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

Planting zone for 63548 — Lancaster, MO

ZIP code 63548 (Lancaster, Schuyler County) is in USDA zone 5b: the coldest winter night averages −15 to −10 °F. The median last spring frost is April 16 and the first fall frost October 22.

Where ZIP 63548 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 16
First frostOct 22
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 Lancaster, 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 Lancaster, MO

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 plantsApril 30only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 22median — 10% chance by Oct 5
Growing season188 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 6 and returns around October 31.

From the NOAA station Bloomfield, IA — 14 miles away, elevation 860 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 63548

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 27 – Sep 10
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 8 – Nov 12
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 16) and first fall frost (Oct 22) 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 63548 came on Mar 11 — 18 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 29).

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 Missouri

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

Trees 66

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 78

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 181

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 149

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 8

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 °Fmuscadine30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −18 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low 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 Lancaster, MO.

Soil in Lancaster, MO

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 63548 is Armstrong — clay loam, somewhat poorly drained.

TextureClay loamholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH6.5neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter1.5%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Armstrong clay loam, 9 to 14 percent slopes, moderately 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 63548; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Lancaster, MO

Summer high86 °Faverage high, July
Winter low15 °Faverage low, January
Hot days22days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights128nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,456base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 04 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 16 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation40.5 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 32 °F, low 15 °F 32°15° JanFebruary: average high 37 °F, low 19 °F 37°19° FebMarch: average high 50 °F, low 30 °F 50°30° MarApril: average high 62 °F, low 41 °F 62°41° AprMay: average high 72 °F, low 52 °F 72°52° MayJune: average high 81 °F, low 62 °F 81°62° JunJuly: average high 86 °F, low 66 °F 86°66° JulAugust: average high 84 °F, low 64 °F 84°64° AugSeptember: average high 77 °F, low 55 °F 77°55° SepOctober: average high 64 °F, low 43 °F 64°43° OctNovember: average high 50 °F, low 31 °F 50°31° NovDecember: average high 37 °F, low 21 °F 37°21° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″January: 1.15 in precipitation 1.1 JanFebruary: 1.72 in precipitation 1.7 FebMarch: 2.19 in precipitation 2.2 MarApril: 3.75 in precipitation 3.8 AprMay: 6.13 in precipitation 6.1 MayJune: 5.07 in precipitation 5.1 JunJuly: 4.19 in precipitation 4.2 JulAugust: 4.36 in precipitation 4.4 AugSeptember: 4.75 in precipitation 4.8 SepOctober: 2.93 in precipitation 2.9 OctNovember: 2.65 in precipitation 2.6 NovDecember: 1.56 in precipitation 1.6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Bloomfield, IA (14 mi away); precipitation: Lancaster 0.2 Se, MO (2 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.

635415b
Glenwood, MO · 8 mi
635366a
Downing, MO · 8 mi
635616a
Queen City, MO · 9 mi
635355b
Coatsville, MO · 10 mi
635515b
Livonia, MO · 14 mi
635466a
Greentop, MO · 14 mi
525725b
Moulton, IA · 14 mi
635676a
Worthington, MO · 14 mi

Missouri planting zones →

Questions about 63548

What planting zone is ZIP code 63548?

ZIP code 63548 (Lancaster, MO) 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 Lancaster, MO?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 63548 is April 16; after April 30 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Bloomfield station.

When is the first frost in Lancaster, MO?

The median first fall frost near 63548 is October 22, giving a median frost-free growing season of 188 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 63548?

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 63548 get?

About 40.5 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Lancaster 0.2 Se station).

How hot do summers get in Lancaster, 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 63548 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Armstrong at the center of ZIP 63548: clay loam, somewhat poorly drained, pH about 6.5 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Lancaster, MO in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 63548 came on Mar 11 in 2026, 18 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 29), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Lancaster, MO?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 63548 is 15 h 04 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).