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

Planting zone for East Saint Louis, IL

East Saint Louis, IL is in USDA zone 7a across its 7 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 8 and the first fall frost October 26.

East Saint Louis 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.

Zone7a0 to 5 °F
ZIP codes7
Last frostApr 8
First frostOct 26
Growing season200 days

7a 7 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 East Saint Louis, IL

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 8median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 23only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 26median — 10% chance by Oct 12
Growing season200 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 28 and returns around November 6.

From the NOAA station Cahokia St Louis Airport, IL, elevation 413 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 East Saint Louis

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 25 – Mar 11
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 25 – Mar 18
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 28 – Feb 11
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 18 – Apr 1
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 11 – Mar 25
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 18 – Apr 1
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 11 – Mar 25
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 18 – Apr 1
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 11 – Feb 25
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 15 – Apr 29
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 28 – Feb 11
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 22 – May 6
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 15 – Apr 29
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 15 – Apr 29
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 15 – Apr 29
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 31 – Sep 14
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 12 – Nov 16
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 8) and first fall frost (Oct 26) 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 62205 came on Mar 3 — 11 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 14).

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 7a in Illinois

633 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Illinois, and rated by the USDA to survive 0 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 81

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 °Farborvitae50 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Shrubs 110

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 holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 226

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 186

American beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Farctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBailey's sedge2.1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fbeaked sedge4 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 13

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 East Saint Louis, IL.

Soil in East Saint Louis, IL

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 62205 is Orthents — loam, well drained.

TextureLoama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.5neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter0.75%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Dumps.

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 62205; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in East Saint Louis, IL

Summer high89 °Faverage high, July
Winter low24 °Faverage low, January
Hot days46days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights98nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days4,263base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 52 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 28 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation40.8 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 40 °F, low 24 °F 40°24° JanFebruary: average high 46 °F, low 28 °F 46°28° FebMarch: average high 56 °F, low 36 °F 56°36° MarApril: average high 68 °F, low 46 °F 68°46° AprMay: average high 77 °F, low 57 °F 77°57° MayJune: average high 86 °F, low 65 °F 86°65° JunJuly: average high 89 °F, low 69 °F 89°69° JulAugust: average high 88 °F, low 66 °F 88°66° AugSeptember: average high 81 °F, low 57 °F 81°57° SepOctober: average high 69 °F, low 46 °F 69°46° OctNovember: average high 55 °F, low 36 °F 55°36° NovDecember: average high 44 °F, low 29 °F 44°29° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 2.46 in precipitation 2.5 JanFebruary: 1.96 in precipitation 2.0 FebMarch: 3.27 in precipitation 3.3 MarApril: 4.48 in precipitation 4.5 AprMay: 4.84 in precipitation 4.8 MayJune: 4.36 in precipitation 4.4 JunJuly: 3.70 in precipitation 3.7 JulAugust: 3.68 in precipitation 3.7 AugSeptember: 3.36 in precipitation 3.4 SepOctober: 3.07 in precipitation 3.1 OctNovember: 3.34 in precipitation 3.3 NovDecember: 2.32 in precipitation 2.3 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Cahokia St Louis Airport, IL (3 mi away); precipitation: Cahokia St Louis Airport, IL (3 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in East Saint Louis

622017a
0 to 5 °F
622027a
0 to 5 °F
622037a
0 to 5 °F
622047a
0 to 5 °F
622057a
0 to 5 °F
622067a
0 to 5 °F
622077a
0 to 5 °F

Illinois planting zones →

Questions about East Saint Louis

What planting zone is East Saint Louis, IL?

East Saint Louis, IL is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 map (7a: 0 to 5 °F).

When is the last frost in East Saint Louis, IL?

The median last spring frost is April 8 and the median first fall frost is October 26 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Cahokia St Louis Airport station).

When can I plant a garden in East Saint Louis, IL?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Feb 25 – Mar 18; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Apr 15, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in East Saint Louis, IL?

Intermediate onions: the longest day is 14 h 52 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

How much rain and snow does East Saint Louis, IL get?

About 40.8 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).