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

Planting zone for 34215 — Cortez, FL

ZIP code 34215 (Cortez, Manatee County) is in USDA zone 10b: the coldest winter night averages 35 to 40 °F.

Where ZIP 34215 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.

Zone10b35 to 40 °F

Coldest night1.7 to 4.4 °C

Last frostrare

First frostrare

2012 zone10a

Was 10a 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 10b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Cortez, 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 Sarasota Bradenton Airport, FL — 9 miles away, elevation 30 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 34215 came on Jan 12 — 3 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 15).

average
Jan 152026
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 10b in Florida

497 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Florida, and rated by the USDA to survive 35 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 10b. 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 Cortez, FL.

Soil in Cortez, FL

The center of ZIP 34215 is mapped as Water: built-over ground without natural soil data. Garden soil here is usually imported or disturbed — test before you plant.

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 34215; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Cortez, FL

Summer high92 °Faverage high, August

Winter low52 °Faverage low, January

Hot days85days a year at 90 °F or more

Freezing nights1nights a year at 32 °F or less

Growing degree days8,815base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat

Longest day13 h 53 mindaylight on June 21

Shortest day10 h 24 mindaylight on December 21

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

Precipitation49 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: Sarasota Bradenton Airport, FL (9 mi away); precipitation: Sarasota Bradenton Airport, FL (9 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.

3421710b

Bradenton Beach, FL · 2 mi

3421810b

Holmes Beach, FL · 2 mi

Anna Maria, FL · 5 mi

3422810b

Longboat Key, FL · 6 mi

Florida planting zones →

Questions about 34215

What planting zone is ZIP code 34215?

ZIP code 34215 (Cortez, FL) is in USDA hardiness zone 10b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 35 to 40 °F (1.7 to 4.4 °C).

How much rain and snow does 34215 get?

About 49 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Sarasota Bradenton Airport station).

How hot do summers get in Cortez, FL?

The average high peaks at 92 °F in August, with about 85 days a year at 90 °F or more.

Did spring come early in Cortez, FL in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 34215 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 Cortez, FL?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 34215 is 13 h 53 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

Did the zone for 34215 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 34215 in zone 10a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 10b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.