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

Planting zone for Houma, LA

Houma, LA is in USDA zone 9b across its 4 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is February 5 and the first fall frost December 17.

Houma 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.

Zone9b25 to 30 °F
ZIP codes4
Last frostFeb 5
First frostDec 17
Growing season312 days

9b 4 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Houma, LA…

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 Houma, LA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostFebruary 5median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMarch 7only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostDecember 17median — 10% chance by Nov 23
Growing season312 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around January 26 and returns around January 2.

From the NOAA station Houma, LA, elevation 7 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 Houma

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Dec 25 – Jan 8
SpinachSow outdoors · Dec 25 – Jan 15
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Nov 27 – Dec 11
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Jan 15 – Jan 29
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Jan 8 – Jan 22
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Jan 15 – Jan 29
LettuceSow outdoors · Jan 8 – Jan 22
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Jan 15 – Jan 29
TomatoesStart indoors · Dec 11 – Dec 25
TomatoesTransplant · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Nov 27 – Dec 11
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Feb 19 – Mar 5
BeansSow outdoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Oct 22 – Nov 5
GarlicPlant cloves · Dec 3 – Jan 7
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Feb 5) and first fall frost (Dec 17) 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 70361 came on Jan 11 — 12 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 23).

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 9b in Louisiana

519 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Louisiana, and rated by the USDA to survive 25 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 9b. 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 170

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 Houma, LA.

Soil in Houma, LA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 70361 is Schriever — clay, poorly drained.

TextureClayholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH7.3neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter2.25%moderate
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Schriever 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 70361; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Houma, LA

Summer high91 °Faverage high, July
Winter low44 °Faverage low, January
Hot days76days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights10nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days7,350base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 03 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 15 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation65.4 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 44 °F 64°44° JanFebruary: average high 67 °F, low 48 °F 67°48° FebMarch: average high 73 °F, low 54 °F 73°54° MarApril: average high 78 °F, low 60 °F 78°60° AprMay: average high 85 °F, low 67 °F 85°67° MayJune: average high 90 °F, low 73 °F 90°73° JunJuly: average high 91 °F, low 74 °F 91°74° JulAugust: average high 91 °F, low 75 °F 91°75° AugSeptember: average high 89 °F, low 71 °F 89°71° SepOctober: average high 82 °F, low 61 °F 82°61° OctNovember: average high 72 °F, low 52 °F 72°52° NovDecember: average high 66 °F, low 46 °F 66°46° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″10″January: 5.57 in precipitation 5.6 JanFebruary: 4.44 in precipitation 4.4 FebMarch: 4.48 in precipitation 4.5 MarApril: 3.99 in precipitation 4.0 AprMay: 4.38 in precipitation 4.4 MayJune: 8.40 in precipitation 8.4 JunJuly: 9.06 in precipitation 9.1 JulAugust: 6.50 in precipitation 6.5 AugSeptember: 5.77 in precipitation 5.8 SepOctober: 4.31 in precipitation 4.3 OctNovember: 4.35 in precipitation 4.3 NovDecember: 4.17 in precipitation 4.2 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Houma, LA (7 mi away); precipitation: Houma, LA (7 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Houma

703609b
25 to 30 °F
703619b
25 to 30 °F
703639b
25 to 30 °F
703649b
25 to 30 °F

Louisiana planting zones →

Questions about Houma

What planting zone is Houma, LA?

Houma, LA is in USDA hardiness zone 9b on the 2023 map (9b: 25 to 30 °F).

When is the last frost in Houma, LA?

The median last spring frost is February 5 and the median first fall frost is December 17 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Houma station).

When can I plant a garden in Houma, LA?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Dec 25 – Jan 15; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Feb 12, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Houma, LA?

Short-day onions: the longest day is 14 h 03 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

How much rain and snow does Houma, LA get?

About 65.4 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).