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

Planting zone for 96716 — Hanapepe, HI

ZIP code 96716 (Hanapepe, Kauai County) is in USDA zone 12b: the coldest winter night averages 55 to 60 °F.

Where ZIP 96716 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.

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

Loading the forecast for Hanapepe, HI…

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 Kanalohuluhulu 1075, HI — 16 miles away, elevation 3,599 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.

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.

Trees 7

Chamisso's manfern10 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to 40 °Fhapu'u8 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to 40 °FHawai'i pritchardia60 ft · medium shade tolerance · to 40 °FKamalo pritchardia16 ft · medium shade tolerance · to 40 °Fkoa110 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to 31 °Fkoaoha40 ft · blooms early spring · high shade tolerance · to 25 °F

Shrubs 12

'ala'a40 ft · medium shade tolerance · to 40 °F'ohi'a lehua65 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to 22 °Fbeach naupaka10 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to 31 °FGaudichaud's senna2 ft · to 40 °FHawai'i desert-thorn1 ft · blooms summer · medium shade tolerance · to 40 °FHawai'i hawthorn12 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to 35 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 8

bayhops1 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to 17 °Fbeach strawberry0.8 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fcommon duckmeatblooms late summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Fcommon maidenhair1.7 ft · blooms summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Flongleaf pondweedblooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Fsalt heliotrope1.2 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °F

Grasses 10

blunt spikerush1.6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to 37 °Fcosmopolitan bulrush3 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −23 °Ffragrant flatsedge2 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to 42 °Fkawelu3 ft · high shade tolerance · to 40 °Fmanyspike flatsedge1.6 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to 47 °Fovate spikerush1.5 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to 47 °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 Hanapepe, HI.

Soil in Hanapepe, HI

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 96716 is Makaweli — silty clay loam, well drained.

TextureSilty clay loamholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH6.1slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter3.5%moderate
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classPrime farmland if irrigatedUSDA classification

Map unit: Makaweli silty clay loam, 0 to 6 percent slopes, MLRA 158.

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 96716; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Hanapepe, HI

Summer high87 °Faverage high, August
Winter low64 °Faverage low, January
Hot days13days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights0nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days9,492base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day13 h 28 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 48 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation23.4 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

50°60°70°80°90°100°January: average high 80 °F, low 64 °F 80°64° JanFebruary: average high 80 °F, low 65 °F 80°65° FebMarch: average high 80 °F, low 65 °F 80°65° MarApril: average high 81 °F, low 67 °F 81°67° AprMay: average high 83 °F, low 69 °F 83°69° MayJune: average high 85 °F, low 71 °F 85°71° JunJuly: average high 86 °F, low 72 °F 86°72° JulAugust: average high 87 °F, low 72 °F 87°72° AugSeptember: average high 87 °F, low 72 °F 87°72° SepOctober: average high 86 °F, low 71 °F 86°71° OctNovember: average high 83 °F, low 69 °F 83°69° NovDecember: average high 81 °F, low 67 °F 81°67° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 2.12 in precipitation 2.1 JanFebruary: 2.40 in precipitation 2.4 FebMarch: 3.86 in precipitation 3.9 MarApril: 1.32 in precipitation 1.3 AprMay: 1.37 in precipitation 1.4 MayJune: 0.60 in precipitation 0.6 JunJuly: 0.73 in precipitation 0.7 JulAugust: 0.72 in precipitation 0.7 AugSeptember: 1.16 in precipitation 1.2 SepOctober: 2.86 in precipitation 2.9 OctNovember: 2.09 in precipitation 2.1 NovDecember: 4.17 in precipitation 4.2 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Makaweli 965, HI (2 mi away); precipitation: Makaweli 965, HI (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

9674712b
Kaumakani, HI · 2 mi
9670512b
Eleele, HI · 2 mi
9676912a
Makaweli, HI · 4 mi
9679612b
Waimea, HI · 6 mi
9674112a
Kalaheo, HI · 6 mi
9676512a
Lawai, HI · 7 mi
9675612b
Koloa, HI · 9 mi
9676612a
Lihue, HI · 14 mi

Hawaii planting zones →

Questions about 96716

What planting zone is ZIP code 96716?

ZIP code 96716 (Hanapepe, 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 96716 get?

About 23.4 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Makaweli 965 station).

How hot do summers get in Hanapepe, HI?

The average high peaks at 87 °F in August, with about 13 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 96716 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Makaweli at the center of ZIP 96716: silty clay loam, well drained, pH about 6.1 (slightly acidic).

What kind of onions grow in Hanapepe, HI?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 96716 is 13 h 28 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.