Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for Ellicott City, MD

Ellicott City, MD is in USDA zone 7b across its 3 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 5 and the first fall frost November 9.

Ellicott City on the zone map

Outlined: its 2 ZIP code areas · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone7b5 to 10 °F
ZIP codes3
Last frostApr 5
First frostNov 9
Growing season218 days

7b 3 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

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Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Ellicott City, MD

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 5median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 19only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 9median — 10% chance by Oct 27
Growing season218 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 25 and returns around November 21.

From the NOAA station Laurel 3 W, MD, elevation 400 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in Ellicott City

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 22 – Mar 8
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 22 – Mar 15
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 25 – Feb 8
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 15 – Mar 29
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 22
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 15 – Mar 29
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 22
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 15 – Mar 29
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 8 – Feb 22
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 12 – Apr 26
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 25 – Feb 8
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 19 – May 3
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 12 – Apr 26
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 12 – Apr 26
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 12 – Apr 26
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 14 – Sep 28
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 26 – Nov 30
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 5) and first fall frost (Nov 9) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 21042 came on Mar 13 — 5 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 18).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 7b in Maryland

618 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Maryland, and rated by the USDA to survive 5 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 83

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican chestnut115 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °Farborvitae50 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Shrubs 127

alderleaf buckthorn3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAllegheny serviceberry35 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican beautyberry6 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °FAmerican black currant3 ft · blooms early spring · to −46 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 206

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican speedwell0.8 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican spongeplant0.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −24 °F

Grasses 176

American beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °FAmerican cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Farctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAtlantic mannagrass3 ft · blooms summer · low shade tolerance · to −8 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 12

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °Fgraybark grape50 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fheartleaf peppervine2 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −8 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Ellicott City, MD.

Soil in Ellicott City, MD

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 21042 is Gladstone — loam, well drained.

TextureLoama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.1slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter3%moderate
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Gladstone loam, 3 to 8 percent slopes.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 21042; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Ellicott City, MD

Summer high89 °Faverage high, July
Winter low26 °Faverage low, January
Hot days36days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights86nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days4,262base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 56 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 24 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation49.7 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall29 inper year

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 43 °F, low 26 °F 43°26° JanFebruary: average high 46 °F, low 28 °F 46°28° FebMarch: average high 55 °F, low 35 °F 55°35° MarApril: average high 67 °F, low 45 °F 67°45° AprMay: average high 76 °F, low 55 °F 76°55° MayJune: average high 84 °F, low 65 °F 84°65° JunJuly: average high 89 °F, low 69 °F 89°69° JulAugust: average high 87 °F, low 68 °F 87°68° AugSeptember: average high 80 °F, low 61 °F 80°61° SepOctober: average high 69 °F, low 50 °F 69°50° OctNovember: average high 57 °F, low 39 °F 57°39° NovDecember: average high 47 °F, low 31 °F 47°31° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.41 in precipitation, 9 in snowfall 3.4❄9 JanFebruary: 2.77 in precipitation, 10 in snowfall 2.8❄10 FebMarch: 4.21 in precipitation, 5.2 in snowfall 4.2❄5 MarApril: 3.70 in precipitation 3.7 AprMay: 5.09 in precipitation 5.1 MayJune: 4.76 in precipitation 4.8 JunJuly: 5.25 in precipitation 5.3 JulAugust: 3.93 in precipitation 3.9 AugSeptember: 4.71 in precipitation 4.7 SepOctober: 4.21 in precipitation 4.2 OctNovember: 3.66 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 3.7 NovDecember: 3.97 in precipitation, 4.1 in snowfall 4.0❄4 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Laurel 3 W, MD (13 mi away); precipitation: Columbia 2.3 N, MD (3 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Ellicott City

210417b
5 to 10 °F
210427b
5 to 10 °F
210437b
5 to 10 °F

Maryland planting zones →

Questions about Ellicott City

What planting zone is Ellicott City, MD?

Ellicott City, MD is in USDA hardiness zone 7b on the 2023 map (7b: 5 to 10 °F).

When is the last frost in Ellicott City, MD?

The median last spring frost is April 5 and the median first fall frost is November 9 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Laurel 3 W station).

When can I plant a garden in Ellicott City, MD?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Feb 22 – Mar 15; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Apr 12, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Ellicott City, MD?

Intermediate onions: the longest day is 14 h 56 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

How much rain and snow does Ellicott City, MD get?

About 49.7 inches of precipitation a year and 29 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).