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

Planting zone for 54514 — Butternut, WI

ZIP code 54514 (Butternut, Ashland County) is in USDA zone 4a: the coldest winter night averages −30 to −25 °F. The median last spring frost is May 22 and the first fall frost September 24.

Where ZIP 54514 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.

Zone4a−30 to −25 °F
Coldest night−34.4 to −31.7 °C
Last frostMay 22
First frostSep 24
2012 zone4a

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 4a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Butternut, 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 Butternut, WI

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 22median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsJune 4only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostSeptember 24median — 10% chance by Sep 10
Growing season126 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around May 7 and returns around October 4.

From the NOAA station Butternut 3sw, WI — 4 miles away, elevation 1,572 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 54514

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Apr 10 – Apr 24
SpinachSow outdoors · Apr 10 – May 1
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Mar 13 – Mar 27
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · May 1 – May 15
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 24 – May 8
PotatoesPlant outdoors · May 1 – May 15
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 24 – May 8
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 27 – Apr 10
TomatoesTransplant · May 29 – Jun 12
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Mar 13 – Mar 27
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Jun 5 – Jun 19
BeansSow outdoors · May 29 – Jun 12
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 29 – Jun 12
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 29 – Jun 12
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Jul 30 – Aug 13
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 10 – Oct 15
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 22) and first fall frost (Sep 24) 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 54514 came on Apr 22 — 3 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 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 4a in Wisconsin

419 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Wisconsin, and rated by the USDA to survive −30 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 4a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 45

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 71

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 157

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 133

arctic 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 °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 °F

Vines 3

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 °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 Butternut, WI.

Soil in Butternut, WI

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 54514 is Lupton — muck, very poorly drained.

TextureMucktop layer
DrainageVery poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter75%high
Hydrologic groupA/Ddrains fast once dried out; wet otherwise
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Lupton and Cathro soils, 0 to 1 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 54514; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Butternut, WI

Summer high78 °Faverage high, July
Winter low1 °Faverage low, January
Hot days2days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights195nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days1,705base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 45 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day8 h 38 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation36 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

−10°0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 20 °F, low 1 °F 20°1° JanFebruary: average high 24 °F, low 3 °F 24°3° FebMarch: average high 37 °F, low 14 °F 37°14° MarApril: average high 50 °F, low 28 °F 50°28° AprMay: average high 64 °F, low 40 °F 64°40° MayJune: average high 74 °F, low 50 °F 74°50° JunJuly: average high 78 °F, low 54 °F 78°54° JulAugust: average high 76 °F, low 52 °F 76°52° AugSeptember: average high 68 °F, low 44 °F 68°44° SepOctober: average high 53 °F, low 33 °F 53°33° OctNovember: average high 37 °F, low 22 °F 37°22° NovDecember: average high 25 °F, low 10 °F 25°10° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 1.16 in precipitation 1.2 JanFebruary: 1.38 in precipitation 1.4 FebMarch: 1.96 in precipitation 2.0 MarApril: 3.02 in precipitation 3.0 AprMay: 3.87 in precipitation 3.9 MayJune: 4.98 in precipitation 5.0 JunJuly: 4.26 in precipitation 4.3 JulAugust: 3.71 in precipitation 3.7 AugSeptember: 3.83 in precipitation 3.8 SepOctober: 3.98 in precipitation 4.0 OctNovember: 2.06 in precipitation 2.1 NovDecember: 1.80 in precipitation 1.8 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Butternut 3sw, WI (4 mi away); precipitation: Butternut 3sw, WI (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 4a.

545274a
Glidden, WI · 9 mi
545524a
Park Falls, WI · 12 mi
545244a
Fifield, WI · 15 mi
545654a
Upson, WI · 17 mi
545554a
Phillips, WI · 20 mi
545464a
Mellen, WI · 21 mi
545474a
Mercer, WI · 22 mi
545364a
Iron Belt, WI · 23 mi

Wisconsin planting zones →

Questions about 54514

What planting zone is ZIP code 54514?

ZIP code 54514 (Butternut, WI) is in USDA hardiness zone 4a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −30 to −25 °F (−34.4 to −31.7 °C).

When is the last frost in Butternut, WI?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 54514 is May 22; after June 4 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Butternut 3sw station.

When is the first frost in Butternut, WI?

The median first fall frost near 54514 is September 24, giving a median frost-free growing season of 126 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 54514?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 27 – Apr 10 and set transplants outside around May 29 – Jun 12, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 54514 get?

About 36 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Butternut 3sw station).

How hot do summers get in Butternut, WI?

The average high peaks at 78 °F in July, with about 2 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 54514 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Lupton at the center of ZIP 54514: muck, very poorly drained.

Did spring come early in Butternut, WI in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 54514 came on Apr 22 in 2026, 3 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 25), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Butternut, WI?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 54514 is 15 h 45 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).