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

Planting zone for Columbia, SC

Columbia, SC is in USDA zone 8b across its 34 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is March 16 and the first fall frost November 16.

Columbia on the zone map

Outlined: its 13 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.

Zone8b15 to 20 °F
ZIP codes34
Last frostMar 16
First frostNov 16
Growing season245 days

8b 34 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Columbia, SC…

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 Columbia, SC

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 16median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 3only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 16median — 10% chance by Nov 2
Growing season245 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 1 and returns around December 2.

From the NOAA station Columbia Univ Of Sc, SC, elevation 223 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 Columbia

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 2 – Feb 16
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 2 – Feb 23
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 5 – Jan 19
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Feb 23 – Mar 9
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Feb 16 – Mar 2
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Feb 23 – Mar 9
LettuceSow outdoors · Feb 16 – Mar 2
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Feb 23 – Mar 9
TomatoesStart indoors · Jan 19 – Feb 2
TomatoesTransplant · Mar 23 – Apr 6
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 5 – Jan 19
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Mar 30 – Apr 13
BeansSow outdoors · Mar 23 – Apr 6
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Mar 23 – Apr 6
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Mar 23 – Apr 6
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 21 – Oct 5
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 2 – Dec 7
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 16) and first fall frost (Nov 16) 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 29204 came on Feb 15 — 8 days later than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 7).

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 8b in South Carolina

566 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in South Carolina, and rated by the USDA to survive 15 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 8b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 82

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 131

Allegheny serviceberry35 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Faloe yucca15 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −1 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican beautyberry6 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 168

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 164

alkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °FAmerican cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °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 °Fcupseed30 ft · blooms late 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 °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 Columbia, SC.

Soil in Columbia, SC

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 29204 is Pelion — loamy sand, moderately well drained.

TextureLoamy sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.5moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageModerately well drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.25%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Pelion-Urban land complex, 2 to 10 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 29204; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Columbia, SC

Summer high96 °Faverage high, July
Winter low37 °Faverage low, January
Hot days108days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights33nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days6,450base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 25 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 53 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation48.7 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°110°32 °FJanuary: average high 60 °F, low 37 °F 60°37° JanFebruary: average high 64 °F, low 40 °F 64°40° FebMarch: average high 72 °F, low 46 °F 72°46° MarApril: average high 81 °F, low 54 °F 81°54° AprMay: average high 87 °F, low 62 °F 87°62° MayJune: average high 93 °F, low 69 °F 93°69° JunJuly: average high 96 °F, low 72 °F 96°72° JulAugust: average high 94 °F, low 71 °F 94°71° AugSeptember: average high 89 °F, low 66 °F 89°66° SepOctober: average high 80 °F, low 54 °F 80°54° OctNovember: average high 69 °F, low 44 °F 69°44° NovDecember: average high 61 °F, low 39 °F 61°39° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.84 in precipitation 3.8 JanFebruary: 3.64 in precipitation 3.6 FebMarch: 3.95 in precipitation 4.0 MarApril: 3.05 in precipitation 3.0 AprMay: 3.53 in precipitation 3.5 MayJune: 4.94 in precipitation 4.9 JunJuly: 5.56 in precipitation 5.6 JulAugust: 5.36 in precipitation 5.4 AugSeptember: 4.22 in precipitation 4.2 SepOctober: 3.44 in precipitation 3.4 OctNovember: 3.17 in precipitation 3.2 NovDecember: 3.99 in precipitation 4.0 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Columbia Univ Of Sc, SC (3 mi away); precipitation: Columbia 3.1 E, SC (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Columbia

292018b
15 to 20 °F
292028b
15 to 20 °F
292038b
15 to 20 °F
292048b
15 to 20 °F
292058b
15 to 20 °F
292068b
15 to 20 °F
292078b
15 to 20 °F
292088b
15 to 20 °F
292098b
15 to 20 °F
292108b
15 to 20 °F
292118b
15 to 20 °F
292128b
15 to 20 °F
292148b
15 to 20 °F
292158b
15 to 20 °F
292168b
15 to 20 °F
292178b
15 to 20 °F
292188b
15 to 20 °F
292198b
15 to 20 °F
292208b
15 to 20 °F
292218b
15 to 20 °F
292228b
15 to 20 °F
292238b
15 to 20 °F
292248b
15 to 20 °F
292258b
15 to 20 °F
292268b
15 to 20 °F
292278b
15 to 20 °F
292288b
15 to 20 °F
292298b
15 to 20 °F
292308b
15 to 20 °F
292408b
15 to 20 °F
292508b
15 to 20 °F
292608b
15 to 20 °F
292908b
15 to 20 °F
292928b
15 to 20 °F

South Carolina planting zones →

Questions about Columbia

What planting zone is Columbia, SC?

Columbia, SC is in USDA hardiness zone 8b on the 2023 map (8b: 15 to 20 °F).

When is the last frost in Columbia, SC?

The median last spring frost is March 16 and the median first fall frost is November 16 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Columbia Univ Of Sc station).

When can I plant a garden in Columbia, SC?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Feb 2 – Feb 23; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Mar 23, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Columbia, SC?

Intermediate onions: the longest day is 14 h 25 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

How much rain and snow does Columbia, SC get?

About 48.7 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).