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What Can Grow in North Carolina?

Growing Zone Zone 7b
Frost-Free Days 276
Last Frost late February
First Frost early December

North Carolina spans the mountains (Zone 5b-6a), Piedmont (Zone 7a-7b), and coastal plain (Zone 8a). Long warm seasons support tobacco, sweet potatoes, and a wide range of vegetables.

Find your exact zone:
North Carolina spans 6 different growing zones. The planting calendar below uses the most common zone (Zone 7b). Use the search above or browse all zones here:
Zone 5b Zone 6a Zone 6b Zone 7a Zone 7b Zone 8a

📅 Planting Calendar for North Carolina

When to start seeds indoors and transplant outdoors, based on your frost dates.

Plant Start Indoors Transplant Out Direct Sow Harvest
🌾 Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) Jan 31 Feb 28 — Apr 19 – May 14
🥦 Artichoke Jan 3 Feb 28 — May 24 – Jun 8
🥬 Arugula — — Feb 28 Mar 21 – Apr 9
❤️ Beets — — Feb 28 Apr 19 – May 9
🫑 Bell Pepper Jan 3 Feb 28 — May 9 – May 29
🥬 Bok Choy Jan 31 Feb 28 — Apr 14 – Apr 29
🥦 Broccoli Jan 17 Feb 28 — Apr 29 – May 19
🫛 Brussels Sprouts Jan 3 Feb 28 — May 29 – Aug 27
🥬 Cabbage Jan 17 Feb 28 — May 9 – Jun 28
🥕 Carrot — — Feb 28 May 9 – May 19
🥔 Celeriac Jan 1 Feb 28 — Jun 18 – Jun 28
🍒 Cherry Tomato Jan 17 Feb 28 — Apr 24 – May 9
🌶️ Chili Pepper Jan 3 Feb 28 — May 4 – May 19
🥬 Collard Greens Jan 31 Feb 28 — Apr 29 – May 19
🌽 Corn — — Feb 28 Apr 29 – May 29
🥒 Cucumber Feb 7 Feb 28 — Apr 19 – May 9
🫛 Edamame (Soybean) — — Feb 28 May 9 – Jun 3
🍆 Eggplant Jan 3 Feb 28 — May 4 – May 19
🫘 Fava Beans — — Feb 28 May 19 – Jun 8
🌿 Florence Fennel — — Feb 28 May 4 – May 29
🧄 Garlic — — Oct 1 – Oct 31 Jun – Jul (following year)
🫘 Green Beans — — Feb 28 Apr 19 – May 4
🍬 Ground Cherry Jan 17 Feb 28 — May 9 – May 24
🥬 Kale Jan 31 Feb 28 — Apr 24 – May 14
🥬 Kohlrabi Jan 31 Feb 28 — Apr 14 – Apr 29
🧅 Leek Jan 1 Feb 28 — Jun 8 – Jul 28
🥬 Lettuce — — Feb 28 Mar 30 – Apr 29
🥒 Luffa (Turai / Ridge Gourd) Jan 31 Feb 28 — May 9 – May 29
🌱 Microgreens — — Feb 28 Mar 7 – Mar 21
🥬 Mustard Greens — — Feb 28 Mar 30 – Apr 9
🌶️ Okra Feb 7 Feb 28 — Apr 19 – May 4
🧅 Onion Jan 3 Feb 28 — May 29 – Jun 28
🥕 Parsnip — — Feb 28 Jun 8 – Jul 8
🫛 Peas — — Feb 28 Apr 24 – May 9
🥔 Potato — — Feb 28 May 9 – Jun 28
🎃 Pumpkin Feb 7 Feb 28 — May 14 – Jun 8
🔴 Radish — — Feb 28 Mar 22 – Mar 30
🥔 Rutabaga — — Feb 28 May 29 – Jun 13
🫛 Snap Peas — — Feb 28 Apr 29 – May 9
🥬 Spinach — — Feb 28 Apr 9 – Apr 19
🍠 Sweet Potato — — Feb 28 May 29 – Jun 28
🥬 Swiss Chard — — Feb 28 Apr 19 – Apr 29
🫚 Taro (Arbi / Colocasia) Jan 3 Feb 28 — Jul 28 – Sep 16
🫑 Tomatillo Jan 17 Feb 28 — May 14 – Jun 8
🍅 Tomato Jan 17 Feb 28 — Apr 29 – May 24
🫛 Turnip — — Feb 28 Apr 14 – Apr 29
🥬 Zucchini Feb 7 Feb 28 — Apr 14 – Apr 29
🌿 Basil Jan 31 Feb 28 — Mar 30 – Apr 29
💙 Borage — — Feb 28 Apr 19 – Apr 29
🌿 Cilantro — — Feb 28 Mar 21 – Apr 14
🌿 Dill — — Feb 28 Apr 9 – Apr 29
🌱 Fenugreek (Methi) — — Feb 28 Mar 20 – Mar 30
🌿 French Tarragon — — Feb 28 Apr 29 – May 29
🌼 German Chamomile — — Feb 28 Apr 29 – May 29
🍃 Lemon Balm Jan 17 Feb 28 — Apr 29 – May 9
🌿 Parsley — — Feb 28 May 9 – May 29
🍉 Watermelon Jan 31 Feb 28 — May 9 – May 29
🌻 Sunflower — — Feb 28 Apr 29 – May 19

Dates are averages based on Zone 7b frost dates (last frost: late February, first frost: early December). Adjust for your specific microclimate.

🥦 Vegetables

🍓 Fruits

🌿 Herbs

⚠️ Worth Trying (Marginal)

These plants are outside the ideal zone range but possible with the right approach.

🗺️ USDA Plant Hardiness Zones

Zone 7 is shown in this colour on the map below
2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — zones 1 to 13

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — public domain. USDA Agricultural Research Service

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

USDA zones run 1a–13b (26 half-zones). Each full zone above covers both the a and b half-zones. Browse all US zones →

Browse Related Zones

Zone 6a Zone 6b Zone 7a Zone 7b Zone 8a Zone 8b Zone 9a

Frequently Asked Questions

North Carolina spans the mountains (Zone 5b-6a), Piedmont (Zone 7a-7b), and coastal plain (Zone 8a). Long warm seasons support tobacco, sweet potatoes, and a wide range of vegetables. Vegetables like Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beets all grow well here.
Your long 276-day season means you can often fit two or three successions of warm-season crops. Plant after late February; in hot summers, shade cloth helps cool-season crops.
Top vegetables for North Carolina: Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beets. For beginners, Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) and Arugula are the easiest to start with.
Apple, Blackberry, Blueberry, Elderberry all grow well in North Carolina. Zone 7b is excellent for most temperate fruits.