top of page

Climate Information

Most of New Zealand is considered temperate, with cold or cool winters (some frosts) and warm summers (low-medium humidity). A wide range of fruit trees can grow in temperate climates - think stonefruit, pipfruit, nut trees, feijoas, berries and vines.  With frost protection, and good placement subtropicals such as citrus, figs, passionfruit and tamarillos can be grown outside but depending on your space and . But in Otago, Southland and parts of Canterbury, the range should be limited to later flowering types of stonefruit, apples, pears, quinces and all types of berries.

For our fruit selector tools we've used the USDA hardiness zones to differentiate between the different climates in New Zealand. Some varieties will do better in a 9b/10a climate for instance, and others in 8a/8b. Use the table below to look up your city/region to find out your climate hardiness zone. Of course, it may be that you are lucky to enjoy a microclimate, or depending on where you plant, you may be able to 'get away with' a certain fruit or variety - so use this only as a guidance.

If you're in a cooler temperate zone (think, 8a,8b,9a) then it may be best to limit your choices to later flowering types of stonefruit, apples, pears, walnuts,, hazelnuts and all types of berries. If you're in a subtropical zone (10a) in the far North for instance you're best to avoid varieties with high-chill requirements such as a Moorpark Apricot or Packham's Triumph Pear.

new-zealand-fruit-climate-map-regions.png
City
Zone
Degrees
Region
Start of Frost Season
End of Frost Season
Length of Frost Season
Auckland
Zone 10b
1.7 to 4.4
A
10th June
14th August
65 days
Blenheim
Zone 10b
1.7 to 4.4
G
27th April
1st October
157 days
Cambridge
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
C
16th May
10th September
118 days
Christchurch
Zone 9a
-6.7 to -3.9
H
30th April
11th October
163 days
Dunedin
Zone 10b
1.7 to 4.4
I
1st May
23rd September
145 days
Feilding
Zone 9b
-3.9 to -1.1
E
2 May
2 October
152 days
Gisborne
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
D
21st May
17th September
119 days
Greymouth
Zone 9b
-3.9 to -1.1
F
9th May
24th September
138 days
Hamilton
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
C
16th May
10th September
118 days
Hastings
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
D
21st May
17th September
119 days
Havelock North
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
D
21st May
17th September
119 days
Hawera
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
E
2 May
2 October
152 days
Invercargill
Zone 9a
-6.7 to -3.9
I
1st May
11th October
163 days
Levin
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
E
2 May
2 October
152 days
Lower Hutt
Zone 10b
1.7 to 4.4
E
2 May
2 October
152 days
Masterton
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
D
21st May
17th September
119 days
Napier
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
E
2 May
2 October
152 days
Nelson
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
G
27th April
1st October
157 days
New Plymouth
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
E
20th May
13th September
116 days
Oamaru
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
H
27th April
1st October
157 days
Palmerston North
Zone 9b
-3.9 to -1.1
E
2 May
2 October
152 days
Paraparaumu
Zone 10b
1.7 to 4.4
E
2 May
2 October
152 days
Porirua
Zone 10b
1.7 to 4.4
E
2 May
2 October
152 days
Pukekohe
Zone 10b
1.7 to 4.4
C
16th May
10th September
118 days
Queenstown
Zone 8b
-9.4 to -6.7
I
1st May
11th October
163 days
Rangiora
Zone 9a
-6.7 to -3.9
H
30th April
11th October
163 days
Richmond
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
G
27th April
1st October
157 days
Rolleston
Zone 9a
-6.7 to -3.9
H
30th April
11th October
163 days
Rotorua
Zone 9b
-3.9 to -1.1
B
20th May
13th September
116 days
Taupo
Zone 9b
-3.9 to -1.1
C
16th May
10th September
118 days
Tauranga
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
B
20th May
13th September
116 days
Te Awamutu
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
C
16th May
10th September
118 days
Timaru
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
H
30th April
11th October
163 days
Tokoroa
Zone 9b
-3.9 to -1.1
B
20th May
13th September
116 days
Upper Hutt
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
E
2 May
2 October
152 days
Waikanae
Zone 10b
1.7 to 4.4
E
2 May
2 October
152 days
Wellington
Zone 10b
1.7 to 4.4
E
2 May
2 October
152 days
Whakatane
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
B
20th May
13th September
116 days
Whanganui
Zone 10a
-1.1 to 1.7
E
2 May
2 October
152 days
Whangarei
Zone 10b
1.7 to 4.4
A
10th June
14th August
65 days
bottom of page