USDA Oklahoma Hardiness Zones: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a
You may be familiar with Oklahoma’s state song. Or at least the part that goes, “Oklahoma! Where the wind goes sweeping down the plains!” There’s a reason that line is in the song. Oklahoma is known for the Great Plains. The state is also known for its forests, mountains, and canyons.
It’s safe to say the geography of Oklahoma varies depending upon your location. Depending on where you are in the state, you might experience a humid subtropical climate or a semi-arid climate.
Generally, Oklahoma experiences hot, humid summers and mild winters. Because of the milder winters, Oklahoma is classified into five planting zones. The planting zones of Oklahoma are 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, and 8a.
Oklahoma Planting Zone – A Quick Overview
- If you live in the northern portion of Oklahoma, you’re likely to live in the 6a and 6b USDA planting zones. Cimarron County is classified as both planting zones 6a and 6b.
- Enid, and the surrounding area, are classified as USDA planting zone 7a.
- Oklahoma City is also considered planting zone 7a.
- If you live south of Oklahoma City, such as in Lawton or Ardmore, your planting zone is 7b.
- You’ll find the 8a planting zone on the borders of Texas and Arkansas in McCurtain County and the surrounding area.
Using the Oklahoma Growing Zones Map
Gardening can be an enjoyable hobby, but it can quickly turn frustrating if you’re not having success growing your plants. You can take the guesswork out of gardening by learning your growing zone identification.
Identifying your growing zone will help you choose plants that thrive in your garden space. Fortunately, the USDA created the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to help gardeners identify and understand their growing zone.
The 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Map color codes each planting zone in the United States. Each planting zone is determined by relative low temperatures and is represented on the map in different colors.
Using the map is simple. All you need to do is click on the state of Oklahoma and zoom in to your location. Once you’ve found your location on the map, match the map’s color to the legend on the side of the map. This will tell you’re your plant hardiness zone.
If you want more specific information or live in an area that looks like it could be more than one planting zone, enter your address and zip code in the search bar. This will give you the most accurate information regarding your growing zone.
Explore Our Complete US Hardiness Zone Map
Oklahoma has five different planting zones. It is important that you reference your gardening zone before shopping for plants to grow in your garden. It is also important that you understand your garden space’s microclimate.
Factors like runoff, dew, frost, or evaporation rates affect the microclimate. So, your garden plot may have a different microclimate compared to the surrounding area’s climate. Keep these factors in mind before choosing your plants.
Oklahoma: Where the Winds Come Sweeping Down the Plains
Compared to other states, Oklahoma’s growing season is relatively long. The length of the growing season is roughly 215 days. The length of the growing season depends upon your location, though, and the date of the last frost of the year. You can usually begin to plant outdoors in Oklahoma in early April.
Oklahoma’s climate is perfect for various vegetables, flowers, and trees. If you are considering planting a vegetable garden, consider growing beets, radishes, or peas. In Oklahoma’s planting zones, potatoes, kohlrabi, and cauliflower also do well.
If you’re thinking about adding flowers to your gardens, think about peonies, roses, or zinnias. There are plenty of trees that grow well in Oklahoma, too. If you’re looking to enhance your landscape, consider planting Autumn Blaze Maples or Junipers.
Marcum’s Nursery, located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, also suggests planting Crabapples, Redbuds, or Dogwoods to add a flowering variety of trees to your yard.
