Skip to main content

Do you live in climate zone 10? Here’s our guide to choosing the perfect climate zone 10 plants

What you need to know about caring for climate zone 10 plants

One part of the country that many gardeners envy is climate zone 10, a warm sanctuary for a variety of plants, thanks to its very long growing seasons and mild winters. Made up of the southernmost parts of the country, this region has a climate that’s ideal for multiple rounds of harvests. While it has specific challenges with blisteringly hot summers, it’s an overall welcoming environment for plant life. Below, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about zone 10 and all the plants that you can grow in it.

Tomatoes on a vine
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Where is climate zone 10?

Before we get into the specifics of climate zone 10, let’s talk about the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. When shopping for plants, you may see labels indicating a zone range — that basically tells you where the plant will be hardy for more than just one growing season. Essentially, the United States Department of Agriculture has divided the country into 13 regions, or climate zones, based on annual minimum temperature ranges. Zone 1 faces the coldest winters, while zone 13 usually has the warmest ones. Bearing this in mind, inhabitants of zone 10 will often experience warmer winters.

Zone 10 consists of the southernmost parts of the country, including areas in California, Florida, Texas, Arizona, and Hawaii. It’s known for its long growing season and mild winters. During the dormant season, this region has annual minimum temperatures ranging from 30 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, so frost isn’t usually an issue for zone 10 gardeners.

While zone 10 boasts a long growing season, it does have the unique challenge of summer temperatures damaging plants by way of heat. Wood chip mulch, shade cloths, and drip irrigation setups are helpful tools for keeping plants cool and moisturized in this region.

Beautiful succulent garden
Simon Tang / Shutterstock

Flowers and foliage for climate zone 10

You can pretty much enjoy flowers and foliage throughout the year in zone 10, granted that you provide ample shade and water in the hot summer months. As many blooms do prefer cooler temperatures, you’ll have the best luck with heat-tolerant wildflowers native to zone 10. Perennial wildflowers that can thrive here include purple coneflowers, blue flax, common yarrow, and ox-eye daisy. Flowers such as geraniums, dahlias, and African lilies are well suited for this region, too.

To build a low-maintenance and water-smart setup, incorporate succulents into a zone 10 landscape. In addition to including hard succulents such as graptoveria and sempervivums, bring in soft, colorful succulents such as aeoniums and echeverias. These hardy plants can grow prolifically outside and don’t need much water until the hottest months of summer. Of course, cacti, agave, and aloe are great climate zone 10 plants, too.

Dragonfruit
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Fruits for climate zone 10

Most fruit trees can flourish in zone 10 unless they need a long chill requirement to produce blooms and fruits — for example, varieties of plums that require up to 800 hours of chilling won’t do well in zone 10. If you’re looking for something beyond your peach and citrus trees, consider tropical fruits. For a delicious and unique harvest, jackfruit, dragonfruit, mango, and papaya can do quite well in zone 10.

Tomatillo plant
Image used with permission by copyright holder

When to start seeds in climate zone 10

For climate zone 10, you can usually start seeds indoors in February and bring seedlings out in March or earlier. Typically, the frost period lasts a short time, roughly around December through the end of February. Some winters may experience little to no freeze at all. After your first round of veggies, you can start the second round in mid or late summer as well — just be mindful of giving your plants shade and water.

When it comes to choosing veggies to grow during the hotter months, consider hardier plants such as tomatillos and Malabar spinach. Herbs such as curry leaf and Mexican tarragon can also withstand intense zone 10 growing seasons.

Greens that love cool temperatures won’t necessarily thrive in zone 10 until you reach the coldest months of the year. For your cabbages, leafy greens, and other tender plants, start seeds in late fall or winter for the best results. Because temperatures rarely dip below freezing in zone 10, you’ll probably be able to get away without installing any form of frost protection.

Growing plants in zone 10 can come with a specific set of challenges as you try to keep your plants cool throughout the summer. That said, this region can be rewarding for gardeners, as you can harvest your fruits and veggies multiple times throughout the year. Additionally, you’ll be lucky enough to incorporate heat-loving tropical fruits into your garden, too. With measures put in place to protect plants from the heat, you can truly grow beautiful foliage, flowers, and edibles all year long in zone 10.

Editors' Recommendations

Stacey Nguyen
Stacey's work has appeared on sites such as POPSUGAR, HelloGiggles, Buzzfeed, The Balance, TripSavvy, and more. When she's…
14 incredible morning shade plants that will thrive in your shady garden
These flowers and vegetables will love morning shade and afternoon sun
A black walnut tree in the afternoon sun

When planting a garden, your landscape and ideas may not always line up with what's best for the plants. There are tons of beautiful flowers that need full sun, which can be frustrating if your garden is shady. The good news is that there are just as many stunning flowers that enjoy the shade! Not all plants are alike, and while they all want sunlight, they don't all want the same amount or the same kind. If your garden has morning shade and afternoon sun, then these are the 14 morning shade plants you should know about.

What kind of light is morning shade?
There are five categories of sunlight that gardeners fit all plants into. There's full sun, partial sun, partial shade, dappled sun, and full shade. Each type has a long list of plants that love that kind of environment. Morning shade with afternoon sunlight would qualify as partial shade, but it is a specific type.
Many plants prefer the less harsh light of morning light and then want to be shaded during the hottest part of the day in the afternoon. There are, however, many plants that love being shaded in the morning while soaking up those bright rays in the afternoon heat.

Read more
Zone 9b planting guide: Everything you need to know about nourishing a garden in this warm climate
The best plants to grow in zone 9b and when to grow them
A happy gardener with gloves

From show-stopping roses to hardy agave, zone 9b is home to plants of all stripes, thanks to its warm, sunny conditions. It’s also an ideal environment for a wide range of fruits and veggies, whether you’re partial to hot peppers or sweet cherries. Its hot summers can be challenging, but it’s generally a productive and lush area for thriving plant life. Here’s your zone 9b planting guide so you can nourish a fruitful and beautiful garden in one of the country's warmest areas.
What is a climate zone?
With climate zones on the Plant Hardiness Zone Map, the United States Department of Agriculture divides the country into 13 regions based on average annual minimum temperature ranges. The temperature ranges go from coldest to hottest as we move from zone 1 to 13. Zone 9b, as you may have already guessed, falls on the warmer parts of the map.

Whenever you buy a plant from a store, look for the label that indicates the "plant hardiness zone." If your zone is within that range, the plant is a perennial in your area, meaning it’ll last more than one growing season there. If not, you’ll have an annual on your hands, which means it probably won't survive more than one growing season in your region.

Read more
Why do gardeners use raised beds? Here are reasons why you should grow crops and flowers in raised gardens
From allowing you to control soil to helping reduce weeds, raised garden beds can come in handy
Raised garden beds

Ask any seasoned gardener why they use raised beds, and the reason likely boils down to control. Raised beds allow you to control what goes into your crops while giving you the luxury of ample space to work with. Control, of course, can mean a wide variety of things. Here are the main reasons you should consider growing your fruits and veggies in raised beds.

1. Raised beds allow you to control your soil conditions
When you grow your plants in a raised bed, you have the power to control the soil that holds your plants. If you're raising edible crops, this means you can choose an organic growing medium for peace of mind. It's also easier to amend the soil to exactly what you need it be, whether you'd like it to be more well draining or acidic.
You ultimately won't have to do a lot of tilling to break up compact soil. Plus, soil also tends to warm up faster in beds during the springtime, so you don't have to wait for the ground to warm up before you start planting.

Read more