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

Planting zone for 70601 — Lake Charles, LA

ZIP code 70601 (Lake Charles, Calcasieu County) is in USDA zone 9a: the coldest winter night averages 20 to 25 °F. The median last spring frost is February 14 and the first fall frost December 7.

Where ZIP 70601 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.

Zone9a20 to 25 °F
Coldest night−6.7 to −3.9 °C
Last frostFeb 14
First frostDec 7
2012 zone9a

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 9a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Lake Charles, 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 in Lake Charles, LA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostFebruary 14median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMarch 11only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostDecember 7median — 10% chance by Nov 14
Growing season299 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around January 27 and returns around January 3.

From the NOAA station Lake Charles, LA — 7 miles away, elevation 13 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 70601

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Jan 3 – Jan 17
SpinachSow outdoors · Jan 3 – Jan 24
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Dec 6 – Dec 20
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Jan 24 – Feb 7
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Jan 17 – Jan 31
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Jan 24 – Feb 7
LettuceSow outdoors · Jan 17 – Jan 31
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Jan 24 – Feb 7
TomatoesStart indoors · Dec 20 – Jan 3
TomatoesTransplant · Feb 21 – Mar 7
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Dec 6 – Dec 20
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Feb 28 – Mar 14
BeansSow outdoors · Feb 21 – Mar 7
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Feb 21 – Mar 7
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Feb 21 – Mar 7
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Oct 12 – Oct 26
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 23 – Dec 28
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Feb 14) and first fall frost (Dec 7) 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 70601 came on Jan 11 — 14 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 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 9a in Louisiana

517 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Louisiana, and rated by the USDA to survive 20 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 9a. 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 168

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 Lake Charles, LA.

Soil in Lake Charles, LA

The center of ZIP 70601 is mapped as Urban land: 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 70601; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Lake Charles, LA

Summer high93 °Faverage high, August
Winter low43 °Faverage low, January
Hot days89days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights11nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days7,393base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 06 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
Precipitation61.6 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 63 °F, low 43 °F 63°43° JanFebruary: average high 67 °F, low 47 °F 67°47° FebMarch: average high 73 °F, low 53 °F 73°53° MarApril: average high 79 °F, low 59 °F 79°59° AprMay: average high 85 °F, low 67 °F 85°67° MayJune: average high 91 °F, low 74 °F 91°74° JunJuly: average high 92 °F, low 76 °F 92°76° JulAugust: average high 93 °F, low 75 °F 93°75° AugSeptember: average high 89 °F, low 71 °F 89°71° SepOctober: average high 82 °F, low 60 °F 82°60° OctNovember: average high 72 °F, low 51 °F 72°51° NovDecember: average high 65 °F, low 45 °F 65°45° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″January: 6.09 in precipitation 6.1 JanFebruary: 3.91 in precipitation 3.9 FebMarch: 3.67 in precipitation 3.7 MarApril: 4.49 in precipitation 4.5 AprMay: 5.66 in precipitation 5.7 MayJune: 7.00 in precipitation 7.0 JunJuly: 6.38 in precipitation 6.4 JulAugust: 5.66 in precipitation 5.7 AugSeptember: 5.06 in precipitation 5.1 SepOctober: 4.40 in precipitation 4.4 OctNovember: 4.33 in precipitation 4.3 NovDecember: 4.92 in precipitation 4.9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Lake Charles, LA (7 mi away); precipitation: Lake Charles 2 N, LA (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

2 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

706699a
Westlake, LA · 4 mi
706159a
Lake Charles, LA · 6 mi
706029a
Lake Charles, LA · 7 mi
706069b
Lake Charles, LA · 7 mi
706129a
Lake Charles, LA · 7 mi
706169a
Lake Charles, LA · 7 mi
706649a
Sulphur, LA · 7 mi
706059b
Lake Charles, LA · 8 mi

All 9 ZIP codes in Lake Charles → · Louisiana planting zones →

Questions about 70601

What planting zone is ZIP code 70601?

ZIP code 70601 (Lake Charles, LA) is in USDA hardiness zone 9a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 20 to 25 °F (−6.7 to −3.9 °C).

When is the last frost in Lake Charles, LA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 70601 is February 14; after March 11 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Lake Charles station.

When is the first frost in Lake Charles, LA?

The median first fall frost near 70601 is December 7, giving a median frost-free growing season of 299 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 70601?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Dec 20 – Jan 3 and set transplants outside around Feb 21 – Mar 7, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 70601 get?

About 61.6 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Lake Charles 2 N station).

How hot do summers get in Lake Charles, LA?

The average high peaks at 93 °F in August, with about 89 days a year at 90 °F or more.

Did spring come early in Lake Charles, LA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 70601 came on Jan 11 in 2026, 14 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 25), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Lake Charles, LA?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 70601 is 14 h 06 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.