United States regional guide · PA

Permaculture in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s ridges, valleys, plateaus, and southeastern Piedmont create many local climates within a humid four-season pattern. Slope orientation, frost pockets, forest soils, and rainfall distribution all influence guild design.

USDA span

5b–8a

Census region

Northeast

Climate starting point

USDA hardiness zones in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania includes USDA zones 5b–8a. 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 5bZone 6aZone 6bZone 7aZone 7bZone 8a

Regional plant starting points

Plants to explore for a Pennsylvania design

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

01Zones 4–8

European Pear

Pyrus communis

Layer: Canopy
Type: Deciduous Tree

02Zones 5–8

Highbush Blueberry

Vaccinium corymbosum

Layer: Shrub
Type: Perennial

03Zones 5–9

Pawpaw

Asimina triloba

Layer: Sub-Canopy
Type: Deciduous Tree

04Zones 4–9

American Hazelnut

Corylus americana

Layer: Shrub
Type: Perennial

05Zones 5–8

American Chestnut

Castanea dentata

Layer: Canopy
Type: Deciduous Tree

06Zones 4–8

American Elderberry

Sambucus canadensis

Layer: Shrub
Type: Perennial

Search the plant database Build a complete design