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

Planting zone for Cedar Rapids, IA

Cedar Rapids, IA is in USDA zones 5a to 5b across its 14 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 28 and the first fall frost October 12.

Cedar Rapids on the zone map

Outlined: its 6 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.

Zones5a–5b−20 to −10 °F
ZIP codes14
Last frostApr 28
First frostOct 12
Growing season166 days

5a 8 ZIPs   5b 6 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Cedar Rapids, IA…

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 Cedar Rapids, IA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 28median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 13only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 12median — 10% chance by Sep 29
Growing season166 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 17 and returns around October 22.

From the NOAA station Cedar Rapids #1, IA, elevation 814 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 Cedar Rapids

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 17 – Mar 31
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 17 – Apr 7
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 17 – Mar 3
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 7 – Apr 21
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 31 – Apr 14
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 7 – Apr 21
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 31 – Apr 14
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 7 – Apr 21
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 3 – Mar 17
TomatoesTransplant · May 5 – May 19
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 17 – Mar 3
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 12 – May 26
BeansSow outdoors · May 5 – May 19
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 5 – May 19
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 5 – May 19
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 17 – Aug 31
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 28 – Nov 2
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 28) and first fall frost (Oct 12) 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 52402 came on Mar 25 — 13 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 7).

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 5a in Iowa

461 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Iowa, and rated by the USDA to survive −20 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 5a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 46

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °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 °Farborvitae50 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fbalsam fir60 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −43 °F

Shrubs 77

alderleaf buckthorn3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAllegheny serviceberry35 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican black currant3 ft · blooms early spring · to −46 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 185

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high 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 °F

Grasses 133

arctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBebb's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBicknell's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fblue grama1 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −43 °F

Vines 7

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °Ftrumpet honeysuckle16 ft · blooms late summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °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 Cedar Rapids, IA.

Soil in Cedar Rapids, IA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 52402 is Ostrander — loam, well drained.

TextureLoama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.5neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter3.5%moderate
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Ostrander loam, 2 to 5 percent slopes.

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 52402; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Cedar Rapids, IA

Summer high86 °Faverage high, July
Winter low13 °Faverage low, January
Hot days18days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights134nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,266base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 15 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 07 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation38.8 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall34 inper year; 56 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 30 °F, low 13 °F 30°13° JanFebruary: average high 35 °F, low 17 °F 35°17° FebMarch: average high 49 °F, low 28 °F 49°28° MarApril: average high 63 °F, low 38 °F 63°38° AprMay: average high 74 °F, low 50 °F 74°50° MayJune: average high 82 °F, low 60 °F 82°60° JunJuly: average high 86 °F, low 63 °F 86°63° JulAugust: average high 83 °F, low 61 °F 83°61° AugSeptember: average high 77 °F, low 53 °F 77°53° SepOctober: average high 64 °F, low 42 °F 64°42° OctNovember: average high 48 °F, low 29 °F 48°29° NovDecember: average high 35 °F, low 19 °F 35°19° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 1.17 in precipitation, 8.7 in snowfall 1.2❄9 JanFebruary: 1.34 in precipitation, 8.3 in snowfall 1.3❄8 FebMarch: 2.06 in precipitation, 4 in snowfall 2.1❄4 MarApril: 4.02 in precipitation, 1.5 in snowfall 4.0❄2 AprMay: 4.74 in precipitation 4.7 MayJune: 5.68 in precipitation 5.7 JunJuly: 4.47 in precipitation 4.5 JulAugust: 4.42 in precipitation 4.4 AugSeptember: 3.96 in precipitation 4.0 SepOctober: 3.00 in precipitation, 0.6 in snowfall 3.0❄1 OctNovember: 2.22 in precipitation, 2.2 in snowfall 2.2❄2 NovDecember: 1.67 in precipitation, 9 in snowfall 1.7❄9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Cedar Rapids #1, IA (4 mi away); precipitation: Cedar Rapids #1, IA (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Cedar Rapids

524015b
−15 to −10 °F
524025b
−15 to −10 °F
524035b
−15 to −10 °F
524045a
−20 to −15 °F
524055a
−20 to −15 °F
524065b
−15 to −10 °F
524075b
−15 to −10 °F
524085a
−20 to −15 °F
524095a
−20 to −15 °F
524105a
−20 to −15 °F
524115a
−20 to −15 °F
524975a
−20 to −15 °F
524985b
−15 to −10 °F
524995a
−20 to −15 °F

Iowa planting zones →

Questions about Cedar Rapids

What planting zone is Cedar Rapids, IA?

Cedar Rapids, IA is in USDA hardiness zones 5a to 5b on the 2023 map (5a: −20 to −15 °F; 5b: −15 to −10 °F).

When is the last frost in Cedar Rapids, IA?

The median last spring frost is April 28 and the median first fall frost is October 12 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Cedar Rapids #1 station).

When can I plant a garden in Cedar Rapids, IA?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Mar 17 – Apr 7; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about May 5, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Cedar Rapids, IA?

Long-day onions: the longest day is 15 h 15 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

How much rain and snow does Cedar Rapids, IA get?

About 38.8 inches of precipitation a year and 34 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).