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

Planting zone for La Crosse, WI

La Crosse, WI is in USDA zone 5a across its 3 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 23 and the first fall frost October 17.

La Crosse 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.

Zone5a−20 to −15 °F
ZIP codes3
Last frostApr 23
First frostOct 17
Growing season177 days

5a 3 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for La Crosse, WI…

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 La Crosse, WI

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 23median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 6only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 17median — 10% chance by Oct 3
Growing season177 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 12 and returns around October 28.

From the NOAA station La Crosse Municipal Airport, WI, elevation 653 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 La Crosse

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 12 – Apr 2
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 2 – Apr 16
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 9
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 2 – Apr 16
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 9
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 2 – Apr 16
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 26 – Mar 12
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 30 – May 14
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 7 – May 21
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 30 – May 14
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 30 – May 14
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 30 – May 14
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 22 – Sep 5
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 3 – Nov 7
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 23) and first fall frost (Oct 17) 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 54603 came on Mar 28 — 14 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 11).

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 5a in Wisconsin

510 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Wisconsin, and rated by the USDA to survive −20 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 5a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 48

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 93

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 hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 191

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 158

American beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Farctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbeaked sedge4 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °FBebb's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 5

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °FVirginia creeper1 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °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 La Crosse, WI.

Soil in La Crosse, WI

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 54603 is Scotah — loamy fine sand, moderately well drained.

TextureLoamy fine sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH7.0neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageModerately well drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.75%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Scotah loamy fine sand, 0 to 3 percent slopes, occasionally flooded.

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 54603; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in La Crosse, WI

Summer high85 °Faverage high, July
Winter low11 °Faverage low, January
Hot days18days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights141nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,200base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 28 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day8 h 54 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation37.3 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall43 inper year; 78 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 27 °F, low 11 °F 27°11° JanFebruary: average high 33 °F, low 14 °F 33°14° FebMarch: average high 46 °F, low 26 °F 46°26° MarApril: average high 60 °F, low 38 °F 60°38° AprMay: average high 72 °F, low 50 °F 72°50° MayJune: average high 82 °F, low 60 °F 82°60° JunJuly: average high 85 °F, low 65 °F 85°65° JulAugust: average high 83 °F, low 62 °F 83°62° AugSeptember: average high 76 °F, low 54 °F 76°54° SepOctober: average high 62 °F, low 42 °F 62°42° OctNovember: average high 46 °F, low 30 °F 46°30° NovDecember: average high 33 °F, low 18 °F 33°18° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 1.20 in precipitation, 9.1 in snowfall 1.2❄9 JanFebruary: 1.18 in precipitation, 10.9 in snowfall 1.2❄11 FebMarch: 2.04 in precipitation, 6.8 in snowfall 2.0❄7 MarApril: 3.91 in precipitation, 2.6 in snowfall 3.9❄3 AprMay: 4.92 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 4.9 MayJune: 5.36 in precipitation 5.4 JunJuly: 4.57 in precipitation 4.6 JulAugust: 4.16 in precipitation 4.2 AugSeptember: 3.84 in precipitation 3.8 SepOctober: 2.73 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 2.7 OctNovember: 1.86 in precipitation, 1.6 in snowfall 1.9❄2 NovDecember: 1.55 in precipitation, 11.6 in snowfall 1.6❄12 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: La Crosse Municipal Airport, WI (within 1 mile); precipitation: La Crosse 4nnw, WI (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in La Crosse

546015a
−20 to −15 °F
546025a
−20 to −15 °F
546035a
−20 to −15 °F

Wisconsin planting zones →

Questions about La Crosse

What planting zone is La Crosse, WI?

La Crosse, WI is in USDA hardiness zone 5a on the 2023 map (5a: −20 to −15 °F).

When is the last frost in La Crosse, WI?

The median last spring frost is April 23 and the median first fall frost is October 17 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, La Crosse Municipal Airport station).

When can I plant a garden in La Crosse, WI?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Mar 12 – Apr 2; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Apr 30, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in La Crosse, WI?

Long-day onions: the longest day is 15 h 28 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

How much rain and snow does La Crosse, WI get?

About 37.3 inches of precipitation a year and 43 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).