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

Planting zone for Lake Charles, LA

Lake Charles, LA is in USDA zones 9a to 9b across its 9 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is March 2 and the first fall frost November 25.

Lake Charles 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.

Zones9a–9b20 to 30 °F
ZIP codes9
Last frostMar 2
First frostNov 25
Growing season267 days

9a 6 ZIPs   9b 3 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Lake Charles, 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 Lake Charles, LA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 2median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMarch 26only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 25median — 10% chance by Nov 3
Growing season267 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around February 11 and returns around December 10.

From the NOAA station Moss Bluff 2 Nnw, LA, elevation 26 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 Lake Charles

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Jan 19 – Feb 2
SpinachSow outdoors · Jan 19 – Feb 9
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Dec 22 – Jan 5
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Feb 9 – Feb 23
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Feb 2 – Feb 16
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Feb 9 – Feb 23
LettuceSow outdoors · Feb 2 – Feb 16
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Feb 9 – Feb 23
TomatoesStart indoors · Jan 5 – Jan 19
TomatoesTransplant · Mar 9 – Mar 23
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Dec 22 – Jan 5
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Mar 16 – Mar 30
BeansSow outdoors · Mar 9 – Mar 23
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Mar 9 – Mar 23
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Mar 9 – Mar 23
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 30 – Oct 14
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 11 – Dec 16
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 2) and first fall frost (Nov 25) 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 70601 came on Jan 11 — 14 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 25).

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 Lake Charles, LA.

Soil in Lake Charles, LA

The center of ZIP 70601 is mapped as Urban land: built-over ground without natural soil data. Garden soil here is usually imported or disturbed — test before you plant.

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 70601; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Lake Charles, LA

Summer high93 °Faverage high, August
Winter low43 °Faverage low, January
Hot days89days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights11nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days7,393base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 06 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 12 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation61.6 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 63 °F, low 43 °F 63°43° JanFebruary: average high 67 °F, low 47 °F 67°47° FebMarch: average high 73 °F, low 53 °F 73°53° MarApril: average high 79 °F, low 59 °F 79°59° AprMay: average high 85 °F, low 67 °F 85°67° MayJune: average high 91 °F, low 74 °F 91°74° JunJuly: average high 92 °F, low 76 °F 92°76° JulAugust: average high 93 °F, low 75 °F 93°75° AugSeptember: average high 89 °F, low 71 °F 89°71° SepOctober: average high 82 °F, low 60 °F 82°60° OctNovember: average high 72 °F, low 51 °F 72°51° NovDecember: average high 65 °F, low 45 °F 65°45° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″January: 6.09 in precipitation 6.1 JanFebruary: 3.91 in precipitation 3.9 FebMarch: 3.67 in precipitation 3.7 MarApril: 4.49 in precipitation 4.5 AprMay: 5.66 in precipitation 5.7 MayJune: 7.00 in precipitation 7.0 JunJuly: 6.38 in precipitation 6.4 JulAugust: 5.66 in precipitation 5.7 AugSeptember: 5.06 in precipitation 5.1 SepOctober: 4.40 in precipitation 4.4 OctNovember: 4.33 in precipitation 4.3 NovDecember: 4.92 in precipitation 4.9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Lake Charles, LA (7 mi away); precipitation: Lake Charles 2 N, LA (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Lake Charles

706019a
20 to 25 °F
706029a
20 to 25 °F
706059b
25 to 30 °F
706069b
25 to 30 °F
706079b
25 to 30 °F
706119a
20 to 25 °F
706129a
20 to 25 °F
706159a
20 to 25 °F
706169a
20 to 25 °F

Louisiana planting zones →

Questions about Lake Charles

What planting zone is Lake Charles, LA?

Lake Charles, LA is in USDA hardiness zones 9a to 9b on the 2023 map (9a: 20 to 25 °F; 9b: 25 to 30 °F).

When is the last frost in Lake Charles, LA?

The median last spring frost is March 2 and the median first fall frost is November 25 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Moss Bluff 2 Nnw station).

When can I plant a garden in Lake Charles, LA?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Jan 19 – Feb 9; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Mar 9, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Lake Charles, LA?

Short-day onions: the longest day is 14 h 06 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

How much rain and snow does Lake Charles, LA get?

About 61.6 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).