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

Planting zone for 96839 — Honolulu, HI

ZIP code 96839 (Honolulu, Honolulu County) is in USDA zone 12b: the coldest winter night averages 55 to 60 °F.

Where ZIP 96839 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 zone12a

Was 12a on the 2012 map — half a zone warmer now. 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 Honolulu, 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: Honolulu, 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.

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 Honolulu, HI.

Soil in Honolulu, HI

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 96839 is Rock land — silty clay, well drained.

TextureSilty clayholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH7.0neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter4.5%moderate
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Rock land.

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 96839; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Honolulu, HI

Summer high81 °Faverage high, September
Winter low63 °Faverage low, January
Hot days0days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights0nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days8,170base 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
Precipitation63.1 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

50°60°70°80°90°January: average high 76 °F, low 63 °F 76°63° JanFebruary: average high 76 °F, low 63 °F 76°63° FebMarch: average high 76 °F, low 64 °F 76°64° MarApril: average high 76 °F, low 65 °F 76°65° AprMay: average high 78 °F, low 67 °F 78°67° MayJune: average high 78 °F, low 68 °F 78°68° JunJuly: average high 79 °F, low 70 °F 79°70° JulAugust: average high 80 °F, low 70 °F 80°70° AugSeptember: average high 81 °F, low 70 °F 81°70° SepOctober: average high 80 °F, low 69 °F 80°69° OctNovember: average high 78 °F, low 68 °F 78°68° NovDecember: average high 76 °F, low 65 °F 76°65° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″January: 4.88 in precipitation 4.9 JanFebruary: 4.76 in precipitation 4.8 FebMarch: 7.30 in precipitation 7.3 MarApril: 5.02 in precipitation 5.0 AprMay: 3.28 in precipitation 3.3 MayJune: 4.53 in precipitation 4.5 JunJuly: 4.82 in precipitation 4.8 JulAugust: 4.40 in precipitation 4.4 AugSeptember: 5.05 in precipitation 5.0 SepOctober: 5.34 in precipitation 5.3 OctNovember: 6.94 in precipitation 6.9 NovDecember: 6.81 in precipitation 6.8 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Manoa Lyon Arbo 785.2, HI (within 1 mile); precipitation: Manoa 712.1, HI (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 12b.

9682212b
Honolulu, HI · <1 mi
9680112b
Honolulu, HI · 1 mi
9681112b
Honolulu, HI · 1 mi
9684812b
Honolulu, HI · 1 mi
9682812b
Honolulu, HI · 2 mi
9681312b
Honolulu, HI · 2 mi
9682612b
Honolulu, HI · 2 mi
9682312b
Honolulu, HI · 2 mi

All 40 ZIP codes in Honolulu → · Hawaii planting zones →

Questions about 96839

What planting zone is ZIP code 96839?

ZIP code 96839 (Honolulu, 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 96839 get?

About 63.1 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Manoa 712.1 station).

How hot do summers get in Honolulu, HI?

The average high peaks at 81 °F in September, with about 0 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 96839 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Rock land at the center of ZIP 96839: silty clay, well drained, pH about 7.0 (neutral).

What kind of onions grow in Honolulu, HI?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 96839 is 13 h 26 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

Did the zone for 96839 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 96839 in zone 12a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 12b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.