If you want to be a successful gardener, there’s one thing you absolutely must know: your hardiness zone. Having a successful garden in Los Angeles means knowing when the first and last frost is likely to take place and how cold it gets in the winter. The climate of Los Angeles, California is characterized by mild winters and very warm summers. Winters typically have temperatures that rarely drop below 40 °F (4 °C), with average high temperatures in the mid-60s (18 °C). Summers are hot, with temperatures often reaching the mid-90s (35 °C) or higher. Rainfall is heavier in the winter months, with June, July, and August being the driest months.
The modern hardiness zone, sometimes called a growing zone, was developed by the USDA. They assign each hardiness zone by observing 30 years of annual minimum temperature data at each location in order to determine the likely lowest temperature each winter. Knowing how cold it gets and when the last and first frost dates are for the year can mean the difference between a successful garden and a lot of wasted time and money.
Los Angeles’ USDA hardiness zone
Los Angeles’ USDA hardiness zones are 9 and 10. That means winter temperatures can drop as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Freezing temperatures are extraordinarily rare in LA, with the record lowest temperature being 27 °F which was recorded on January 4, 1949.
California’s USDA hardiness zone map
California’s USDA hardiness zones range from 5a, where temperatures can drop to as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit, to 10b, where they only hit about 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter.
First and last frost date in Los Angeles
Frost is exceedingly rare in LA, as we mentioned above. Temperatures can dip into the 40s and even the upper 30s in the winter, but freezing temperatures are rarely ever recorded in Los Angeles.