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

Planting zone for 39441 — Laurel, MS

ZIP code 39441 (Laurel, Jones County) is in USDA zone 8b: the coldest winter night averages 15 to 20 °F. The median last spring frost is March 12 and the first fall frost November 12.

Where ZIP 39441 is

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.

Zone8b15 to 20 °F
Coldest night−9.4 to −6.7 °C
Last frostMar 12
First frostNov 12
2012 zone8b

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 8b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Laurel, MS…

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 in Laurel, MS

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 12median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 1only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 12median — 10% chance by Oct 30
Growing season244 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around February 28 and returns around November 23.

From the NOAA station Laurel, MS — 4 miles away, elevation 226 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in 39441

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Jan 29 – Feb 12
SpinachSow outdoors · Jan 29 – Feb 19
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 1 – Jan 15
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Feb 19 – Mar 5
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Feb 19 – Mar 5
LettuceSow outdoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Feb 19 – Mar 5
TomatoesStart indoors · Jan 15 – Jan 29
TomatoesTransplant · Mar 19 – Apr 2
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 1 – Jan 15
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Mar 26 – Apr 9
BeansSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 17 – Oct 1
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 29 – Dec 3
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 12) and first fall frost (Nov 12) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 39441 came on Feb 1 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Jan 31).

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 8b in Mississippi

526 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Mississippi, and rated by the USDA to survive 15 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 8b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 79

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 115

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 hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °FAmerican hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 165

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 147

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 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fbig cordgrass8 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −3 °Fbighead rush3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to 12 °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 Laurel, MS.

Soil in Laurel, MS

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 39441 is Quitman — fine sandy loam, somewhat poorly drained.

TextureFine sandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.0strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter2%moderate
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Quitman fine sandy loam.

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 39441; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Laurel, MS

Summer high93 °Faverage high, July
Winter low35 °Faverage low, January
Hot days82days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights41nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days6,139base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 13 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 04 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation59.6 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 60 °F, low 35 °F 60°35° JanFebruary: average high 65 °F, low 38 °F 65°38° FebMarch: average high 72 °F, low 45 °F 72°45° MarApril: average high 79 °F, low 52 °F 79°52° AprMay: average high 85 °F, low 60 °F 85°60° MayJune: average high 91 °F, low 68 °F 91°68° JunJuly: average high 93 °F, low 70 °F 93°70° JulAugust: average high 93 °F, low 70 °F 93°70° AugSeptember: average high 89 °F, low 64 °F 89°64° SepOctober: average high 80 °F, low 53 °F 80°53° OctNovember: average high 70 °F, low 42 °F 70°42° NovDecember: average high 62 °F, low 37 °F 62°37° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″January: 6.07 in precipitation 6.1 JanFebruary: 5.11 in precipitation 5.1 FebMarch: 5.46 in precipitation 5.5 MarApril: 5.10 in precipitation 5.1 AprMay: 4.34 in precipitation 4.3 MayJune: 5.46 in precipitation 5.5 JunJuly: 5.38 in precipitation 5.4 JulAugust: 5.48 in precipitation 5.5 AugSeptember: 3.94 in precipitation 3.9 SepOctober: 3.48 in precipitation 3.5 OctNovember: 4.06 in precipitation 4.1 NovDecember: 5.76 in precipitation 5.8 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Laurel, MS (4 mi away); precipitation: Laurel, MS (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 8b.

394438b
Laurel, MS · <1 mi
394428b
Laurel, MS · 4 mi
394408b
Laurel, MS · 5 mi
394778b
Sandersville, MS · 5 mi
394608b
Moss, MS · 9 mi
394398b
Heidelberg, MS · 10 mi
394378b
Ellisville, MS · 13 mi
394818b
Stringer, MS · 14 mi

All 4 ZIP codes in Laurel → · Mississippi planting zones →

Questions about 39441

What planting zone is ZIP code 39441?

ZIP code 39441 (Laurel, MS) is in USDA hardiness zone 8b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 15 to 20 °F (−9.4 to −6.7 °C).

When is the last frost in Laurel, MS?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 39441 is March 12; after April 1 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Laurel station.

When is the first frost in Laurel, MS?

The median first fall frost near 39441 is November 12, giving a median frost-free growing season of 244 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 39441?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Jan 15 – Jan 29 and set transplants outside around Mar 19 – Apr 2, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 39441 get?

About 59.6 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Laurel station).

How hot do summers get in Laurel, MS?

The average high peaks at 93 °F in July, with about 82 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 39441 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Quitman at the center of ZIP 39441: fine sandy loam, somewhat poorly drained, pH about 5.0 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Laurel, MS in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 39441 came on Feb 1 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Jan 31), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Laurel, MS?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 39441 is 14 h 13 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.