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

Planting zone for Cape Girardeau, MO

Cape Girardeau, MO is in USDA zone 7a across its 3 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 7 and the first fall frost October 29.

Cape Girardeau 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.

Zone7a0 to 5 °F
ZIP codes3
Last frostApr 7
First frostOct 29
Growing season202 days

7a 3 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Cape Girardeau, MO…

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 Cape Girardeau, MO

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 7median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 22only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 29median — 10% chance by Oct 16
Growing season202 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 29 and returns around November 5.

From the NOAA station Jackson, MO, elevation 440 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 Cape Girardeau

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 24 – Mar 10
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 24 – Mar 17
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 27 – Feb 10
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 17 – Mar 31
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 17 – Mar 31
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 17 – Mar 31
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 10 – Feb 24
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 14 – Apr 28
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 27 – Feb 10
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 21 – May 5
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 14 – Apr 28
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 14 – Apr 28
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 14 – Apr 28
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 3 – Sep 17
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 15 – Nov 19
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 7) and first fall frost (Oct 29) 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 63701 came on Mar 2 — 6 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 8).

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 7a in Missouri

540 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Missouri, and rated by the USDA to survive 0 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 72

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 85

alternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican beautyberry6 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °FAmerican black currant3 ft · blooms early spring · to −46 °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 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 195

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican licorice4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Grasses 163

alkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBicknell's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fblister sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °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 Cape Girardeau, MO.

Soil in Cape Girardeau, MO

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 63701 is Menfro — silt loam, well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.5moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter3.5%moderate
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Menfro silt loam, 14 to 35 percent slopes, eroded.

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 63701; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Cape Girardeau, MO

Summer high90 °Faverage high, July
Winter low24 °Faverage low, January
Hot days57days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights91nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days4,418base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 44 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 35 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation49.9 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 41 °F, low 24 °F 41°24° JanFebruary: average high 46 °F, low 27 °F 46°27° FebMarch: average high 57 °F, low 35 °F 57°35° MarApril: average high 69 °F, low 46 °F 69°46° AprMay: average high 78 °F, low 56 °F 78°56° MayJune: average high 87 °F, low 65 °F 87°65° JunJuly: average high 90 °F, low 69 °F 90°69° JulAugust: average high 89 °F, low 67 °F 89°67° AugSeptember: average high 82 °F, low 59 °F 82°59° SepOctober: average high 70 °F, low 47 °F 70°47° OctNovember: average high 55 °F, low 35 °F 55°35° NovDecember: average high 45 °F, low 28 °F 45°28° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.13 in precipitation 3.1 JanFebruary: 3.56 in precipitation 3.6 FebMarch: 4.69 in precipitation 4.7 MarApril: 5.25 in precipitation 5.3 AprMay: 4.88 in precipitation 4.9 MayJune: 3.38 in precipitation 3.4 JunJuly: 4.79 in precipitation 4.8 JulAugust: 3.83 in precipitation 3.8 AugSeptember: 3.94 in precipitation 3.9 SepOctober: 3.86 in precipitation 3.9 OctNovember: 4.66 in precipitation 4.7 NovDecember: 3.91 in precipitation 3.9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Jackson, MO (6 mi away); precipitation: Jackson 1.0 Sw, MO (5 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Cape Girardeau

637017a
0 to 5 °F
637027a
0 to 5 °F
637037a
0 to 5 °F

Missouri planting zones →

Questions about Cape Girardeau

What planting zone is Cape Girardeau, MO?

Cape Girardeau, MO is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 map (7a: 0 to 5 °F).

When is the last frost in Cape Girardeau, MO?

The median last spring frost is April 7 and the median first fall frost is October 29 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Jackson station).

When can I plant a garden in Cape Girardeau, MO?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Feb 24 – Mar 17; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Apr 14, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Cape Girardeau, MO?

Intermediate onions: the longest day is 14 h 44 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

How much rain and snow does Cape Girardeau, MO get?

About 49.9 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).