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

Planting zone for Charlottesville, VA

Charlottesville, VA is in USDA zone 7b across its 11 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 2 and the first fall frost November 10.

Charlottesville on the zone map

Outlined: its 6 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 codes11
Last frostApr 2
First frostNov 10
Growing season222 days

7b 11 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Charlottesville, VA…

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 Charlottesville, VA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 2median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 14only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 10median — 10% chance by Oct 29
Growing season222 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 22 and returns around November 22.

From the NOAA station Charlottesville 2w, VA, elevation 866 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 Charlottesville

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 19 – Mar 5
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 19 – Mar 12
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 22 – Feb 5
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 12 – Mar 26
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 5 – Mar 19
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 5 – Mar 19
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 5 – Feb 19
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 22 – Feb 5
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 16 – Apr 30
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 15 – Sep 29
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 27 – Dec 1
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 2) and first fall frost (Nov 10) 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 22908 came on Mar 6 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Mar 5).

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 Virginia

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

Trees 89

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 133

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 200

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican licorice4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °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 °F

Grasses 181

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 Charlottesville, VA.

Soil in Charlottesville, VA

The center of ZIP 22908 is mapped as Urban land: built-over ground without natural soil data. Garden soil here is usually imported or disturbed — test before you plant.

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 22908; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Charlottesville, VA

Summer high87 °Faverage high, July
Winter low28 °Faverage low, January
Hot days34days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights77nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days4,186base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 48 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 31 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation48.5 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall17 inper year; 14 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 45 °F, low 28 °F 45°28° JanFebruary: average high 49 °F, low 30 °F 49°30° FebMarch: average high 57 °F, low 36 °F 57°36° MarApril: average high 68 °F, low 46 °F 68°46° AprMay: average high 75 °F, low 55 °F 75°55° MayJune: average high 83 °F, low 64 °F 83°64° JunJuly: average high 87 °F, low 68 °F 87°68° JulAugust: average high 86 °F, low 66 °F 86°66° AugSeptember: average high 79 °F, low 60 °F 79°60° SepOctober: average high 69 °F, low 49 °F 69°49° OctNovember: average high 58 °F, low 39 °F 58°39° NovDecember: average high 48 °F, low 32 °F 48°32° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.42 in precipitation, 3.9 in snowfall 3.4❄4 JanFebruary: 2.97 in precipitation, 5.9 in snowfall 3.0❄6 FebMarch: 3.96 in precipitation, 3.8 in snowfall 4.0❄4 MarApril: 3.48 in precipitation 3.5 AprMay: 4.63 in precipitation 4.6 MayJune: 4.68 in precipitation 4.7 JunJuly: 4.84 in precipitation 4.8 JulAugust: 4.02 in precipitation 4.0 AugSeptember: 5.21 in precipitation 5.2 SepOctober: 3.92 in precipitation 3.9 OctNovember: 3.65 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 3.6 NovDecember: 3.75 in precipitation, 3.2 in snowfall 3.8❄3 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Charlottesville 2w, VA (within 1 mile); precipitation: Charlottesville 2w, VA (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Charlottesville

229017b
5 to 10 °F
229027b
5 to 10 °F
229037b
5 to 10 °F
229047b
5 to 10 °F
229057b
5 to 10 °F
229067b
5 to 10 °F
229077b
5 to 10 °F
229087b
5 to 10 °F
229097b
5 to 10 °F
229107b
5 to 10 °F
229117b
5 to 10 °F

Virginia planting zones →

Questions about Charlottesville

What planting zone is Charlottesville, VA?

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

When is the last frost in Charlottesville, VA?

The median last spring frost is April 2 and the median first fall frost is November 10 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Charlottesville 2w station).

When can I plant a garden in Charlottesville, VA?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Feb 19 – Mar 12; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Apr 9, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Charlottesville, VA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day is 14 h 48 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

How much rain and snow does Charlottesville, VA get?

About 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 17 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).