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

Planting zone for 71261 — Mer Rouge, LA

ZIP code 71261 (Mer Rouge, Morehouse County) is in USDA zone 8b: the coldest winter night averages 15 to 20 °F. The median last spring frost is March 15 and the first fall frost November 12.

Where ZIP 71261 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.

Zone8b15 to 20 °F
Coldest night−9.4 to −6.7 °C
Last frostMar 15
First frostNov 12
2012 zone8b

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 8b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Mer Rouge, 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 Mer Rouge, LA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 15median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 3only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 12median — 10% chance by Oct 29
Growing season241 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 2 and returns around November 26.

From the NOAA station Bastrop, LA — 13 miles away, elevation 151 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 71261

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 1 – Feb 15
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 1 – Feb 22
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 4 – Jan 18
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Feb 22 – Mar 8
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Feb 15 – Mar 1
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Feb 22 – Mar 8
LettuceSow outdoors · Feb 15 – Mar 1
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Feb 22 – Mar 8
TomatoesStart indoors · Jan 18 – Feb 1
TomatoesTransplant · Mar 22 – Apr 5
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 4 – Jan 18
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Mar 29 – Apr 12
BeansSow outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 17 – Oct 1
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 29 – Dec 3
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 15) and first fall frost (Nov 12) 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 71261 came on Feb 1 — 3 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 4).

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 8b in Louisiana

503 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Louisiana, and rated by the USDA to survive 15 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 8b. 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 105

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 165

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 145

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 Mer Rouge, LA.

Soil in Mer Rouge, LA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 71261 is Rilla — silt loam, well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.6moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.25%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Rilla-Hebert silt loams complex, 0 to 3 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 71261; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Mer Rouge, LA

Summer high91 °Faverage high, July
Winter low34 °Faverage low, January
Hot days80days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights53nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days5,606base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 19 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 59 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation58.2 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 54 °F, low 34 °F 54°34° JanFebruary: average high 58 °F, low 37 °F 58°37° FebMarch: average high 67 °F, low 44 °F 67°44° MarApril: average high 74 °F, low 52 °F 74°52° AprMay: average high 81 °F, low 61 °F 81°61° MayJune: average high 88 °F, low 69 °F 88°69° JunJuly: average high 91 °F, low 72 °F 91°72° JulAugust: average high 91 °F, low 70 °F 91°70° AugSeptember: average high 86 °F, low 64 °F 86°64° SepOctober: average high 76 °F, low 52 °F 76°52° OctNovember: average high 64 °F, low 42 °F 64°42° NovDecember: average high 56 °F, low 36 °F 56°36° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″January: 5.82 in precipitation 5.8 JanFebruary: 5.19 in precipitation 5.2 FebMarch: 4.76 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 4.8 MarApril: 6.46 in precipitation 6.5 AprMay: 4.91 in precipitation 4.9 MayJune: 3.97 in precipitation 4.0 JunJuly: 4.19 in precipitation 4.2 JulAugust: 3.66 in precipitation 3.7 AugSeptember: 3.60 in precipitation 3.6 SepOctober: 5.72 in precipitation 5.7 OctNovember: 4.47 in precipitation 4.5 NovDecember: 5.45 in precipitation 5.5 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Bastrop, LA (13 mi away); precipitation: Oak Ridge, LA (12 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 8b.

712238b
Bonita, LA · 8 mi
712218b
Bastrop, LA · 10 mi
712648b
Oak Ridge, LA · 13 mi
712668b
Pioneer, LA · 13 mi
712208b
Bastrop, LA · 14 mi
712508b
Jones, LA · 14 mi
712298b
Collinston, LA · 16 mi
712428b
Forest, LA · 16 mi

Louisiana planting zones →

Questions about 71261

What planting zone is ZIP code 71261?

ZIP code 71261 (Mer Rouge, LA) is in USDA hardiness zone 8b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 15 to 20 °F (−9.4 to −6.7 °C).

When is the last frost in Mer Rouge, LA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 71261 is March 15; after April 3 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Bastrop station.

When is the first frost in Mer Rouge, LA?

The median first fall frost near 71261 is November 12, giving a median frost-free growing season of 241 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 71261?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Jan 18 – Feb 1 and set transplants outside around Mar 22 – Apr 5, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 71261 get?

About 58.2 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Oak Ridge station).

How hot do summers get in Mer Rouge, LA?

The average high peaks at 91 °F in July, with about 80 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 71261 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Rilla at the center of ZIP 71261: silt loam, well drained, pH about 5.6 (moderately acidic).

Did spring come early in Mer Rouge, LA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 71261 came on Feb 1 in 2026, 3 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 4), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Mer Rouge, LA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 71261 is 14 h 19 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.