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

Planting zone for 86429 — Bullhead City, AZ

ZIP code 86429 (Bullhead City, Mohave County) is in USDA zone 9b: the coldest winter night averages 25 to 30 °F.

Where ZIP 86429 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 zone10a

Was 10a on the 2012 map — half a zone colder 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 Bullhead City, 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 Laughlin, NV — 10 miles away, elevation 604 ft) the median growing season is 354 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 86429 came on Jan 18 — 9 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 27).

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 Arizona

499 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Arizona, and rated by the USDA to survive 25 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 9b. 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 113

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 152

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 Bullhead City, AZ.

Soil in Bullhead City, AZ

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 86429 is Huevi — extremely cobbly sandy loam, well drained.

TextureExtremely cobbly 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 matter0.5%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Huevi-Sunrock-Rock outcrop complex, 20 to 70 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 86429; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Bullhead City, AZ

Summer high110 °Faverage high, July
Winter low44 °Faverage low, December
Hot days173days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights3nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days8,869base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 32 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 46 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation5.3 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°110°120°32 °FJanuary: average high 65 °F, low 45 °F 65°45° JanFebruary: average high 69 °F, low 47 °F 69°47° FebMarch: average high 77 °F, low 51 °F 77°51° MarApril: average high 86 °F, low 57 °F 86°57° AprMay: average high 95 °F, low 66 °F 95°66° MayJune: average high 106 °F, low 75 °F 106°75° JunJuly: average high 110 °F, low 82 °F 110°82° JulAugust: average high 108 °F, low 81 °F 108°81° AugSeptember: average high 102 °F, low 74 °F 102°74° SepOctober: average high 89 °F, low 61 °F 89°61° OctNovember: average high 74 °F, low 51 °F 74°51° NovDecember: average high 64 °F, low 44 °F 64°44° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″January: 1.02 in precipitation 1.0 JanFebruary: 1.16 in precipitation 1.2 FebMarch: 0.75 in precipitation 0.8 MarApril: 0.17 in precipitation 0.2 AprMay: 0.04 in precipitation 0.0 MayJune: 0.04 in precipitation 0.0 JunJuly: 0.18 in precipitation 0.2 JulAugust: 0.43 in precipitation 0.4 AugSeptember: 0.32 in precipitation 0.3 SepOctober: 0.34 in precipitation 0.3 OctNovember: 0.32 in precipitation 0.3 NovDecember: 0.58 in precipitation 0.6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Laughlin, NV (10 mi away); precipitation: Laughlin, NV (10 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

8643010a
Bullhead City, AZ · 10 mi
864399b
Bullhead City, AZ · 11 mi
8644210a
Bullhead City, AZ · 14 mi
890299b
Laughlin, NV · 15 mi
864139a
Golden Valley, AZ · 15 mi
864318b
Chloride, AZ · 16 mi
8902810a
Laughlin, NV · 17 mi
864269b
Fort Mohave, AZ · 19 mi

All 4 ZIP codes in Bullhead City → · Arizona planting zones →

Questions about 86429

What planting zone is ZIP code 86429?

ZIP code 86429 (Bullhead City, AZ) 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 86429 get?

About 5.3 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Laughlin station).

How hot do summers get in Bullhead City, AZ?

The average high peaks at 110 °F in July, with about 173 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 86429 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Huevi at the center of ZIP 86429: extremely cobbly sandy loam, well drained, pH about 8.2 (alkaline).

Did spring come early in Bullhead City, AZ in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 86429 came on Jan 18 in 2026, 9 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 27), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Bullhead City, AZ?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 86429 is 14 h 32 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 86429 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 86429 in zone 10a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 9b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.