Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated Oct 29, 2026

Planting zone for 96709 — Kapolei, HI

ZIP code 96709 (Kapolei, Honolulu County) is in USDA zone 12b: the coldest winter night averages 55 to 60 °F.

Where ZIP 96709 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.

Zone12b55 to 60 °F

Coldest night12.8 to 15.6 °C

Last frostrare

First frostrare

2012 zone12b

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 12b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

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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

Frost is rare or absent here: Kapolei, HI is in zone 12b, where the coldest night of a typical winter stays above freezing. Cool-season vegetables grow best from fall through spring; summer heat, not frost, is the limit.

Native plants for zone 12b in Hawaii

37 plants native to Hawaii, recorded in Hawaii, and rated by the USDA to survive 55 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 12b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

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 Kapolei, HI.

Soil in Kapolei, HI

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 96709 is Mamala — cobbly silty clay loam, well drained.

TextureCobbly silty clay loamholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up

pH6.7neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0

DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class

Organic matter3%moderate

Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly

Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Coral outcrop.

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 96709; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Kapolei, HI

Summer high87 °Faverage high, July

Winter low62 °Faverage low, January

Hot days14days a year at 90 °F or more

Freezing nights0nights a year at 32 °F or less

Growing degree days9,228base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat

Longest day13 h 26 mindaylight on June 21

Shortest day10 h 50 mindaylight on December 21

Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb

Precipitation17.1 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

Precipitation by month inches

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Ewa Beach Usgs 702.2, HI (within 1 mile); precipitation: Ewa Beach Usgs 702.2, HI (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

Tripler Army Medical Center, HI · 8 mi

All 2 ZIP codes in Kapolei → · Hawaii planting zones →

Questions about 96709

What planting zone is ZIP code 96709?

ZIP code 96709 (Kapolei, HI) is in USDA hardiness zone 12b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 55 to 60 °F (12.8 to 15.6 °C).

How much rain and snow does 96709 get?

About 17.1 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Ewa Beach Usgs 702.2 station).

How hot do summers get in Kapolei, HI?

The average high peaks at 87 °F in July, with about 14 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 96709 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Mamala at the center of ZIP 96709: cobbly silty clay loam, well drained, pH about 6.7 (neutral).

What kind of onions grow in Kapolei, HI?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 96709 is 13 h 26 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.