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

Planting zone for 85253 — Paradise Valley, AZ

ZIP code 85253 (Paradise Valley, Maricopa County) is in USDA zone 10a: the coldest winter night averages 30 to 35 °F.

Where ZIP 85253 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.

Zone10a30 to 35 °F
Coldest night−1.1 to 1.7 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone9b

Was 9b 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 10a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Paradise Valley, AZ…

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 Scottsdale Municipal Airport, AZ — 6 miles away, elevation 1,473 ft) the median growing season is 353 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 85253 came on Jan 18 — 5 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 10a in Arizona

506 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Arizona, and rated by the USDA to survive 30 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 10a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 27

Arizona cypress50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °FArizona madrone30 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −4 °FArizona sycamore80 ft · blooms early spring · high shade tolerance · to −8 °FArizona walnut50 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −33 °Fblack locust60 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −37 °Fblue spruce100 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Shrubs 118

alderleaf mountain mahogany15 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −41 °FAmerican plum24 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican tarwort3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −23 °Fantelope bitterbrush6 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −36 °FApache plume6 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −23 °Fbig sagebrush4 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −43 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 199

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine bistort1 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine mountainsorrel1 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °FAmerican alpine speedwell1 ft · blooms summer · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °FAmerican bistort1.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican century plant6 ft · blooms indeterminate · high shade tolerance · to 12 °F

Grasses 153

alkali cordgrass3 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine timothy1.4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °Fanalogue sedge1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °FArizona cottontop4 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −13 °FArizona fescue2 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −23 °F

Vines 1

western white clematis1 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °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 Paradise Valley, AZ.

Soil in Paradise Valley, AZ

The center of ZIP 85253 is mapped as Rock 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 85253; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Paradise Valley, AZ

Summer high104 °Faverage high, July
Winter low43 °Faverage low, January
Hot days161days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights3nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days8,567base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 23 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 55 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation9.2 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°110°32 °FJanuary: average high 67 °F, low 43 °F 67°43° JanFebruary: average high 69 °F, low 46 °F 69°46° FebMarch: average high 76 °F, low 52 °F 76°52° MarApril: average high 83 °F, low 58 °F 83°58° AprMay: average high 92 °F, low 67 °F 92°67° MayJune: average high 102 °F, low 76 °F 102°76° JunJuly: average high 104 °F, low 83 °F 104°83° JulAugust: average high 103 °F, low 82 °F 103°82° AugSeptember: average high 98 °F, low 75 °F 98°75° SepOctober: average high 87 °F, low 63 °F 87°63° OctNovember: average high 75 °F, low 51 °F 75°51° NovDecember: average high 65 °F, low 43 °F 65°43° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″January: 1.15 in precipitation 1.1 JanFebruary: 1.29 in precipitation 1.3 FebMarch: 1.18 in precipitation 1.2 MarApril: 0.31 in precipitation 0.3 AprMay: 0.18 in precipitation 0.2 MayJune: 0.07 in precipitation 0.1 JunJuly: 0.65 in precipitation 0.7 JulAugust: 1.31 in precipitation 1.3 AugSeptember: 0.81 in precipitation 0.8 SepOctober: 0.64 in precipitation 0.6 OctNovember: 0.60 in precipitation 0.6 NovDecember: 0.97 in precipitation 1.0 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Scottsdale Municipal Airport, AZ (6 mi away); precipitation: Paradise Valley 2.4 Nne, AZ (2 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.

8501810a
Phoenix, AZ · 3 mi
8502810a
Phoenix, AZ · 4 mi
8525810a
Scottsdale, AZ · 4 mi
852519b
Scottsdale, AZ · 4 mi
852509b
Scottsdale, AZ · 4 mi
8526110a
Scottsdale, AZ · 4 mi
8526710a
Scottsdale, AZ · 4 mi
852719b
Scottsdale, AZ · 4 mi

Arizona planting zones →

Questions about 85253

What planting zone is ZIP code 85253?

ZIP code 85253 (Paradise Valley, AZ) is in USDA hardiness zone 10a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 30 to 35 °F (−1.1 to 1.7 °C).

How much rain and snow does 85253 get?

About 9.2 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Paradise Valley 2.4 Nne station).

How hot do summers get in Paradise Valley, AZ?

The average high peaks at 104 °F in July, with about 161 days a year at 90 °F or more.

Did spring come early in Paradise Valley, AZ in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 85253 came on Jan 18 in 2026, 5 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 23), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Paradise Valley, AZ?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 85253 is 14 h 23 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 85253 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 85253 in zone 9b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 10a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.