Hardiness zones, also called growing zones or planting zones, show which plants can survive the winter in a given place. The zones on this map are Canada's plant hardiness zones for 1991 to 2020, published by Natural Resources Canada in 2025. Canadian zones combine several climate measures, including winter low temperatures, the length of the frost-free season, rainfall, snow cover and wind, so the temperature range shown with each zone, its extreme minimum winter temperature, is a guide rather than the whole definition. The previous edition, based on 1981 to 2010 data, is still available: Nova Scotia hardiness zones, 2010 edition.
Under the 1991-2020 zones, Nova Scotia spans 5 hardiness zones, from zone 5a (-28.9°C to -26.1°C) to zone 7a (-17.8°C to -15°C). Of the 51 cities and towns listed below, 24 are in zone 6a, the most common zone. Halifax is in zone 6b, Sydney is in zone 6a, Dartmouth is in zone 6b, New Glasgow is in zone 6a.
| Location | Hardiness Zone (1991–2020) |
|---|---|
| Amherst | 5b - -26.1°C to -23.3°C |
| Annapolis Royal | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Bedford | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Bridgetown | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Bridgewater | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Canso | 7a - -17.8°C to -15°C |
| Clark's Harbour | 7a - -17.8°C to -15°C |
| Cole Harbour (Halifax) | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Dartmouth | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Digby | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Dominion | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Eastern Passage | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Eskasoni First Nation | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Fall River | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Glace Bay | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Halifax | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Hantsport | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Inverness | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Kentville | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Liverpool | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Lockeport | 7a - -17.8°C to -15°C |
| Louisbourg | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Lower Sackville | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Lunenburg | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Mahone Bay | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Middle Sackville | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Middleton (Annapolis) | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Mulgrave | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| New Glasgow | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| New Waterford | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| North Sydney | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Oxford | 5b - -26.1°C to -23.3°C |
| Parrsboro | 5b - -26.1°C to -23.3°C |
| Pictou | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Port Hawkesbury | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Springhill | 5a - -28.9°C to -26.1°C |
| Stellarton | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Stewiacke | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Sydney | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Sydney Forks | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Sydney Mines | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Sydney River | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Trenton | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Upper Sackville | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Wagmatcook First Nation | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Westphal | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Westville | 5b - -26.1°C to -23.3°C |
| Windsor | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Windsor Junction | 6b - -20.6°C to -17.8°C |
| Wolfville | 6a - -23.3°C to -20.6°C |
| Yarmouth | 7a - -17.8°C to -15°C |