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

Planting zone for 77563 — Hitchcock, TX

ZIP code 77563 (Hitchcock, Galveston County) is in USDA zone 9b: the coldest winter night averages 25 to 30 °F.

Where ZIP 77563 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 zone9a

Was 9a 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 9b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Hitchcock, TX…

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 Galveston Scholes Field, TX — 11 miles away, elevation 7 ft) the median growing season is 365 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 77563 came on Jan 15 — 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 22).

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 Texas

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

Trees 72

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °FArizona cypress50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °FArizona walnut50 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Shrubs 142

alderleaf mountain mahogany15 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −41 °Faloe yucca15 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −1 °FAmerican beautyberry6 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °FAmerican hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °FAmerican snowbell10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −16 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 212

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine mountainsorrel1 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °FAmerican 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 licorice4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Grasses 197

alkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °FArizona cottontop4 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −13 °FArizona fescue2 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −23 °FArizona threeawn2 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −3 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °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 Hitchcock, TX.

Soil in Hitchcock, TX

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 77563 is Leton — loam, poorly drained.

TextureLoama good balance for most vegetables
pH4.8strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter1%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupB/Dmoderate when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classPrime farmland if drainedUSDA classification

Map unit: Leton, occasionally flooded-Aris, rarely flooded complex, 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 77563; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Hitchcock, TX

Summer high92 °Faverage high, August
Winter low49 °Faverage low, January
Hot days66days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights2nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days8,235base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 01 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 16 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation62.8 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

40°50°60°70°80°90°100°January: average high 63 °F, low 49 °F 63°49° JanFebruary: average high 66 °F, low 52 °F 66°52° FebMarch: average high 72 °F, low 58 °F 72°58° MarApril: average high 78 °F, low 65 °F 78°65° AprMay: average high 84 °F, low 72 °F 84°72° MayJune: average high 90 °F, low 78 °F 90°78° JunJuly: average high 91 °F, low 80 °F 91°80° JulAugust: average high 92 °F, low 80 °F 92°80° AugSeptember: average high 89 °F, low 76 °F 89°76° SepOctober: average high 82 °F, low 69 °F 82°69° OctNovember: average high 72 °F, low 59 °F 72°59° NovDecember: average high 66 °F, low 52 °F 66°52° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″January: 5.32 in precipitation 5.3 JanFebruary: 2.69 in precipitation 2.7 FebMarch: 3.42 in precipitation 3.4 MarApril: 3.90 in precipitation 3.9 AprMay: 4.61 in precipitation 4.6 MayJune: 6.04 in precipitation 6.0 JunJuly: 5.39 in precipitation 5.4 JulAugust: 6.21 in precipitation 6.2 AugSeptember: 8.70 in precipitation 8.7 SepOctober: 5.86 in precipitation 5.9 OctNovember: 4.30 in precipitation 4.3 NovDecember: 6.36 in precipitation 6.4 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Galveston Scholes Field, TX (11 mi away); precipitation: La Marque 1.8 E, TX (6 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

775109b
Santa Fe, TX · 5 mi
775689b
La Marque, TX · 5 mi
775919b
Texas City, TX · 7 mi
775179b
Santa Fe, TX · 8 mi
7755210a
Galveston, TX · 8 mi
7755410a
Galveston, TX · 8 mi
7759010a
Texas City, TX · 9 mi
775399b
Dickinson, TX · 10 mi

Texas planting zones →

Questions about 77563

What planting zone is ZIP code 77563?

ZIP code 77563 (Hitchcock, TX) 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 77563 get?

About 62.8 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, La Marque 1.8 E station).

How hot do summers get in Hitchcock, TX?

The average high peaks at 92 °F in August, with about 66 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 77563 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Leton at the center of ZIP 77563: loam, poorly drained, pH about 4.8 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Hitchcock, TX in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 77563 came on Jan 15 in 2026, 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 22), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Hitchcock, TX?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 77563 is 14 h 01 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

Did the zone for 77563 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 77563 in zone 9a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 9b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.