | 224 |
| McConnells | Fort Lawn, Richburg, Gayle Mill | Chester 1 Se | Apr 3 | Nov 2 | 213 |
| McCormick | — | Mccormick | Mar 28 | Nov 7 | 226 |
| Monarch Mill | Carlisle, Jonesville, Lockhart | Santuck | Apr 4 | Nov 1 | 210 |
| Orangeburg | — | Orangeburg 2 | Mar 13 | Nov 15 | 249 |
| Pageland | Jefferson | Pageland | Mar 27 | Nov 8 | 228 |
| Pelion | Summit | Pelion 0.8 Nw | Mar 28 | Nov 4 | 221 |
| Piedmont | Ware Place | W Pelzer | Apr 1 | Nov 4 | 219 |
| Prosperity | Little Mountain, Pomaria, Peak, Jenkinsville | Little Mtn | Mar 22 | Nov 11 | 234 |
| Rock Hill | Catawba, Marvin, Richburg | Winthrop Univ | Mar 27 | Nov 5 | 225 |
| Salem | — | Lake Toxaway 2 Sw | Apr 15 | Oct 26 | 193 |
| Silverstreet | Ninety Six | Lake Greenwood | Apr 1 | Nov 4 | 217 |
| Slater-Marietta | Caesars Head, Tigerville | Caesars Head | Apr 10 | Nov 2 | 206 |
| Spartanburg | Valley Falls, Woodruff, Roebuck, Camp Croft, Arkwright, Saxon, +8 more | Spartanburg 3 Sse | Apr 8 | Nov 1 | 206 |
| Tamassee | — | Highlands | Apr 30 | Oct 15 | 167 |
| Walhalla | Westminster, Longcreek, West Union, Newry | Walhalla | Apr 11 | Oct 30 | 203 |
| Wallace | Cheraw, McFarlan | Cheraw | Mar 26 | Nov 9 | 231 |
* Fountain Inn 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 (Fountain Inn, representative)
Computed from Fountain Inn's average frost dates — the median-season location in this South 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 1 – Feb 15 | Apr 5 – Apr 12 | Jun 4 – Jun 24 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 19 | Jun 11 – Jul 11 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Mar 1 – Mar 8 | Apr 5 – Apr 12 | May 25 – Jun 14 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | Apr 5 – Apr 12 | May 20 – Jun 4 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | Apr 5 – Apr 12 | May 25 – Jun 4 | Sep 6 – Sep 16 | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | May 28 – Jun 27 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Apr 5 – Apr 12 | May 5 – May 20 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Apr 15 – Apr 30 | Aug 23 – Sep 7 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Apr 11 – Apr 26 | Aug 13 – Aug 28 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Mar 27 – Apr 6 | Sep 2 – Sep 12 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Mar 8 – Mar 15 | May 7 – May 27 | Aug 3 – Aug 23 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Feb 1 – Feb 15 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Apr 25 – May 15 | Aug 8 – Aug 28 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Fountain Inn's own 222-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 (Fountain Inn)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USC00383145. 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 11 | Apr 30 | Oct 26 | Nov 7 | 197 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 29 | Apr 14 | Nov 5 | Nov 20 | 222 |
| 28°F | Mar 15 | Mar 31 | Nov 17 | Dec 6 | 250 |
| 24°F | Mar 1 | Mar 21 | Dec 3 | Dec 30 | 278 |
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 44 locations is 5,099; Fountain Inn's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 4,750 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 7,731 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 8a in South 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. South Carolina spans 5 hardiness zones in this dataset — see all South Carolina locations for the full range, including zones7b, 8b, 9a, 9b.
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 South 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. 44 locations in South Carolina fall in this zone. It does not set planting dates; see the frost calendar below for that.
- Where in South Carolina's zone 8a is the growing season longest?
- Greenville runs the longest season on this page at about 250 days; Tamassee is shortest at about 167 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 South Carolina's zone 8a?
- Using Fountain Inn's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Feb 1 – Feb 15, then transplant outside about Apr 5 – Apr 12. 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 South 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 44 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.