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

Planting zone for New Iberia, LA

New Iberia, LA is in USDA zones 9a to 9b across its 3 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is February 10 and the first fall frost December 11.

New Iberia on the zone map

Outlined: its 2 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 codes3
Last frostFeb 10
First frostDec 11
Growing season305 days

9a 1 ZIP   9b 2 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for New Iberia, 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 New Iberia, LA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostFebruary 10median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMarch 9only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostDecember 11median — 10% chance by Nov 17
Growing season305 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around January 29 and returns around January 3.

From the NOAA station New Iberia Acadiana Airport, LA, elevation 23 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 New Iberia

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Dec 30 – Jan 13
SpinachSow outdoors · Dec 30 – Jan 20
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Dec 2 – Dec 16
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Jan 20 – Feb 3
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Jan 13 – Jan 27
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Jan 20 – Feb 3
LettuceSow outdoors · Jan 13 – Jan 27
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Jan 20 – Feb 3
TomatoesStart indoors · Dec 16 – Dec 30
TomatoesTransplant · Feb 17 – Mar 3
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Dec 2 – Dec 16
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Feb 24 – Mar 10
BeansSow outdoors · Feb 17 – Mar 3
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Feb 17 – Mar 3
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Feb 17 – Mar 3
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Oct 16 – Oct 30
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 27 – Jan 1
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Feb 10) and first fall frost (Dec 11) 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 70562 came on Jan 16 — 8 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 24).

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 New Iberia, LA.

Soil in New Iberia, LA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 70562 is Jeanerette — silt loam, somewhat poorly drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.3slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter2.25%moderate
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Jeanerette silt loam, 0 to 1 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 70562; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in New Iberia, LA

Summer high93 °Faverage high, August
Winter low43 °Faverage low, January
Hot days90days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights10nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days7,451base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 05 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 13 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation59.7 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 43 °F 64°43° JanFebruary: average high 67 °F, low 47 °F 67°47° FebMarch: average high 74 °F, low 53 °F 74°53° MarApril: average high 80 °F, low 60 °F 80°60° AprMay: average high 86 °F, low 67 °F 86°67° MayJune: average high 90 °F, low 73 °F 90°73° JunJuly: average high 92 °F, low 75 °F 92°75° JulAugust: average high 93 °F, low 75 °F 93°75° AugSeptember: average high 90 °F, low 71 °F 90°71° SepOctober: average high 83 °F, low 60 °F 83°60° OctNovember: average high 73 °F, low 50 °F 73°50° NovDecember: average high 66 °F, low 45 °F 66°45° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″January: 5.36 in precipitation 5.4 JanFebruary: 3.54 in precipitation 3.5 FebMarch: 2.91 in precipitation 2.9 MarApril: 4.82 in precipitation 4.8 AprMay: 4.39 in precipitation 4.4 MayJune: 6.46 in precipitation 6.5 JunJuly: 6.71 in precipitation 6.7 JulAugust: 6.37 in precipitation 6.4 AugSeptember: 5.05 in precipitation 5.0 SepOctober: 5.09 in precipitation 5.1 OctNovember: 4.50 in precipitation 4.5 NovDecember: 4.49 in precipitation 4.5 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: New Iberia Acadiana Airport, LA (4 mi away); precipitation: New Iberia Acadiana Regional Airport, LA (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in New Iberia

705609b
25 to 30 °F
705629b
25 to 30 °F
705639a
20 to 25 °F

Louisiana planting zones →

Questions about New Iberia

What planting zone is New Iberia, LA?

New Iberia, 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 New Iberia, LA?

The median last spring frost is February 10 and the median first fall frost is December 11 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, New Iberia Acadiana Airport station).

When can I plant a garden in New Iberia, LA?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Dec 30 – Jan 20; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Feb 17, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in New Iberia, LA?

Short-day onions: the longest day is 14 h 05 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

How much rain and snow does New Iberia, LA get?

About 59.7 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).