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

Planting zone for 51526 — Crescent, IA

ZIP code 51526 (Crescent, Pottawattamie County) is in USDA zone 5b: the coldest winter night averages −15 to −10 °F. The median last spring frost is April 18 and the first fall frost October 21.

Where ZIP 51526 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.

Zone5b−15 to −10 °F
Coldest night−26.1 to −23.3 °C
Last frostApr 18
First frostOct 21
2012 zone5b

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 5b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Crescent, IA…

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 Crescent, IA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 18median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 30only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 21median — 10% chance by Oct 6
Growing season185 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 8 and returns around October 30.

From the NOAA station Omaha Eppley Airfield, NE — 4 miles away, elevation 981 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 51526

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 7 – Mar 21
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 7 – Mar 28
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 7 – Feb 21
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 28 – Apr 11
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 21 – Apr 4
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 28 – Apr 11
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 21 – Apr 4
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 28 – Apr 11
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 21 – Mar 7
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 25 – May 9
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 7 – Feb 21
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 2 – May 16
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 25 – May 9
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 25 – May 9
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 25 – May 9
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 26 – Sep 9
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 7 – Nov 11
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 18) and first fall frost (Oct 21) 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 51526 came on Mar 12 — 19 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 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 5b in Iowa

473 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Iowa, and rated by the USDA to survive −15 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 5b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 49

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °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 °Fbalsam fir60 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −43 °F

Shrubs 77

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 hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 191

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican licorice4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Grasses 136

arctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBebb's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBicknell's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fblue grama1 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −43 °F

Vines 7

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °Ftrumpet honeysuckle16 ft · blooms late summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °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 Crescent, IA.

Soil in Crescent, IA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 51526 is Lakeport — silty clay loam, somewhat poorly drained.

TextureSilty clay loamholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH6.7neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter3.5%moderate
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Lakeport silty clay loam, 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 51526; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Crescent, IA

Summer high88 °Faverage high, July
Winter low15 °Faverage low, January
Hot days33days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights135nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,787base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 10 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 11 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation31.9 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall27 inper year; 40 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 34 °F, low 15 °F 34°15° JanFebruary: average high 39 °F, low 19 °F 39°19° FebMarch: average high 52 °F, low 30 °F 52°30° MarApril: average high 64 °F, low 41 °F 64°41° AprMay: average high 75 °F, low 53 °F 75°53° MayJune: average high 84 °F, low 63 °F 84°63° JunJuly: average high 88 °F, low 68 °F 88°68° JulAugust: average high 86 °F, low 66 °F 86°66° AugSeptember: average high 79 °F, low 56 °F 79°56° SepOctober: average high 66 °F, low 43 °F 66°43° OctNovember: average high 50 °F, low 30 °F 50°30° NovDecember: average high 38 °F, low 20 °F 38°20° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 0.75 in precipitation, 7.2 in snowfall 0.8❄7 JanFebruary: 0.95 in precipitation, 7.8 in snowfall 0.9❄8 FebMarch: 1.79 in precipitation, 3 in snowfall 1.8❄3 MarApril: 3.17 in precipitation, 1 in snowfall 3.2❄1 AprMay: 4.66 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 4.7 MayJune: 4.44 in precipitation 4.4 JunJuly: 3.55 in precipitation 3.5 JulAugust: 4.60 in precipitation 4.6 AugSeptember: 2.96 in precipitation 3.0 SepOctober: 2.32 in precipitation, 0.5 in snowfall 2.3❄1 OctNovember: 1.45 in precipitation, 1.7 in snowfall 1.4❄2 NovDecember: 1.22 in precipitation, 5.8 in snowfall 1.2❄6 Dec

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

Nearby ZIP codes

4 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

681125b
Omaha, NE · 5 mi
515425b
Honey Creek, IA · 5 mi
681106a
Omaha, NE · 5 mi
515106a
Carter Lake, IA · 6 mi
681525b
Omaha, NE · 6 mi
681116a
Omaha, NE · 7 mi
515026a
Council Bluffs, IA · 8 mi
515765b
Underwood, IA · 8 mi

Iowa planting zones →

Questions about 51526

What planting zone is ZIP code 51526?

ZIP code 51526 (Crescent, IA) is in USDA hardiness zone 5b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −15 to −10 °F (−26.1 to −23.3 °C).

When is the last frost in Crescent, IA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 51526 is April 18; after April 30 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Omaha Eppley Airfield station.

When is the first frost in Crescent, IA?

The median first fall frost near 51526 is October 21, giving a median frost-free growing season of 185 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 51526?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 21 – Mar 7 and set transplants outside around Apr 25 – May 9, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 51526 get?

About 31.9 inches of precipitation a year and 27 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Omaha Eppley Airfield station).

How hot do summers get in Crescent, IA?

The average high peaks at 88 °F in July, with about 33 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 51526 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Lakeport at the center of ZIP 51526: silty clay loam, somewhat poorly drained, pH about 6.7 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Crescent, IA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 51526 came on Mar 12 in 2026, 19 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 31), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Crescent, IA?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 51526 is 15 h 10 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).