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

Planting zone for 33609 — Tampa, FL

ZIP code 33609 (Tampa, Hillsborough) is in USDA zone 10a: the coldest winter night averages 30 to 35 °F.

Where ZIP 33609 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.

Zone10a30 to 35 °F
Coldest night−1.1 to 1.7 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone9b

Was 9b 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 10a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Tampa, 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 Tampa Intl Airport, FL — 2 miles away, elevation 20 ft) the median growing season is 365 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 33609 came on Jan 11 — 4 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 15).

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 10a in Florida

480 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Florida, and rated by the USDA to survive 30 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 10a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 67

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 116

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 Tampa, FL.

Soil in Tampa, FL

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 33609 is Malabar — fine sand, poorly drained.

TextureFine sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.3strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter3%moderate
Hydrologic groupA/Ddrains fast once dried out; wet otherwise
Farmland classFarmland of unique importanceUSDA classification

Map unit: Malabar 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 33609; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Tampa, FL

Summer high91 °Faverage high, June
Winter low53 °Faverage low, January
Hot days94days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights1nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days8,987base 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
Precipitation49.5 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

40°50°60°70°80°90°100°January: average high 71 °F, low 53 °F 71°53° JanFebruary: average high 74 °F, low 56 °F 74°56° FebMarch: average high 78 °F, low 59 °F 78°59° MarApril: average high 83 °F, low 65 °F 83°65° AprMay: average high 88 °F, low 71 °F 88°71° MayJune: average high 91 °F, low 75 °F 91°75° JunJuly: average high 91 °F, low 77 °F 91°77° JulAugust: average high 91 °F, low 77 °F 91°77° AugSeptember: average high 90 °F, low 75 °F 90°75° SepOctober: average high 86 °F, low 69 °F 86°69° OctNovember: average high 79 °F, low 61 °F 79°61° NovDecember: average high 74 °F, low 56 °F 74°56° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″10″January: 2.65 in precipitation 2.6 JanFebruary: 2.62 in precipitation 2.6 FebMarch: 2.52 in precipitation 2.5 MarApril: 2.55 in precipitation 2.5 AprMay: 2.60 in precipitation 2.6 MayJune: 7.37 in precipitation 7.4 JunJuly: 7.75 in precipitation 7.8 JulAugust: 9.03 in precipitation 9.0 AugSeptember: 6.09 in precipitation 6.1 SepOctober: 2.34 in precipitation 2.3 OctNovember: 1.40 in precipitation 1.4 NovDecember: 2.56 in precipitation 2.6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Tampa Intl Airport, FL (2 mi away); precipitation: Tampa Intl Airport, FL (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 10a.

3362910a
Tampa, FL · 2 mi
3360710a
Tampa, FL · 2 mi
3360610a
Tampa, FL · 3 mi
3362210a
Tampa, FL · 3 mi
3362310a
Tampa, FL · 3 mi
3365510a
Tampa, FL · 3 mi
3367210a
Tampa, FL · 3 mi
3368910a
Tampa, FL · 3 mi

All 55 ZIP codes in Tampa → · Florida planting zones →

Questions about 33609

What planting zone is ZIP code 33609?

ZIP code 33609 (Tampa, FL) is in USDA hardiness zone 10a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 30 to 35 °F (−1.1 to 1.7 °C).

How much rain and snow does 33609 get?

About 49.5 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Tampa Intl Airport station).

How hot do summers get in Tampa, FL?

The average high peaks at 91 °F in June, with about 94 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 33609 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Malabar at the center of ZIP 33609: fine sand, poorly drained, pH about 5.3 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Tampa, FL in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 33609 came on Jan 11 in 2026, 4 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 15), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Tampa, FL?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 33609 is 13 h 55 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

Did the zone for 33609 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 33609 in zone 9b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 10a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.