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

Planting zone for 63501 — Kirksville, MO

ZIP code 63501 (Kirksville, Adair County) is in USDA zone 6a: the coldest winter night averages −10 to −5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 21 and the first fall frost October 19.

Where ZIP 63501 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 21
First frostOct 19
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 Kirksville, MO…

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 Kirksville, MO

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 21median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 5only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 19median — 10% chance by Oct 2
Growing season179 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 10 and returns around October 29.

From the NOAA station Kirksville, MO — 3 miles away, elevation 971 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 63501

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 31
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 10 – Feb 24
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 31 – Apr 14
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 24 – Apr 7
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 31 – Apr 14
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 24 – Apr 7
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 31 – Apr 14
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 24 – Mar 10
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 28 – May 12
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 10 – Feb 24
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 5 – May 19
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 28 – May 12
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 28 – May 12
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 28 – May 12
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 24 – Sep 7
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 5 – Nov 9
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 21) and first fall frost (Oct 19) 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 63501 came on Mar 11 — 17 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 28).

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 Missouri

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

Trees 68

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 °Fbald cypress130 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −18 °F

Shrubs 82

alternateleaf 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 °FAmerican hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °FAmerican plum24 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 190

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 155

alkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid 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 °Fblister sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 10

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fcatbird grape30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −13 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °Fmuscadine30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −18 °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 Kirksville, MO.

Soil in Kirksville, MO

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 63501 is Leonard — silt loam, poorly drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.6neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter2.7%moderate
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classPrime farmland if drainedUSDA classification

Map unit: Leonard silt loam, 1 to 6 percent slopes, eroded.

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 63501; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Kirksville, MO

Summer high86 °Faverage high, July
Winter low15 °Faverage low, January
Hot days22days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights126nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,422base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 02 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 18 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation41.5 inper year, rain and melted snow

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 38 °F, low 19 °F 38°19° FebMarch: average high 51 °F, low 29 °F 51°29° MarApril: average high 62 °F, low 40 °F 62°40° AprMay: average high 72 °F, low 51 °F 72°51° MayJune: average high 81 °F, low 61 °F 81°61° JunJuly: average high 86 °F, low 66 °F 86°66° JulAugust: average high 84 °F, low 63 °F 84°63° AugSeptember: average high 77 °F, low 54 °F 77°54° SepOctober: average high 65 °F, low 43 °F 65°43° OctNovember: average high 51 °F, low 31 °F 51°31° NovDecember: average high 39 °F, low 21 °F 39°21° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 1.39 in precipitation 1.4 JanFebruary: 1.97 in precipitation 2.0 FebMarch: 2.73 in precipitation 2.7 MarApril: 4.12 in precipitation 4.1 AprMay: 5.39 in precipitation 5.4 MayJune: 5.31 in precipitation 5.3 JunJuly: 5.39 in precipitation 5.4 JulAugust: 4.04 in precipitation 4.0 AugSeptember: 3.93 in precipitation 3.9 SepOctober: 3.24 in precipitation 3.2 OctNovember: 2.32 in precipitation 2.3 NovDecember: 1.64 in precipitation 1.6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Kirksville, MO (3 mi away); precipitation: Kirksville 1.4 S, MO (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 6a.

635596a
Novinger, MO · 11 mi
635336a
Brashear, MO · 11 mi
635406a
Gibbs, MO · 11 mi
635496a
La Plata, MO · 12 mi
635466a
Greentop, MO · 13 mi
635446a
Green Castle, MO · 15 mi
635386a
Elmer, MO · 15 mi
635476a
Hurdland, MO · 16 mi

Missouri planting zones →

Questions about 63501

What planting zone is ZIP code 63501?

ZIP code 63501 (Kirksville, MO) 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 Kirksville, MO?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 63501 is April 21; after May 5 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Kirksville station.

When is the first frost in Kirksville, MO?

The median first fall frost near 63501 is October 19, giving a median frost-free growing season of 179 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 63501?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 24 – Mar 10 and set transplants outside around Apr 28 – May 12, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 63501 get?

About 41.5 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Kirksville 1.4 S station).

How hot do summers get in Kirksville, MO?

The average high peaks at 86 °F in July, with about 22 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 63501 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Leonard at the center of ZIP 63501: silt loam, poorly drained, pH about 6.6 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Kirksville, MO in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 63501 came on Mar 11 in 2026, 17 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 28), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Kirksville, MO?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 63501 is 15 h 02 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 63501 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 63501 in zone 5b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 6a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.