Planting zone for New Orleans, LA
New Orleans, LA is in USDA zone 9b across its 61 ZIP codes.
New Orleans on the zone map
Outlined: its 22 ZIP code areas · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoomNot 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.
9b 61 ZIPs
Frost forecast — next 7 nights
live from the National Weather ServiceLoading the forecast for New Orleans, 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
A 32 °F frost doesn't happen here in most winters. At the nearest station (NOAA station Terrytown 3s, LA, elevation 10 ft) the median growing season is 330 days. When frost does come, it is a midwinter night or two; cover tender plants when a freeze is forecast.
Frost data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
When spring arrived in 2026
In 2026, spring leaf-out near 70141 came on Jan 11 — 12 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 23).
Jan 232026
Jan 11
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
Shrubs 108
Wildflowers & perennials 170
Grasses 150
Vines 14
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 Orleans, LA.
Soil in New Orleans, LA
The center of ZIP 70141 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 70141; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.
Climate in New Orleans, LA
Average high and low, by month
Precipitation by month inches
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Terrytown 3s, LA (4 mi away); precipitation: New Orleans Algiers, LA (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.
ZIP codes in New Orleans
Questions about New Orleans
What planting zone is New Orleans, LA?
New Orleans, LA is in USDA hardiness zone 9b on the 2023 map (9b: 25 to 30 °F).
What kind of onions grow in New Orleans, LA?
Short-day onions: the longest day is 14 h 04 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 Orleans, LA get?
About 69.4 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).