Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated Oct 29, 2026

Planting zone for 33509 — Brandon, FL

Q: What planting zone is ZIP code 33509?

ZIP code 33509 (Brandon, 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).

Q: How much rain and snow does 33509 get?

About 62.6 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Valrico 2.2 Se station).

Q: How hot do summers get in Brandon, FL?

The average high peaks at 94 °F in July, with about 111 days a year at 90 °F or more.

Q: What kind of soil does 33509 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Fort Meade at the center of ZIP 33509: loamy fine sand, well drained, pH about 6.2 (slightly acidic).

Q: Did spring come early in Brandon, FL in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 33509 came on Jan 12 in 2026, 4 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 16), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

Q: What kind of onions grow in Brandon, FL?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 33509 is 13 h 55 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

ZIP code 33509 (Brandon, Hillsborough) is in USDA zone 9b: the coldest winter night averages 25 to 30 °F.

Where ZIP 33509 is

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 zone9b

Same zone as on the 2012 map. 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 Brandon, 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 Plant City, FL — 11 miles away, elevation 112 ft) the median growing season is 335 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 33509 came on Jan 12 — 4 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 16).

average
Jan 162026
Jan 12

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.

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 Brandon, FL.

Soil in Brandon, FL

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 33509 is Fort Meade — loamy fine sand, well drained.

TextureLoamy fine sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding

pH6.2slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0

DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class

Organic matter3%moderate

Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast

Farmland classFarmland of unique importanceUSDA classification

Map unit: Fort Meade loamy fine sand, 0 to 5 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 33509; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Brandon, FL

Summer high94 °Faverage high, July

Winter low50 °Faverage low, January

Hot days111days a year at 90 °F or more

Freezing nights3nights a year at 32 °F or less

Growing degree days8,907base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat

Longest day13 h 55 mindaylight on June 21

Shortest day10 h 22 mindaylight on December 21

Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb

Precipitation62.6 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

Precipitation by month inches

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Plant City, FL (11 mi away); precipitation: Valrico 2.2 Se, FL (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

1 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

All 4 ZIP codes in Brandon → · Florida planting zones →

Questions about 33509

What planting zone is ZIP code 33509?

ZIP code 33509 (Brandon, 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 33509 get?

About 62.6 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Valrico 2.2 Se station).

How hot do summers get in Brandon, FL?

The average high peaks at 94 °F in July, with about 111 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 33509 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Fort Meade at the center of ZIP 33509: loamy fine sand, well drained, pH about 6.2 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Brandon, FL in 2026?