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

Planting zone for 70128 — New Orleans, LA

ZIP code 70128 (New Orleans, Orleans County) is in USDA zone 9b: the coldest winter night averages 25 to 30 °F.

Where ZIP 70128 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.

Zone9b25 to 30 °F
Coldest night−3.9 to −1.1 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone9b

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 9b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for New Orleans, LA…

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

A 32 °F frost doesn't happen here in most winters. At the nearest station (NOAA station New Orleans Lakefront Airport, LA — 4 miles away, elevation 10 ft) the median growing season is 348 days. When frost does come, it is a midwinter night or two; cover tender plants when a freeze is forecast.

Frost data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 70128 came on Jan 11 — 12 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 23).

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 9b in Louisiana

519 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Louisiana, and rated by the USDA to survive 25 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 9b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 69

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 108

aloe yucca15 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −1 °FAmerican beautyberry6 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °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 170

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican century plant6 ft · blooms indeterminate · high shade tolerance · to 12 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican spongeplant0.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −24 °F

Grasses 150

American cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fbig cordgrass8 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −3 °F

Vines 14

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fcatbird grape30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −13 °Fcupseed30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium 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 New Orleans, LA.

Soil in New Orleans, LA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 70128 is Harahan — clay, poorly drained.

TextureClayholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH6.2slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter13.5%high
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Harahan clay, 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 70128; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in New Orleans, LA

Summer high91 °Faverage high, July
Winter low47 °Faverage low, January
Hot days86days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights2nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days7,759base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 05 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 12 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation60.1 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

40°50°60°70°80°90°100°January: average high 61 °F, low 47 °F 61°47° JanFebruary: average high 65 °F, low 51 °F 65°51° FebMarch: average high 71 °F, low 57 °F 71°57° MarApril: average high 78 °F, low 63 °F 78°63° AprMay: average high 85 °F, low 71 °F 85°71° MayJune: average high 89 °F, low 76 °F 89°76° JunJuly: average high 91 °F, low 78 °F 91°78° JulAugust: average high 91 °F, low 79 °F 91°79° AugSeptember: average high 87 °F, low 76 °F 87°76° SepOctober: average high 79 °F, low 67 °F 79°67° OctNovember: average high 70 °F, low 56 °F 70°56° NovDecember: average high 63 °F, low 50 °F 63°50° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″January: 5.26 in precipitation 5.3 JanFebruary: 4.08 in precipitation 4.1 FebMarch: 4.63 in precipitation 4.6 MarApril: 5.87 in precipitation 5.9 AprMay: 4.94 in precipitation 4.9 MayJune: 6.04 in precipitation 6.0 JunJuly: 6.29 in precipitation 6.3 JulAugust: 6.46 in precipitation 6.5 AugSeptember: 4.64 in precipitation 4.6 SepOctober: 3.64 in precipitation 3.6 OctNovember: 3.64 in precipitation 3.6 NovDecember: 4.63 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 4.6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: New Orleans Lakefront Airport, LA (4 mi away); precipitation: New Orleans Lakefront Airport, LA (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 9b.

701279b
New Orleans, LA · 2 mi
701269b
New Orleans, LA · 4 mi
700449b
Chalmette, LA · 5 mi
700439b
Chalmette, LA · 6 mi
700329b
Arabi, LA · 7 mi
701489b
New Orleans, LA · 7 mi
701179b
New Orleans, LA · 7 mi
701229b
New Orleans, LA · 7 mi

All 61 ZIP codes in New Orleans → · Louisiana planting zones →

Questions about 70128

What planting zone is ZIP code 70128?

ZIP code 70128 (New Orleans, LA) is in USDA hardiness zone 9b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 25 to 30 °F (−3.9 to −1.1 °C).

How much rain and snow does 70128 get?

About 60.1 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, New Orleans Lakefront Airport station).

How hot do summers get in New Orleans, LA?

The average high peaks at 91 °F in July, with about 86 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 70128 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Harahan at the center of ZIP 70128: clay, poorly drained, pH about 6.2 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in New Orleans, LA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 70128 came on Jan 11 in 2026, 12 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 23), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in New Orleans, LA?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 70128 is 14 h 05 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.