United States regional guide · AK

Permaculture in Alaska

Alaska spans maritime rainforests, windy coasts, subarctic interior valleys, and Arctic tundra. Short seasons and extreme winter lows make hardy berries, shelter, thermal mass, and careful microclimate selection central to perennial design.

USDA span

1a–8b

Census region

West

Climate starting point

USDA hardiness zones in Alaska

Alaska includes USDA zones 1a–8b. Hardiness zones describe typical annual extreme minimum temperatures; within-state elevation, wind, water, soil, and urban heat can change what succeeds on a particular site.

Zone 1aZone 1bZone 2aZone 2bZone 3aZone 3bZone 4aZone 4bZone 5aZone 5bZone 6aZone 6bZone 7aZone 7bZone 8aZone 8b

Regional plant starting points

Plants to explore for a Alaska design

These plants are useful starting points for researching a design in Alaska. Confirm each choice against your exact zone, site conditions, local ecology, and management goals.

01Zones 2–8

Lowbush Blueberry

Vaccinium angustifolium

Layer: Groundcover
Type: Perennial

02Zones 3–7

Lingonberry

Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Layer: Groundcover
Type: Perennial

03Zones 4–8

Red Raspberry

Rubus idaeus

Layer: Shrub
Type: Perennial

04Zones 3–7

American Black Currant

Ribes americanum

Layer: Shrub
Type: Perennial

05Zones 2–6

Russet Buffaloberry

Shepherdia canadensis

Layer: Shrub
Type: Perennial

06Zones 2–6

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana

Layer: Sub-Canopy
Type: Deciduous Tree

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