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

Planting zone for 85740 — Tucson, AZ

ZIP code 85740 (Tucson, Pima County) is in USDA zone 9a: the coldest winter night averages 20 to 25 °F.

Where ZIP 85740 is

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 frostrare
First frostrare
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 Tucson, 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 Tucson WFO, AZ — 2 miles away, elevation 2,435 ft) the median growing season is 332 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 85740 came on Jan 23 — about the same time as 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 Arizona

492 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Arizona, and rated by the USDA to survive 20 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 9a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 26

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 109

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 197

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 151

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 Tucson, AZ.

Soil in Tucson, AZ

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 85740 is Cave — gravelly fine sandy loam, well drained.

TextureGravelly fine sandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH8.2alkaline; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter0.25%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Cave soils and urban land, 0 to 8 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 85740; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Tucson, AZ

Summer high101 °Faverage high, June
Winter low42 °Faverage low, January
Hot days155days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights5nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days7,843base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 16 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 02 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation12 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 66 °F, low 42 °F 66°42° JanFebruary: average high 69 °F, low 45 °F 69°45° FebMarch: average high 76 °F, low 50 °F 76°50° MarApril: average high 83 °F, low 56 °F 83°56° AprMay: average high 91 °F, low 64 °F 91°64° MayJune: average high 101 °F, low 73 °F 101°73° JunJuly: average high 100 °F, low 77 °F 100°77° JulAugust: average high 98 °F, low 76 °F 98°76° AugSeptember: average high 95 °F, low 72 °F 95°72° SepOctober: average high 86 °F, low 60 °F 86°60° OctNovember: average high 75 °F, low 50 °F 75°50° NovDecember: average high 65 °F, low 42 °F 65°42° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″January: 1.06 in precipitation 1.1 JanFebruary: 1.07 in precipitation 1.1 FebMarch: 0.69 in precipitation 0.7 MarApril: 0.27 in precipitation 0.3 AprMay: 0.17 in precipitation 0.2 MayJune: 0.36 in precipitation 0.4 JunJuly: 2.41 in precipitation 2.4 JulAugust: 2.15 in precipitation 2.1 AugSeptember: 1.32 in precipitation 1.3 SepOctober: 0.78 in precipitation 0.8 OctNovember: 0.61 in precipitation 0.6 NovDecember: 1.15 in precipitation 1.1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Tucson WFO, AZ (2 mi away); precipitation: Tucson 2.5 Wnw, AZ (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

857029b
Tucson, AZ · <1 mi
857039b
Tucson, AZ · <1 mi
857179b
Tucson, AZ · <1 mi
857209b
Tucson, AZ · <1 mi
857229b
Tucson, AZ · <1 mi
857259b
Tucson, AZ · <1 mi
857289b
Tucson, AZ · <1 mi
857319b
Tucson, AZ · <1 mi

All 53 ZIP codes in Tucson → · Arizona planting zones →

Questions about 85740

What planting zone is ZIP code 85740?

ZIP code 85740 (Tucson, AZ) 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).

How much rain and snow does 85740 get?

About 12 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Tucson 2.5 Wnw station).

How hot do summers get in Tucson, AZ?

The average high peaks at 101 °F in June, with about 155 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 85740 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Cave at the center of ZIP 85740: gravelly fine sandy loam, well drained, pH about 8.2 (alkaline).

Did spring come early in Tucson, AZ in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 85740 came on Jan 23 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Jan 25), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Tucson, AZ?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 85740 is 14 h 16 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.