Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for Blytheville, AR

Blytheville, AR is in USDA zone 8a across its 2 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is March 18 and the first fall frost November 14.

Blytheville on the zone map

Outlined: its 1 ZIP code areas · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone8a10 to 15 °F
ZIP codes2
Last frostMar 18
First frostNov 14
Growing season240 days

8a 2 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

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Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Blytheville, AR

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 18median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 3only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 14median — 10% chance by Nov 1
Growing season240 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 8 and returns around November 27.

From the NOAA station Blytheville, AR, elevation 253 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in Blytheville

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 4 – Feb 18
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 4 – Feb 25
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 7 – Jan 21
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Feb 25 – Mar 11
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Feb 18 – Mar 4
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Feb 25 – Mar 11
LettuceSow outdoors · Feb 18 – Mar 4
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Feb 25 – Mar 11
TomatoesStart indoors · Jan 21 – Feb 4
TomatoesTransplant · Mar 25 – Apr 8
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 7 – Jan 21
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 1 – Apr 15
BeansSow outdoors · Mar 25 – Apr 8
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Mar 25 – Apr 8
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Mar 25 – Apr 8
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 19 – Oct 3
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 31 – Dec 5
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 18) and first fall frost (Nov 14) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 72316 came on Feb 20 — 4 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 24).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 8a in Arkansas

516 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Arkansas, and rated by the USDA to survive 10 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 8a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 71

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °Fbald cypress130 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −18 °Fbitternut hickory75 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −47 °F

Shrubs 98

alternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican beautyberry6 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °FAmerican hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °FAmerican plum24 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 174

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican licorice4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican speedwell0.8 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Grasses 150

alkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °FBailey's sedge2.1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FBicknell's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °F

Vines 14

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fcatbird grape30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −13 °Fcupseed30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Blytheville, AR.

Soil in Blytheville, AR

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 72316 is Hayti — fine sandy loam, poorly drained.

TextureFine sandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH6.7neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter2%moderate
Hydrologic groupB/Dmoderate when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classPrime farmland if drained and either protected from flooding or not frequently flooded during the growing seasonUSDA classification

Map unit: Hayti fine sandy loam.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 72316; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Blytheville, AR

Summer high90 °Faverage high, July
Winter low30 °Faverage low, January
Hot days58days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights58nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days5,174base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 36 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 43 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation51.6 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall3 inper year; 3 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 45 °F, low 30 °F 45°30° JanFebruary: average high 51 °F, low 34 °F 51°34° FebMarch: average high 60 °F, low 42 °F 60°42° MarApril: average high 71 °F, low 51 °F 71°51° AprMay: average high 80 °F, low 61 °F 80°61° MayJune: average high 88 °F, low 70 °F 88°70° JunJuly: average high 90 °F, low 73 °F 90°73° JulAugust: average high 89 °F, low 71 °F 89°71° AugSeptember: average high 83 °F, low 64 °F 83°64° SepOctober: average high 73 °F, low 52 °F 73°52° OctNovember: average high 59 °F, low 41 °F 59°41° NovDecember: average high 49 °F, low 34 °F 49°34° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.85 in precipitation, 0.8 in snowfall 3.9❄1 JanFebruary: 4.13 in precipitation, 1.7 in snowfall 4.1❄2 FebMarch: 4.81 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 4.8 MarApril: 5.40 in precipitation 5.4 AprMay: 5.90 in precipitation 5.9 MayJune: 3.76 in precipitation 3.8 JunJuly: 4.00 in precipitation 4.0 JulAugust: 3.55 in precipitation 3.5 AugSeptember: 2.76 in precipitation 2.8 SepOctober: 4.07 in precipitation 4.1 OctNovember: 4.28 in precipitation 4.3 NovDecember: 5.07 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 5.1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Blytheville, AR (within 1 mile); precipitation: Blytheville, AR (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Blytheville

723158a
10 to 15 °F
723168a
10 to 15 °F

Arkansas planting zones →

Questions about Blytheville

What planting zone is Blytheville, AR?

Blytheville, AR is in USDA hardiness zone 8a on the 2023 map (8a: 10 to 15 °F).

When is the last frost in Blytheville, AR?

The median last spring frost is March 18 and the median first fall frost is November 14 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Blytheville station).

When can I plant a garden in Blytheville, AR?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Feb 4 – Feb 25; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Mar 25, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Blytheville, AR?

Intermediate onions: the longest day is 14 h 36 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

How much rain and snow does Blytheville, AR get?

About 51.6 inches of precipitation a year and 3 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).