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

Planting zone for Odessa, TX

Odessa, TX is in USDA zones 8a to 8b across its 9 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is March 15 and the first fall frost November 16.

Odessa on the zone map

Outlined: its 7 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.

Zones8a–8b10 to 20 °F
ZIP codes9
Last frostMar 15
First frostNov 16
Growing season243 days

8a 2 ZIPs   8b 7 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Odessa, TX…

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 Odessa, TX

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 15median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 9only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 16median — 10% chance by Nov 1
Growing season243 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 3 and returns around November 26.

From the NOAA station Odessa, TX, elevation 2,910 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 Odessa

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 1 – Feb 15
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 1 – Feb 22
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 4 – Jan 18
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Feb 22 – Mar 8
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Feb 15 – Mar 1
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Feb 22 – Mar 8
LettuceSow outdoors · Feb 15 – Mar 1
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Feb 22 – Mar 8
TomatoesStart indoors · Jan 18 – Feb 1
TomatoesTransplant · Mar 22 – Apr 5
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 4 – Jan 18
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Mar 29 – Apr 12
BeansSow outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 21 – Oct 5
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 2 – Dec 7
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 15) and first fall frost (Nov 16) 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 79768 came on Feb 7 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Feb 6).

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 8a in Texas

601 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Texas, and rated by the USDA to survive 10 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 8a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 70

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °FArizona cypress50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °FArizona walnut50 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Shrubs 133

alderleaf mountain mahogany15 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −41 °Faloe yucca15 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −1 °FAmerican beautyberry6 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °FAmerican hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °FAmerican snowbell10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −16 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 200

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine mountainsorrel1 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °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 °F

Grasses 177

alkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °FArizona cottontop4 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −13 °FArizona fescue2 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −23 °FArizona threeawn2 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −3 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °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 Odessa, TX.

Soil in Odessa, TX

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 79768 is Faskin — fine sandy loam, well drained.

TextureFine sandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH7.2neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter0.75%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Faskin-Urban land complex.

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 79768; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Odessa, TX

Summer high94 °Faverage high, June
Winter low32 °Faverage low, January
Hot days106days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights44nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days5,904base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 14 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 04 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation15.1 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall2 inper year; 1 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 57 °F, low 32 °F 57°32° JanFebruary: average high 62 °F, low 36 °F 62°36° FebMarch: average high 71 °F, low 44 °F 71°44° MarApril: average high 79 °F, low 51 °F 79°51° AprMay: average high 87 °F, low 61 °F 87°61° MayJune: average high 94 °F, low 68 °F 94°68° JunJuly: average high 94 °F, low 71 °F 94°71° JulAugust: average high 93 °F, low 70 °F 93°70° AugSeptember: average high 85 °F, low 62 °F 85°62° SepOctober: average high 77 °F, low 53 °F 77°53° OctNovember: average high 66 °F, low 41 °F 66°41° NovDecember: average high 58 °F, low 33 °F 58°33° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″January: 0.76 in precipitation, 0.6 in snowfall 0.8❄1 JanFebruary: 0.56 in precipitation, 0.4 in snowfall 0.6 FebMarch: 0.83 in precipitation 0.8 MarApril: 0.89 in precipitation 0.9 AprMay: 1.74 in precipitation 1.7 MayJune: 2.27 in precipitation 2.3 JunJuly: 1.53 in precipitation 1.5 JulAugust: 1.83 in precipitation 1.8 AugSeptember: 1.75 in precipitation 1.8 SepOctober: 1.27 in precipitation 1.3 OctNovember: 0.92 in precipitation 0.9 NovDecember: 0.70 in precipitation, 1.1 in snowfall 0.7❄1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Odessa, TX (2 mi away); precipitation: Odessa 1se, TX (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Odessa

797608b
15 to 20 °F
797618b
15 to 20 °F
797628b
15 to 20 °F
797638b
15 to 20 °F
797648b
15 to 20 °F
797658a
10 to 15 °F
797668b
15 to 20 °F
797688b
15 to 20 °F
797698a
10 to 15 °F

Texas planting zones →

Questions about Odessa

What planting zone is Odessa, TX?

Odessa, TX is in USDA hardiness zones 8a to 8b on the 2023 map (8a: 10 to 15 °F; 8b: 15 to 20 °F).

When is the last frost in Odessa, TX?

The median last spring frost is March 15 and the median first fall frost is November 16 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Odessa station).

When can I plant a garden in Odessa, TX?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Feb 1 – Feb 22; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Mar 22, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Odessa, TX?

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

How much rain and snow does Odessa, TX get?

About 15.1 inches of precipitation a year and 2 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).