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

Planting zone for 32256 — Jacksonville, FL

ZIP code 32256 (Jacksonville, Duval County) is in USDA zone 9b: the coldest winter night averages 25 to 30 °F.

Where ZIP 32256 is

Outlined: the ZIP code area · 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.

Zone9b25 to 30 °F
Coldest night−3.9 to −1.1 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone9a

Was 9a on the 2012 map — half a zone warmer now. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 9b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Jacksonville, FL…

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 Jacksonville Beach, FL — 9 miles away, elevation 10 ft) the median growing season is 345 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 32256 came on Jan 16 — 5 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 21).

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 9b in Florida

477 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Florida, and rated by the USDA to survive 25 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 9b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 66

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 °FAtlantic white cedar50 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −36 °F

Shrubs 114

aloe yucca15 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −1 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °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 plum24 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 146

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican century plant6 ft · blooms indeterminate · high shade tolerance · to 12 °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 spongeplant0.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −24 °F

Grasses 131

American cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fbig cordgrass8 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −3 °F

Vines 12

American 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 °Fgraybark grape50 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °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 Jacksonville, FL.

Soil in Jacksonville, FL

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 32256 is Lynn Haven — fine sand, poorly drained.

TextureFine sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH4.6strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter2.5%moderate
Hydrologic groupA/Ddrains fast once dried out; wet otherwise
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Lynn Haven fine sand, 0 to 2 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 32256; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Jacksonville, FL

Summer high89 °Faverage high, July
Winter low49 °Faverage low, January
Hot days36days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights4nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days7,903base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 06 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 12 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation55.9 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

40°50°60°70°80°90°100°January: average high 65 °F, low 49 °F 65°49° JanFebruary: average high 68 °F, low 52 °F 68°52° FebMarch: average high 72 °F, low 57 °F 72°57° MarApril: average high 77 °F, low 63 °F 77°63° AprMay: average high 83 °F, low 70 °F 83°70° MayJune: average high 87 °F, low 75 °F 87°75° JunJuly: average high 89 °F, low 77 °F 89°77° JulAugust: average high 89 °F, low 77 °F 89°77° AugSeptember: average high 86 °F, low 76 °F 86°76° SepOctober: average high 80 °F, low 69 °F 80°69° OctNovember: average high 73 °F, low 60 °F 73°60° NovDecember: average high 67 °F, low 53 °F 67°53° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″January: 3.25 in precipitation 3.3 JanFebruary: 2.61 in precipitation 2.6 FebMarch: 3.26 in precipitation 3.3 MarApril: 3.09 in precipitation 3.1 AprMay: 3.41 in precipitation 3.4 MayJune: 7.41 in precipitation 7.4 JunJuly: 7.16 in precipitation 7.2 JulAugust: 7.87 in precipitation 7.9 AugSeptember: 6.92 in precipitation 6.9 SepOctober: 5.25 in precipitation 5.3 OctNovember: 2.62 in precipitation 2.6 NovDecember: 3.09 in precipitation 3.1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Jacksonville Beach, FL (9 mi away); precipitation: Jacksonville 9.6 Se, FL (6 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 9b.

320819b
Ponte Vedra, FL · 5 mi
322589b
Jacksonville, FL · 5 mi
322249b
Jacksonville, FL · 7 mi
320049b
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL · 7 mi
320829b
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL · 7 mi
322509b
Jacksonville Beach, FL · 8 mi
322469b
Jacksonville, FL · 8 mi
322579b
Jacksonville, FL · 8 mi

All 47 ZIP codes in Jacksonville → · Florida planting zones →

Questions about 32256

What planting zone is ZIP code 32256?

ZIP code 32256 (Jacksonville, FL) is in USDA hardiness zone 9b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 25 to 30 °F (−3.9 to −1.1 °C).

How much rain and snow does 32256 get?

About 55.9 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Jacksonville 9.6 Se station).

How hot do summers get in Jacksonville, FL?

The average high peaks at 89 °F in July, with about 36 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 32256 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Lynn Haven at the center of ZIP 32256: fine sand, poorly drained, pH about 4.6 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Jacksonville, FL in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 32256 came on Jan 16 in 2026, 5 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 21), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Jacksonville, FL?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 32256 is 14 h 06 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

Did the zone for 32256 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 32256 in zone 9a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 9b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.