United States regional guide · MI
Permaculture in Michigan
Michigan’s two peninsulas are strongly shaped by the Great Lakes, which moderate some shorelines while producing snow belts and cold inland pockets. Fruit regions benefit from lake influence, but drainage and winter hardiness remain site-specific.
USDA span
4a–7a
Census region
Midwest
Climate starting point
USDA hardiness zones in Michigan
Michigan includes USDA zones 4a–7a. 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.
Regional plant starting points
Plants to explore for a Michigan design
These plants are useful starting points for researching a design in Michigan. Confirm each choice against your exact zone, site conditions, local ecology, and management goals.
Crabapple
Malus sylvestris
- Layer
- Sub-Canopy
- Type
- Deciduous Tree
American Plum
Prunus americana
- Layer
- Shrub
- Type
- Deciduous Tree
Chokecherry
Prunus virginiana
- Layer
- Sub-Canopy
- Type
- Deciduous Tree
Highbush Blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum
- Layer
- Shrub
- Type
- Perennial
American Hazelnut
Corylus americana
- Layer
- Shrub
- Type
- Perennial
Red Raspberry
Rubus idaeus
- Layer
- Shrub
- Type
- Perennial