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

Planting zone for Alexandria, LA

Alexandria, LA is in USDA zone 9a across its 7 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is March 3 and the first fall frost November 22.

Alexandria on the zone map

Outlined: its 3 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 codes7
Last frostMar 3
First frostNov 22
Growing season263 days

9a 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 Alexandria, LA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 3median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMarch 24only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 22median — 10% chance by Nov 3
Growing season263 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around February 16 and returns around December 7.

From the NOAA station Alexandria 5 Sse, LA, elevation 85 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 Alexandria

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Jan 20 – Feb 3
SpinachSow outdoors · Jan 20 – Feb 10
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Dec 23 – Jan 6
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Feb 10 – Feb 24
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Feb 3 – Feb 17
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Feb 10 – Feb 24
LettuceSow outdoors · Feb 3 – Feb 17
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Feb 10 – Feb 24
TomatoesStart indoors · Jan 6 – Jan 20
TomatoesTransplant · Mar 10 – Mar 24
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Dec 23 – Jan 6
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Mar 17 – Mar 31
BeansSow outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 27 – Oct 11
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 8 – Dec 13
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 3) and first fall frost (Nov 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 71301 came on Jan 20 — 10 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 30).

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 Louisiana

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

Trees 69

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 °Fbald cypress130 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −18 °F

Shrubs 108

aloe yucca15 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −1 °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 168

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 150

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 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 Alexandria, LA.

Soil in Alexandria, LA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 71301 is Moreland — clay, somewhat poorly drained.

TextureClayholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH6.7neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter2.5%moderate
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Moreland clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes, rarely flooded.

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 71301; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Alexandria, LA

Summer high93 °Faverage high, August
Winter low39 °Faverage low, January
Hot days96days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights34nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days6,563base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 11 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 07 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation57.9 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 59 °F, low 39 °F 59°39° JanFebruary: average high 64 °F, low 42 °F 64°42° FebMarch: average high 71 °F, low 49 °F 71°49° MarApril: average high 78 °F, low 55 °F 78°55° AprMay: average high 85 °F, low 64 °F 85°64° MayJune: average high 90 °F, low 71 °F 90°71° JunJuly: average high 92 °F, low 73 °F 92°73° JulAugust: average high 93 °F, low 73 °F 93°73° AugSeptember: average high 88 °F, low 68 °F 88°68° SepOctober: average high 80 °F, low 56 °F 80°56° OctNovember: average high 69 °F, low 46 °F 69°46° NovDecember: average high 61 °F, low 40 °F 61°40° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 5.90 in precipitation 5.9 JanFebruary: 4.78 in precipitation 4.8 FebMarch: 4.87 in precipitation 4.9 MarApril: 5.58 in precipitation 5.6 AprMay: 4.31 in precipitation 4.3 MayJune: 4.71 in precipitation 4.7 JunJuly: 3.80 in precipitation 3.8 JulAugust: 4.00 in precipitation 4.0 AugSeptember: 3.82 in precipitation 3.8 SepOctober: 5.13 in precipitation 5.1 OctNovember: 5.06 in precipitation 5.1 NovDecember: 5.90 in precipitation 5.9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Alexandria 5 Sse, LA (2 mi away); precipitation: Alexandria 2.8 Sw, LA (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Alexandria

713019a
20 to 25 °F
713029a
20 to 25 °F
713039a
20 to 25 °F
713069a
20 to 25 °F
713079a
20 to 25 °F
713099a
20 to 25 °F
713159a
20 to 25 °F

Louisiana planting zones →

Questions about Alexandria

What planting zone is Alexandria, LA?

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

When is the last frost in Alexandria, LA?

The median last spring frost is March 3 and the median first fall frost is November 22 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Alexandria 5 Sse station).

When can I plant a garden in Alexandria, LA?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Jan 20 – Feb 10; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Mar 10, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Alexandria, LA?

Short-day onions: the longest day is 14 h 11 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

How much rain and snow does Alexandria, LA get?

About 57.9 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).