Zone 7b: What Grows and How to Garden There

What a zone 7b winter means

Zone 7b winters are short and only occasionally severe. That opens the door to evergreen shrubs and fruit from the South while keeping enough winter chill for plants that need it, such as peonies, apples and spring bulbs. The trade-off is unpredictable spring weather: warm spells in late winter push fruit trees and shrubs into early bloom, and a freeze afterward can take the blossoms.

Where zone 7b is

Zone 7b includes New York City and Long Island, Philadelphia, much of New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, Richmond and central Virginia, and the Tennessee cities of Nashville, Knoxville, Clarksville and Murfreesboro. In the southern Plains it covers Oklahoma City, Tulsa and northern Arkansas, plus Lubbock and the Texas South Plains. In the West it includes Albuquerque, Salt Lake City and Reno, and smaller areas of Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California and Washington.

Fruit trees and small fruit

Peaches, plums, apples, pears and cherries all grow well; the risk to the crop is frost during bloom, which Penn State’s critical-temperature table shows begins at 27-28°F for open blossoms. Figs are reliable against a south wall (NC State).

Blueberries are a strong choice. In the Southeast, Clemson and UGA recommend rabbiteye blueberries as the most adaptable type, and UGA notes that some early cultivars (‘Climax’, ‘Premier’, ‘Vernon’) can bloom too early for frost-prone mountain sites. In the Northeast, northern highbush types are the standard.

Perennials, bulbs and shrubs

• Camellias, crape myrtles and figs are dependable here.
• Rosemary: NC State rates it to zone 8a and Illinois to zone 7, so a sheltered, well-drained spot against a south wall gives it the best chance. Wet clay kills it faster than cold.
• Peonies: still bloom; plant crowns shallow (see the FAQ).
• Spring bulbs: plant when soil drops below 60°F. Daffodils naturalize; hybrid tulips usually last one good season.

Special concerns

• Heat. Virginia Cooperative Extension notes that strong sun and high summer temperatures make lettuce bolt and turn bitter; it suggests shading lettuce above 70°F and growing it in spring and fall. Fall is a second full vegetable season.
• Dry western winters. Albuquerque, Salt Lake City and Reno often go weeks without snow cover. Colorado State and Utah State recommend watering trees and shrubs, especially evergreens, during dry winter spells when the soil is not frozen.
• Microclimates. UGA notes that low, bowl-shaped spots collect cold air while south-facing walls and paving add heat. Put early-blooming fruit and tender shrubs where cold air drains away.