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

Planting zone for 36542 — Gulf Shores, AL

ZIP code 36542 (Gulf Shores, Baldwin County) is in USDA zone 9a: the coldest winter night averages 20 to 25 °F.

Where ZIP 36542 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.

Zone9a20 to 25 °F
Coldest night−6.7 to −3.9 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone9a

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 9a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Gulf Shores, AL…

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 Dauphin Is #2, AL — 19 miles away, elevation 7 ft) the median growing season is 340 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 36542 came on Jan 11 — 14 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 25).

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 9a in Alabama

582 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Alabama, and rated by the USDA to survive 20 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 9a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 84

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 133

Allegheny serviceberry35 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Faloe 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 hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 178

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °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 °FAmerican water horehound1.8 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Grasses 162

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 13

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican 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 °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 Gulf Shores, AL.

Soil in Gulf Shores, AL

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 36542 is Plummer — loamy sand, poorly drained.

TextureLoamy sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH4.6strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter2%moderate
Hydrologic groupA/Ddrains fast once dried out; wet otherwise
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Plummer loamy 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 36542; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Gulf Shores, AL

Summer high88 °Faverage high, July
Winter low46 °Faverage low, January
Hot days36days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights4nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days7,183base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 06 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 11 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation67.7 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

40°50°60°70°80°90°100°January: average high 59 °F, low 46 °F 59°46° JanFebruary: average high 62 °F, low 49 °F 62°49° FebMarch: average high 67 °F, low 56 °F 67°56° MarApril: average high 74 °F, low 63 °F 74°63° AprMay: average high 81 °F, low 71 °F 81°71° MayJune: average high 86 °F, low 76 °F 86°76° JunJuly: average high 88 °F, low 78 °F 88°78° JulAugust: average high 88 °F, low 78 °F 88°78° AugSeptember: average high 85 °F, low 76 °F 85°76° SepOctober: average high 77 °F, low 67 °F 77°67° OctNovember: average high 68 °F, low 56 °F 68°56° NovDecember: average high 61 °F, low 49 °F 61°49° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″January: 5.49 in precipitation 5.5 JanFebruary: 5.08 in precipitation 5.1 FebMarch: 5.54 in precipitation 5.5 MarApril: 5.83 in precipitation 5.8 AprMay: 4.56 in precipitation 4.6 MayJune: 6.63 in precipitation 6.6 JunJuly: 7.47 in precipitation 7.5 JulAugust: 7.89 in precipitation 7.9 AugSeptember: 5.75 in precipitation 5.8 SepOctober: 4.09 in precipitation 4.1 OctNovember: 4.26 in precipitation 4.3 NovDecember: 5.11 in precipitation 5.1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Dauphin Is #2, AL (19 mi away); precipitation: Foley 7.4 Sw, AL (6 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 9a.

365119a
Bon Secour, AL · 3 mi
365479a
Gulf Shores, AL · 6 mi
365359a
Foley, AL · 8 mi
365559a
Magnolia Springs, AL · 9 mi
365619a
Orange Beach, AL · 11 mi
365369a
Foley, AL · 11 mi
365809a
Summerdale, AL · 15 mi
365309a
Elberta, AL · 15 mi

All 2 ZIP codes in Gulf Shores → · Alabama planting zones →

Questions about 36542

What planting zone is ZIP code 36542?

ZIP code 36542 (Gulf Shores, AL) is in USDA hardiness zone 9a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 20 to 25 °F (−6.7 to −3.9 °C).

How much rain and snow does 36542 get?

About 67.7 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Foley 7.4 Sw station).

How hot do summers get in Gulf Shores, AL?

The average high peaks at 88 °F in July, with about 36 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 36542 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Plummer at the center of ZIP 36542: loamy sand, poorly drained, pH about 4.6 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Gulf Shores, AL in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 36542 came on Jan 11 in 2026, 14 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 25), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Gulf Shores, AL?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 36542 is 14 h 06 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.