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

Planting zone for East Orange, NJ

East Orange, NJ is in USDA zone 7a across its 3 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 4 and the first fall frost November 6.

East Orange 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 4
First frostNov 6
Growing season216 days

7a 3 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for East Orange, NJ…

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 East Orange, NJ

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 4median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 16only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 6median — 10% chance by Oct 25
Growing season216 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 26 and returns around November 19.

From the NOAA station Harrison, NJ, 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 East Orange

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 21 – Mar 7
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 21 – Mar 14
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 24 – Feb 7
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 14 – Mar 28
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 7 – Mar 21
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 14 – Mar 28
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 7 – Mar 21
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 14 – Mar 28
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 7 – Feb 21
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 11 – Apr 25
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 24 – Feb 7
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 18 – May 2
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 11 – Apr 25
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 11 – Apr 25
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 11 – Apr 25
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 11 – Sep 25
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 23 – Nov 27
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 4) and first fall frost (Nov 6) 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 07019 came on Mar 24 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Mar 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 7a in New Jersey

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

Trees 80

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 °Farborvitae50 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Shrubs 119

alderleaf buckthorn3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAllegheny serviceberry35 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °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 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 201

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 lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican speedwell0.8 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Grasses 175

American beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °FAmerican cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Farctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAtlantic mannagrass3 ft · blooms summer · low shade tolerance · to −8 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 10

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 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °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 East Orange, NJ.

Soil in East Orange, NJ

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 07019 is Boonton — slightly decomposed plant material, well drained.

TextureSlightly decomposed plant materialtop layer
pH3.9strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter77%high
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Boonton - Urban land, Boonton substratum complex, red sandstone lowland, 8 to 15 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 07019; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in East Orange, NJ

Summer high87 °Faverage high, July
Winter low25 °Faverage low, January
Hot days31days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights83nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,759base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 06 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 15 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation50.4 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall28 inper year; 24 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 39 °F, low 25 °F 39°25° JanFebruary: average high 42 °F, low 26 °F 42°26° FebMarch: average high 50 °F, low 33 °F 50°33° MarApril: average high 62 °F, low 43 °F 62°43° AprMay: average high 72 °F, low 54 °F 72°54° MayJune: average high 82 °F, low 63 °F 82°63° JunJuly: average high 87 °F, low 69 °F 87°69° JulAugust: average high 85 °F, low 67 °F 85°67° AugSeptember: average high 78 °F, low 60 °F 78°60° SepOctober: average high 66 °F, low 48 °F 66°48° OctNovember: average high 54 °F, low 38 °F 54°38° NovDecember: average high 44 °F, low 31 °F 44°31° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 3.66 in precipitation, 8 in snowfall 3.7❄8 JanFebruary: 3.26 in precipitation, 8.4 in snowfall 3.3❄8 FebMarch: 4.30 in precipitation, 4.7 in snowfall 4.3❄5 MarApril: 4.07 in precipitation, 0.7 in snowfall 4.1❄1 AprMay: 4.36 in precipitation 4.4 MayJune: 4.87 in precipitation 4.9 JunJuly: 4.81 in precipitation 4.8 JulAugust: 4.38 in precipitation 4.4 AugSeptember: 4.33 in precipitation 4.3 SepOctober: 4.15 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 4.2 OctNovember: 3.65 in precipitation, 0.3 in snowfall 3.6 NovDecember: 4.58 in precipitation, 5.9 in snowfall 4.6❄6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Harrison, NJ (3 mi away); precipitation: Harrison, NJ (3 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in East Orange

070177a
0 to 5 °F
070187a
0 to 5 °F
070197a
0 to 5 °F

New Jersey planting zones →

Questions about East Orange

What planting zone is East Orange, NJ?

East Orange, NJ is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 map (7a: 0 to 5 °F).

When is the last frost in East Orange, NJ?

The median last spring frost is April 4 and the median first fall frost is November 6 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Harrison station).

When can I plant a garden in East Orange, NJ?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Feb 21 – Mar 14; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Apr 11, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in East Orange, NJ?

Long-day onions: the longest day is 15 h 06 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

How much rain and snow does East Orange, NJ get?

About 50.4 inches of precipitation a year and 28 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).