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

Planting zone for 96768 — Makawao, HI

ZIP code 96768 (Makawao, Maui County) is in USDA zone 12a: the coldest winter night averages 50 to 55 °F.

Where ZIP 96768 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.

Zone12a50 to 55 °F
Coldest night10 to 12.8 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone12a

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 12a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Makawao, 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

Frost is rare or absent here: Makawao, HI is in zone 12a, 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 12a in Hawaii

37 plants native to Hawaii, recorded in Hawaii, and rated by the USDA to survive 50 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 12a. 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 Makawao, HI.

Soil in Makawao, HI

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 96768 is Olinda — loam, well drained.

TextureLoama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.3slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter13%high
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Olinda loam, 12 to 20 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 96768; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Makawao, HI

Summer high76 °Faverage high, August
Winter low53 °Faverage low, January
Hot days0days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights0nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days5,063base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day13 h 24 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 52 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation77.4 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

40°50°60°70°80°90°January: average high 68 °F, low 53 °F 68°53° JanFebruary: average high 68 °F, low 53 °F 68°53° FebMarch: average high 69 °F, low 53 °F 69°53° MarApril: average high 70 °F, low 54 °F 70°54° AprMay: average high 71 °F, low 56 °F 71°56° MayJune: average high 73 °F, low 57 °F 73°57° JunJuly: average high 75 °F, low 58 °F 75°58° JulAugust: average high 76 °F, low 59 °F 76°59° AugSeptember: average high 75 °F, low 59 °F 75°59° SepOctober: average high 74 °F, low 58 °F 74°58° OctNovember: average high 72 °F, low 57 °F 72°57° NovDecember: average high 70 °F, low 55 °F 70°55° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″10″January: 6.25 in precipitation 6.3 JanFebruary: 5.90 in precipitation 5.9 FebMarch: 10.05 in precipitation 10.1 MarApril: 7.34 in precipitation 7.3 AprMay: 4.25 in precipitation 4.3 MayJune: 4.03 in precipitation 4.0 JunJuly: 5.88 in precipitation 5.9 JulAugust: 5.93 in precipitation 5.9 AugSeptember: 4.25 in precipitation 4.3 SepOctober: 5.99 in precipitation 6.0 OctNovember: 8.64 in precipitation 8.6 NovDecember: 8.86 in precipitation 8.9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Kula Branch Stn 324.5, HI (5 mi away); precipitation: Kuiaha 490.7, HI (4 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.

9678812a
Pukalani, HI · 3 mi
9670812a
Haiku, HI · 6 mi
9677912b
Paia, HI · 8 mi
9679012a
Kula, HI · 8 mi
9673212b
Kahului, HI · 11 mi
9675312b
Kihei, HI · 12 mi
9673312b
Kahului, HI · 12 mi
9671311b
Hana, HI · 14 mi

Hawaii planting zones →

Questions about 96768

What planting zone is ZIP code 96768?

ZIP code 96768 (Makawao, HI) is in USDA hardiness zone 12a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 50 to 55 °F (10 to 12.8 °C).

How much rain and snow does 96768 get?

About 77.4 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Kuiaha 490.7 station).

How hot do summers get in Makawao, HI?

The average high peaks at 76 °F in August, with about 0 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 96768 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Olinda at the center of ZIP 96768: loam, well drained, pH about 6.3 (slightly acidic).

What kind of onions grow in Makawao, HI?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 96768 is 13 h 24 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.