United States regional guide · VA

Permaculture in Virginia

Virginia crosses Appalachian highlands, Shenandoah valleys, Piedmont, and the Chesapeake Coastal Plain. Elevation, humid summers, clay, salt exposure, and local frost patterns create several productive but distinct regions.

USDA span

5b–8b

Census region

South

Climate starting point

USDA hardiness zones in Virginia

Virginia includes USDA zones 5b–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 5bZone 6aZone 6bZone 7aZone 7bZone 8aZone 8b

Regional plant starting points

Plants to explore for a Virginia design

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

01Zones 5–9

Peach

Prunus persica

Layer: Canopy
Type: Deciduous Tree

02Zones 5–9

Pawpaw

Asimina triloba

Layer: Sub-Canopy
Type: Deciduous Tree

03Zones 4–9

American Persimmon

Diospyros virginiana

Layer: Canopy
Type: Deciduous Tree

04Zones 5–8

Highbush Blueberry

Vaccinium corymbosum

Layer: Shrub
Type: Perennial

05Zones 4–9

American Hazelnut

Corylus americana

Layer: Shrub
Type: Perennial

06Zones 4–8

American Elderberry

Sambucus canadensis

Layer: Shrub
Type: Perennial

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