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

Planting zone for 41714 — Bear Branch, KY

ZIP code 41714 (Bear Branch, Leslie County) is in USDA zone 7a: the coldest winter night averages 0 to 5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 16 and the first fall frost October 26.

Where ZIP 41714 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.

Zone7a0 to 5 °F
Coldest night−17.8 to −15 °C
Last frostApr 16
First frostOct 26
2012 zone6b

Was 6b 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 7a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Bear Branch, KY…

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 Bear Branch, KY

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 16median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 3only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 26median — 10% chance by Oct 14
Growing season192 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 3 and returns around November 4.

From the NOAA station Oneida, KY — 11 miles away, elevation 761 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 41714

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 5 – Mar 19
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 5 – Mar 26
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 5 – Feb 19
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 26 – Apr 9
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 9
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 9
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 19 – Mar 5
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 23 – May 7
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 5 – Feb 19
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 30 – May 14
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 23 – May 7
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 23 – May 7
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 23 – May 7
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 31 – Sep 14
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 12 – Nov 16
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 16) and first fall frost (Oct 26) 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 41714 came on Mar 1 — 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 8).

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 7a in Kentucky

547 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Kentucky, and rated by the USDA to survive 0 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 78

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 °Farborvitae50 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Shrubs 109

alderleaf buckthorn3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAllegheny serviceberry35 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican black currant3 ft · blooms early spring · to −46 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 181

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 speedwell0.8 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican spongeplant0.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −24 °F

Grasses 153

autumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBailey's sedge2.1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fblister sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbluejoint5 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Vines 14

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 Bear Branch, KY.

Soil in Bear Branch, KY

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 41714 is Matewan — channery slightly decomposed plant material, well drained.

TextureChannery slightly decomposed plant materialtop layer
pH4.3strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter69.7%high
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Matewan-Marrowbone-Latham complex, 20 to 80 percent slopes, very rocky.

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 41714; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Bear Branch, KY

Summer high86 °Faverage high, August
Winter low25 °Faverage low, January
Hot days26days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights103nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,879base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 43 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 36 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation49 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 45 °F, low 25 °F 45°25° JanFebruary: average high 50 °F, low 27 °F 50°27° FebMarch: average high 60 °F, low 33 °F 60°33° MarApril: average high 70 °F, low 42 °F 70°42° AprMay: average high 76 °F, low 53 °F 76°53° MayJune: average high 83 °F, low 61 °F 83°61° JunJuly: average high 85 °F, low 65 °F 85°65° JulAugust: average high 86 °F, low 64 °F 86°64° AugSeptember: average high 81 °F, low 57 °F 81°57° SepOctober: average high 71 °F, low 44 °F 71°44° OctNovember: average high 59 °F, low 33 °F 59°33° NovDecember: average high 48 °F, low 29 °F 48°29° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.63 in precipitation 3.6 JanFebruary: 3.83 in precipitation 3.8 FebMarch: 4.39 in precipitation 4.4 MarApril: 4.59 in precipitation 4.6 AprMay: 4.78 in precipitation 4.8 MayJune: 5.31 in precipitation 5.3 JunJuly: 5.22 in precipitation 5.2 JulAugust: 3.74 in precipitation 3.7 AugSeptember: 3.41 in precipitation 3.4 SepOctober: 2.55 in precipitation 2.5 OctNovember: 3.05 in precipitation 3.0 NovDecember: 4.48 in precipitation 4.5 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Oneida, KY (11 mi away); precipitation: Big Creek, KY (3 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 7a.

417627a
Sizerock, KY · 3 mi
417667a
Thousandsticks, KY · 4 mi
417497a
Hyden, KY · 6 mi
409147a
Big Creek, KY · 6 mi
408687a
Stinnett, KY · 6 mi
409727a
Oneida, KY · 7 mi
409817a
Saul, KY · 8 mi
408277a
Essie, KY · 9 mi

Kentucky planting zones →

Questions about 41714

What planting zone is ZIP code 41714?

ZIP code 41714 (Bear Branch, KY) is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 0 to 5 °F (−17.8 to −15 °C).

When is the last frost in Bear Branch, KY?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 41714 is April 16; after May 3 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Oneida station.

When is the first frost in Bear Branch, KY?

The median first fall frost near 41714 is October 26, giving a median frost-free growing season of 192 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 41714?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 19 – Mar 5 and set transplants outside around Apr 23 – May 7, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 41714 get?

About 49 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Big Creek station).

How hot do summers get in Bear Branch, KY?

The average high peaks at 86 °F in August, with about 26 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 41714 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Matewan at the center of ZIP 41714: channery slightly decomposed plant material, well drained, pH about 4.3 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Bear Branch, KY in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 41714 came on Mar 1 in 2026, 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 8), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Bear Branch, KY?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 41714 is 14 h 43 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 41714 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 41714 in zone 6b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 7a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.