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

Planting zone for 33898 — Lake Wales, FL

ZIP code 33898 (Lake Wales, Polk County) is in USDA zone 9b: the coldest winter night averages 25 to 30 °F.

Where ZIP 33898 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 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 Lake Wales, 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 Kenansville, FL — 17 miles away, elevation 62 ft) the median growing season is 354 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 33898 came on Jan 16 — about the same time as 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 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 Lake Wales, FL.

Soil in Lake Wales, FL

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 33898 is Floridana — mucky fine sand, very poorly drained.

TextureMucky fine sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.8moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageVery poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter10.5%high
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Floridana mucky fine sand, frequently ponded, 0 to 1 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 33898; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Lake Wales, FL

Summer high91 °Faverage high, July
Winter low49 °Faverage low, January
Hot days81days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights1nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days8,257base 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
Precipitation54.9 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

40°50°60°70°80°90°100°January: average high 72 °F, low 49 °F 72°49° JanFebruary: average high 75 °F, low 53 °F 75°53° FebMarch: average high 78 °F, low 55 °F 78°55° MarApril: average high 82 °F, low 61 °F 82°61° AprMay: average high 86 °F, low 66 °F 86°66° MayJune: average high 89 °F, low 71 °F 89°71° JunJuly: average high 91 °F, low 73 °F 91°73° JulAugust: average high 91 °F, low 73 °F 91°73° AugSeptember: average high 89 °F, low 72 °F 89°72° SepOctober: average high 84 °F, low 67 °F 84°67° OctNovember: average high 79 °F, low 59 °F 79°59° NovDecember: average high 74 °F, low 53 °F 74°53° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″January: 2.67 in precipitation 2.7 JanFebruary: 2.24 in precipitation 2.2 FebMarch: 3.03 in precipitation 3.0 MarApril: 3.15 in precipitation 3.1 AprMay: 4.00 in precipitation 4.0 MayJune: 7.82 in precipitation 7.8 JunJuly: 7.62 in precipitation 7.6 JulAugust: 7.70 in precipitation 7.7 AugSeptember: 7.44 in precipitation 7.4 SepOctober: 4.44 in precipitation 4.4 OctNovember: 2.16 in precipitation 2.2 NovDecember: 2.61 in precipitation 2.6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Kenansville, FL (17 mi away); precipitation: Kenansville, FL (17 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

338549b
Lakeshore, FL · 6 mi
338559b
Indian Lake Estates, FL · 7 mi
338679b
River Ranch, FL · 10 mi
3382710a
Babson Park, FL · 13 mi
347399b
Kenansville, FL · 14 mi
3384310a
Frostproof, FL · 16 mi
338539b
Lake Wales, FL · 16 mi
3475910a
Kissimmee, FL · 17 mi

All 3 ZIP codes in Lake Wales → · Florida planting zones →

Questions about 33898

What planting zone is ZIP code 33898?

ZIP code 33898 (Lake Wales, 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 33898 get?

About 54.9 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Kenansville station).

How hot do summers get in Lake Wales, FL?

The average high peaks at 91 °F in July, with about 81 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 33898 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Floridana at the center of ZIP 33898: mucky fine sand, very poorly drained, pH about 5.8 (moderately acidic).

Did spring come early in Lake Wales, FL in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 33898 came on Jan 16 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Jan 15), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Lake Wales, FL?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 33898 is 13 h 55 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.