United States regional guide · ND
Permaculture in North Dakota
North Dakota’s northern plains bring severe winter cold, persistent wind, short seasons, and a strong east-to-west decline in rainfall. Shelterbelts, snow capture, hardy woody crops, and drought resilience are primary design tools.
USDA span
3b–5a
Census region
Midwest
Climate starting point
USDA hardiness zones in North Dakota
North Dakota includes USDA zones 3b–5a. 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 North Dakota design
These plants are useful starting points for researching a design in North Dakota. Confirm each choice against your exact zone, site conditions, local ecology, and management goals.
Chokecherry
Prunus virginiana
- Layer
- Sub-Canopy
- Type
- Deciduous Tree
Silver Buffaloberry
Shepherdia argentea
- Layer
- Shrub
- Type
- Perennial
Lowbush Blueberry
Vaccinium angustifolium
- Layer
- Groundcover
- Type
- Perennial
Lingonberry
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
- Layer
- Groundcover
- Type
- Perennial
American Hazelnut
Corylus americana
- Layer
- Shrub
- Type
- Perennial
American Black Currant
Ribes americanum
- Layer
- Shrub
- Type
- Perennial