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

Planting zone for Tallahassee, FL

Tallahassee, FL is in USDA zone 9a across its 19 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is March 11 and the first fall frost November 21.

Tallahassee on the zone map

Outlined: its 14 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.

Zone9a20 to 25 °F
ZIP codes19
Last frostMar 11
First frostNov 21
Growing season255 days

9a 19 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Tallahassee, FL…

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 Tallahassee, FL

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 11median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMarch 30only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 21median — 10% chance by Nov 3
Growing season255 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around February 25 and returns around December 6.

From the NOAA station Tallahassee, FL, elevation 62 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 Tallahassee

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Jan 28 – Feb 11
SpinachSow outdoors · Jan 28 – Feb 18
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Dec 31 – Jan 14
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Feb 18 – Mar 4
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Feb 11 – Feb 25
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Feb 18 – Mar 4
LettuceSow outdoors · Feb 11 – Feb 25
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Feb 18 – Mar 4
TomatoesStart indoors · Jan 14 – Jan 28
TomatoesTransplant · Mar 18 – Apr 1
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Dec 31 – Jan 14
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Mar 25 – Apr 8
BeansSow outdoors · Mar 18 – Apr 1
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Mar 18 – Apr 1
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Mar 18 – Apr 1
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 26 – Oct 10
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 7 – Dec 12
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 11) and first fall frost (Nov 21) 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 32302 came on Jan 17 — 9 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 26).

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 9a in Florida

473 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Florida, and rated by the USDA to survive 20 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 9a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 66

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican chestnut115 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °FAtlantic white cedar50 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −36 °F

Shrubs 113

aloe yucca15 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −1 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican beautyberry6 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °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 143

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican century plant6 ft · blooms indeterminate · high shade tolerance · to 12 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican spongeplant0.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −24 °F

Grasses 131

American cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fbig cordgrass8 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −3 °F

Vines 12

American 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 °Fgraybark grape50 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °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 Tallahassee, FL.

Soil in Tallahassee, FL

The center of ZIP 32302 is mapped as Urban land: built-over ground without natural soil data. Garden soil here is usually imported or disturbed — test before you plant.

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 32302; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Tallahassee, FL

Summer high92 °Faverage high, July
Winter low41 °Faverage low, January
Hot days103days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights27nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days6,971base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 07 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 11 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation57.3 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 64 °F, low 41 °F 64°41° JanFebruary: average high 68 °F, low 44 °F 68°44° FebMarch: average high 74 °F, low 49 °F 74°49° MarApril: average high 80 °F, low 54 °F 80°54° AprMay: average high 87 °F, low 63 °F 87°63° MayJune: average high 91 °F, low 71 °F 91°71° JunJuly: average high 92 °F, low 73 °F 92°73° JulAugust: average high 92 °F, low 73 °F 92°73° AugSeptember: average high 89 °F, low 70 °F 89°70° SepOctober: average high 82 °F, low 59 °F 82°59° OctNovember: average high 73 °F, low 48 °F 73°48° NovDecember: average high 66 °F, low 43 °F 66°43° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″January: 4.60 in precipitation 4.6 JanFebruary: 3.92 in precipitation 3.9 FebMarch: 5.14 in precipitation 5.1 MarApril: 3.78 in precipitation 3.8 AprMay: 3.24 in precipitation 3.2 MayJune: 7.91 in precipitation 7.9 JunJuly: 6.52 in precipitation 6.5 JulAugust: 6.58 in precipitation 6.6 AugSeptember: 4.93 in precipitation 4.9 SepOctober: 2.89 in precipitation 2.9 OctNovember: 3.56 in precipitation 3.6 NovDecember: 4.25 in precipitation 4.3 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Tallahassee, FL (4 mi away); precipitation: Tallahassee 1.3 Sw, FL (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Tallahassee

323019a
20 to 25 °F
323029a
20 to 25 °F
323039a
20 to 25 °F
323049a
20 to 25 °F
323059a
20 to 25 °F
323069a
20 to 25 °F
323079a
20 to 25 °F
323089a
20 to 25 °F
323099a
20 to 25 °F
323109a
20 to 25 °F
323119a
20 to 25 °F
323129a
20 to 25 °F
323139a
20 to 25 °F
323149a
20 to 25 °F
323159a
20 to 25 °F
323169a
20 to 25 °F
323179a
20 to 25 °F
323189a
20 to 25 °F
323999a
20 to 25 °F

Florida planting zones →

Questions about Tallahassee

What planting zone is Tallahassee, FL?

Tallahassee, FL is in USDA hardiness zone 9a on the 2023 map (9a: 20 to 25 °F).

When is the last frost in Tallahassee, FL?

The median last spring frost is March 11 and the median first fall frost is November 21 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Tallahassee station).

When can I plant a garden in Tallahassee, FL?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Jan 28 – Feb 18; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Mar 18, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Tallahassee, FL?

Short-day onions: the longest day is 14 h 07 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

How much rain and snow does Tallahassee, FL get?

About 57.3 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).