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

Planting zone for 34972 — Okeechobee, FL

ZIP code 34972 (Okeechobee, Okeechobee County) is in USDA zone 10a: the coldest winter night averages 30 to 35 °F.

Where ZIP 34972 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 Okeechobee, 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 Kissimmee Prairie Preserve, FL — 12 miles away, elevation 72 ft) the median growing season is 347 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 34972 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 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 Okeechobee, FL.

Soil in Okeechobee, FL

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 34972 is Valkaria — fine sand, poorly drained.

TextureFine sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.5moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter2.5%moderate
Hydrologic groupA/Ddrains fast once dried out; wet otherwise
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Valkaria 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 34972; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Okeechobee, FL

Summer high92 °Faverage high, July
Winter low49 °Faverage low, January
Hot days138days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights1nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days8,385base 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
Precipitation56.2 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

40°50°60°70°80°90°100°January: average high 74 °F, low 49 °F 74°49° JanFebruary: average high 77 °F, low 51 °F 77°51° FebMarch: average high 80 °F, low 54 °F 80°54° MarApril: average high 85 °F, low 58 °F 85°58° AprMay: average high 89 °F, low 64 °F 89°64° MayJune: average high 91 °F, low 70 °F 91°70° JunJuly: average high 92 °F, low 72 °F 92°72° 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 65 °F 86°65° OctNovember: average high 80 °F, low 57 °F 80°57° NovDecember: average high 76 °F, low 52 °F 76°52° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″January: 2.52 in precipitation 2.5 JanFebruary: 2.23 in precipitation 2.2 FebMarch: 3.38 in precipitation 3.4 MarApril: 2.63 in precipitation 2.6 AprMay: 4.36 in precipitation 4.4 MayJune: 8.85 in precipitation 8.8 JunJuly: 7.14 in precipitation 7.1 JulAugust: 8.28 in precipitation 8.3 AugSeptember: 7.93 in precipitation 7.9 SepOctober: 4.59 in precipitation 4.6 OctNovember: 1.93 in precipitation 1.9 NovDecember: 2.34 in precipitation 2.3 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve, FL (12 mi away); precipitation: Okeechobee 27.1 Nnw, FL (11 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 10a.

3497310a
Okeechobee, FL · 17 mi
3385710a
Lorida, FL · 18 mi
3296610a
Vero Beach, FL · 19 mi
3494510a
Fort Pierce, FL · 22 mi
3497410a
Okeechobee, FL · 23 mi
3296810a
Vero Beach, FL · 26 mi
3294810a
Fellsmere, FL · 26 mi
3296910a
Vero Beach, FL · 26 mi

All 3 ZIP codes in Okeechobee → · Florida planting zones →

Questions about 34972

What planting zone is ZIP code 34972?

ZIP code 34972 (Okeechobee, 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 34972 get?

About 56.2 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Okeechobee 27.1 Nnw station).

How hot do summers get in Okeechobee, FL?

The average high peaks at 92 °F in July, with about 138 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 34972 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Valkaria at the center of ZIP 34972: fine sand, poorly drained, pH about 5.5 (moderately acidic).

Did spring come early in Okeechobee, FL in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 34972 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 Okeechobee, FL?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 34972 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 34972 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 34972 in zone 9b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 10a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.