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

Planting zone for Shawnee, KS

Shawnee, KS is in USDA zone 6b across its 6 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 16 and the first fall frost October 22.

Shawnee on the zone map

Outlined: its 5 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.

Zone6b−5 to 0 °F
ZIP codes6
Last frostApr 16
First frostOct 22
Growing season188 days

6b 6 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Shawnee, KS…

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 Shawnee, KS

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 16median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 1only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 22median — 10% chance by Oct 9
Growing season188 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 5 and returns around October 31.

From the NOAA station Bonner Springs, KS, elevation 850 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 Shawnee

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 5 – Mar 19
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 5 – Mar 26
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 5 – Feb 19
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 26 – Apr 9
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 9
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 9
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 19 – Mar 5
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 23 – May 7
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 5 – Feb 19
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 30 – May 14
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 23 – May 7
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 23 – May 7
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 23 – May 7
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 27 – Sep 10
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 8 – Nov 12
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 16) and first fall frost (Oct 22) 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 66217 came on Feb 24 — 20 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 16).

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 6b in Kansas

431 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Kansas, and rated by the USDA to survive −5 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 37

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °Fbitternut hickory75 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −47 °Fblack locust60 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −37 °Fblack maple100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °F

Shrubs 64

alderleaf mountain mahogany15 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −41 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican plum24 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Fblack cherry80 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −33 °Fblackhaw16 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fblackjack oak25 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −13 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 176

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 134

alkali cordgrass3 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °FBicknell's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °F

Vines 11

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 °Fgraybark grape50 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fheartleaf peppervine2 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −8 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium 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 Shawnee, KS.

Soil in Shawnee, KS

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 66217 is Oska — silty clay loam, well drained.

TextureSilty clay loamholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH6.1slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter3%moderate
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classFarmland of statewide importanceUSDA classification

Map unit: Oska-Martin silty clay loams, 4 to 8 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 66217; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Shawnee, KS

Summer high87 °Faverage high, July
Winter low18 °Faverage low, January
Hot days34days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights128nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,769base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 55 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 25 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 38 °F, low 18 °F 38°18° JanFebruary: average high 43 °F, low 22 °F 43°22° FebMarch: average high 55 °F, low 31 °F 55°31° MarApril: average high 65 °F, low 42 °F 65°42° AprMay: average high 73 °F, low 53 °F 73°53° MayJune: average high 83 °F, low 64 °F 83°64° JunJuly: average high 87 °F, low 67 °F 87°67° JulAugust: average high 86 °F, low 65 °F 86°65° AugSeptember: average high 78 °F, low 57 °F 78°57° SepOctober: average high 67 °F, low 44 °F 67°44° OctNovember: average high 54 °F, low 32 °F 54°32° NovDecember: average high 42 °F, low 22 °F 42°22° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 1.29 in precipitation 1.3 JanFebruary: 1.66 in precipitation 1.7 FebMarch: 2.53 in precipitation 2.5 MarApril: 4.33 in precipitation 4.3 AprMay: 5.64 in precipitation 5.6 MayJune: 5.43 in precipitation 5.4 JunJuly: 4.24 in precipitation 4.2 JulAugust: 4.37 in precipitation 4.4 AugSeptember: 4.16 in precipitation 4.2 SepOctober: 3.29 in precipitation 3.3 OctNovember: 2.21 in precipitation 2.2 NovDecember: 1.63 in precipitation 1.6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Bonner Springs, KS (7 mi away); precipitation: Lenexa 2.0 Ne, KS (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Shawnee

662036b
−5 to 0 °F
662166b
−5 to 0 °F
662176b
−5 to 0 °F
662186b
−5 to 0 °F
662266b
−5 to 0 °F
662866b
−5 to 0 °F

Kansas planting zones →

Questions about Shawnee

What planting zone is Shawnee, KS?

Shawnee, KS is in USDA hardiness zone 6b on the 2023 map (6b: −5 to 0 °F).

When is the last frost in Shawnee, KS?

The median last spring frost is April 16 and the median first fall frost is October 22 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Bonner Springs station).

When can I plant a garden in Shawnee, KS?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Mar 5 – Mar 26; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Apr 23, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Shawnee, KS?

Intermediate onions: the longest day is 14 h 55 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

How much rain and snow does Shawnee, KS get?

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