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

Planting zone for 33843 — Frostproof, FL

ZIP code 33843 (Frostproof, Polk County) is in USDA zone 10a: the coldest winter night averages 30 to 35 °F.

Where ZIP 33843 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 Frostproof, 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 Avon Park 2 W, FL — 9 miles away, elevation 154 ft) the median growing season is 343 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 33843 came on Jan 12 — 3 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 Frostproof, FL.

Soil in Frostproof, FL

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 33843 is Candler — sand, excessively drained.

TextureSanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.7moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageExcessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.36%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classFarmland of unique importanceUSDA classification

Map unit: Candler 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 33843; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Frostproof, FL

Summer high92 °Faverage high, July
Winter low49 °Faverage low, January
Hot days118days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights4nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days8,577base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day13 h 54 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 23 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation55.4 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

40°50°60°70°80°90°100°January: average high 73 °F, low 49 °F 73°49° JanFebruary: average high 76 °F, low 52 °F 76°52° FebMarch: average high 80 °F, low 55 °F 80°55° MarApril: average high 85 °F, low 61 °F 85°61° AprMay: average high 89 °F, low 66 °F 89°66° MayJune: average high 91 °F, low 71 °F 91°71° JunJuly: average high 92 °F, low 73 °F 92°73° JulAugust: average high 92 °F, low 73 °F 92°73° AugSeptember: average high 90 °F, low 72 °F 90°72° SepOctober: average high 86 °F, low 66 °F 86°66° OctNovember: average high 80 °F, low 58 °F 80°58° NovDecember: average high 75 °F, low 53 °F 75°53° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″10″January: 2.56 in precipitation 2.6 JanFebruary: 2.24 in precipitation 2.2 FebMarch: 2.71 in precipitation 2.7 MarApril: 2.64 in precipitation 2.6 AprMay: 3.51 in precipitation 3.5 MayJune: 8.46 in precipitation 8.5 JunJuly: 9.82 in precipitation 9.8 JulAugust: 8.72 in precipitation 8.7 AugSeptember: 7.35 in precipitation 7.3 SepOctober: 3.24 in precipitation 3.2 OctNovember: 1.86 in precipitation 1.9 NovDecember: 2.33 in precipitation 2.3 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Avon Park 2 W, FL (9 mi away); precipitation: Frostproof 4.6 Sw, FL (5 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

3382710a
Babson Park, FL · 6 mi
338259b
Avon Park, FL · 8 mi
338269b
Avon Park, FL · 9 mi
338559b
Indian Lake Estates, FL · 10 mi
338549b
Lakeshore, FL · 11 mi
338539b
Lake Wales, FL · 13 mi
3385910a
Lake Wales, FL · 13 mi
3384110a
Fort Meade, FL · 16 mi

Florida planting zones →

Questions about 33843

What planting zone is ZIP code 33843?

ZIP code 33843 (Frostproof, 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 33843 get?

About 55.4 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Frostproof 4.6 Sw station).

How hot do summers get in Frostproof, FL?

The average high peaks at 92 °F in July, with about 118 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 33843 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Candler at the center of ZIP 33843: sand, excessively drained, pH about 5.7 (moderately acidic).

Did spring come early in Frostproof, FL in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 33843 came on Jan 12 in 2026, 3 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 15), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Frostproof, FL?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 33843 is 13 h 54 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

Did the zone for 33843 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 33843 in zone 9b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 10a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.