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

Planting zone for 53235 — Saint Francis, WI

ZIP code 53235 (Saint Francis, Milwaukee County) is in USDA zone 6a: the coldest winter night averages −10 to −5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 19 and the first fall frost October 29.

Where ZIP 53235 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.

Zone6a−10 to −5 °F
Coldest night−23.3 to −20.6 °C
Last frostApr 19
First frostOct 29
2012 zone5b

Was 5b 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 6a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Saint Francis, WI…

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 Saint Francis, WI

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 19median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 2only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 29median — 10% chance by Oct 15
Growing season192 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 6 and returns around November 8.

From the NOAA station Milwaukee Mitchell Airport, WI — 2 miles away, elevation 669 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 53235

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 22
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 29
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 8 – Feb 22
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 29 – Apr 12
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 22 – Mar 8
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 26 – May 10
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 8 – Feb 22
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 3 – May 17
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 26 – May 10
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 26 – May 10
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 26 – May 10
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 3 – Sep 17
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 15 – Nov 19
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 19) and first fall frost (Oct 29) 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 53235 came on Mar 30 — 13 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 12).

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 6a in Wisconsin

526 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Wisconsin, and rated by the USDA to survive −10 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 49

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 94

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 200

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 161

American beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Farctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbeaked sedge4 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °FBebb's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 6

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °Ftrumpet creeper2 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −13 °FVirginia creeper1 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °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 Saint Francis, WI.

Soil in Saint Francis, WI

The center of ZIP 53235 is mapped as No Digital Data Available: built-over ground without natural soil data. Garden soil here is usually imported or disturbed — test before you plant.

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 53235; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Saint Francis, WI

Summer high82 °Faverage high, July
Winter low17 °Faverage low, January
Hot days9days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights123nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,902base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 21 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 00 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation34.6 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall49 inper year; 58 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 31 °F, low 17 °F 31°17° JanFebruary: average high 34 °F, low 20 °F 34°20° FebMarch: average high 44 °F, low 29 °F 44°29° MarApril: average high 55 °F, low 38 °F 55°38° AprMay: average high 67 °F, low 48 °F 67°48° MayJune: average high 77 °F, low 58 °F 77°58° JunJuly: average high 82 °F, low 65 °F 82°65° JulAugust: average high 80 °F, low 64 °F 80°64° AugSeptember: average high 74 °F, low 56 °F 74°56° SepOctober: average high 61 °F, low 45 °F 61°45° OctNovember: average high 48 °F, low 33 °F 48°33° NovDecember: average high 36 °F, low 23 °F 36°23° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 1.79 in precipitation, 14.9 in snowfall 1.8❄15 JanFebruary: 1.69 in precipitation, 11.8 in snowfall 1.7❄12 FebMarch: 2.20 in precipitation, 6.7 in snowfall 2.2❄7 MarApril: 3.86 in precipitation, 2.1 in snowfall 3.9❄2 AprMay: 3.54 in precipitation 3.5 MayJune: 4.38 in precipitation 4.4 JunJuly: 3.40 in precipitation 3.4 JulAugust: 3.65 in precipitation 3.6 AugSeptember: 3.16 in precipitation 3.2 SepOctober: 2.78 in precipitation, 0.3 in snowfall 2.8 OctNovember: 2.24 in precipitation, 2.5 in snowfall 2.2❄3 NovDecember: 1.88 in precipitation, 10.4 in snowfall 1.9❄10 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Milwaukee Mitchell Airport, WI (2 mi away); precipitation: Milwaukee Mitchell Airport, WI (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 6a.

532076a
Milwaukee, WI · 2 mi
531106a
Cudahy, WI · 2 mi
532216a
Milwaukee, WI · 4 mi
532156a
Milwaukee, WI · 4 mi
531726a
South Milwaukee, WI · 4 mi
532046a
Milwaukee, WI · 4 mi
532786a
Milwaukee, WI · 5 mi
532016a
Milwaukee, WI · 5 mi

Wisconsin planting zones →

Questions about 53235

What planting zone is ZIP code 53235?

ZIP code 53235 (Saint Francis, WI) is in USDA hardiness zone 6a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −10 to −5 °F (−23.3 to −20.6 °C).

When is the last frost in Saint Francis, WI?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 53235 is April 19; after May 2 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Milwaukee Mitchell Airport station.

When is the first frost in Saint Francis, WI?

The median first fall frost near 53235 is October 29, giving a median frost-free growing season of 192 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 53235?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 22 – Mar 8 and set transplants outside around Apr 26 – May 10, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 53235 get?

About 34.6 inches of precipitation a year and 49 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Milwaukee Mitchell Airport station).

How hot do summers get in Saint Francis, WI?

The average high peaks at 82 °F in July, with about 9 days a year at 90 °F or more.

Did spring come early in Saint Francis, WI in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 53235 came on Mar 30 in 2026, 13 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 12), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Saint Francis, WI?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 53235 is 15 h 21 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 53235 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 53235 in zone 5b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 6a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.