USDA zone 8b in Alabama
USDA plant hardiness zone 8b covers 43 locations across Alabama (average annual extreme minimum 15 to 20 °F): Abbeville, AL, Aliceville, AL, Atmore, AL, Auburn, AL, Birmingham, AL, Birmingham, AL, and 37 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges February 21 (Saraland) to March 31 (Rutledge), and growing seasons run 220–292 days (Rutledge to Saraland) — even within one state, because hardiness sets winter survival, not planting dates. The table below gives every Alabama location's own frost dates; the printable planting calendar uses Moundville, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 8b15 to 20 °F
- Last frost range
- Feb 21–Mar 31avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Nov 5–Dec 6avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 220–292days
Locations in this group
Every location below shares this zone and a nearby weather station, but keeps its own frost dates — find your town for its own numbers, or use the ZIP planner on the home page for an instant personalized answer.
| Location | Also covers | Nearest station | Last frost | First frost | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbeville | Fort Gaines | Ft Gaines 2 | Mar 13 | Nov 21 | 256 |
| Aliceville | — | Aliceville | Mar 24 | Nov 8 | 230 |
| Atmore | Carlton, Frisco, Century, Excel, Uriah | Atmore | Feb 28 | Nov 27 | 270 |
| Auburn | Opelika, Notasulga, Loachapoka, Hurtsboro | Opelika | Mar 29 | Nov 5 | 223 |
| Birmingham | Hoover, Bessemer, Vance, Pleasant Grove, Woodstock, Fairfield, +2 more | Bessemer 3 Wsw | Mar 23 | Nov 10 | 231 |
| Birmingham | Hoover, Brook Highland | Birmingham Ap | Mar 21 | Nov 11 | 236 |
| Brewton | Flomaton | Brewton 3 Ene | Mar 15 | Nov 15 | 246 |
| Camden | Boykin, Catherine, Oak Hill | Camden 3 Nw | Mar 18 | Nov 11 | 241 |
| Citronelle | Chatom, Gilbertown, St. Stephens, Millry, Sims Chapel, Silas, +5 more | Chatom | Mar 26 | Nov 8 | 228 |
| Clayton | Midway, Blue Springs, Louisville | Clayton | Mar 11 | Nov 19 | 254 |
| Creola | Perdido, Stockton, Axis, Calvert, Movico, Bucks | Bay Minette | Feb 28 | Nov 25 | 272 |
| Demopolis | Livingston, Pennington, Bellamy, Linden, Forkland, Myrtlewood, +1 more | Demopolis L&d | Mar 16 | Nov 14 | 241 |
| Eclectic | — | Alexander City | Mar 26 | Nov 8 | 227 |
| Enterprise | Elba, Fort Rucker, New Brockton, Kinston, Clayhatchee, Coffee Springs | Enterprise 4 W | Mar 9 | Nov 21 | 260 |
| Epes | Boligee, Scooba, Gainesville, Union, Panola, Emelle | Gainesville Lock | Mar 19 | Nov 8 | 239 |
| Eufaula | Lumpkin, Hurtsboro | Eufaula Wildlife Ref | Mar 21 | Nov 11 | 239 |
| Evergreen | McKenzie, Oak Hill | Evergreen | Mar 13 | Nov 19 | 253 |
| Florala | — | Florala Muni Ap | Mar 4 | Nov 26 | 265 |
| Geneva | Westville, Hartford, Black, Samson | Geneva #2 | Mar 23 | Nov 7 | 231 |
| Greenville | Georgiana, Rutledge, Fort Deposit, Brantley, Pine Apple, Oak Hill | Greenville | Mar 28 | Nov 7 | 224 |
| Jackson | Leroy, St. Stephens, Grove Hill, Frisco, Rockville, Malcolm, +1 more | Jackson | Mar 18 | Nov 12 | 239 |
| Jemison | Maplesville | Thorsby Exp Stn | Mar 21 | Nov 11 | 235 |
| Marbury | Holtville, Deatsville, Maplesville, Billingsley | Clanton | Mar 24 | Nov 10 | 233 |
| Monroeville | Castleberry, Beatrice, Repton, Peterman | Evergreen Middleton Fld | Mar 10 | Nov 17 | 251 |
| Monroeville | Thomasville, Putnam, Coffeeville, Pine Hill, Fulton, Sweet Water, +6 more | Thomasville | Mar 10 | Nov 21 | 257 |
| Montgomery | Prattville, Pine Level, Millbrook, Autaugaville, Coosada, Elmore, +4 more | Montgomery Ap | Mar 13 | Nov 13 | 244 |
| Montgomery | Pike Road, Emerald Mountain | Montgomery 6sw | Mar 4 | Nov 18 | 262 |
| Moundville * | Greensboro, Newbern, Akron | Greensboro | Mar 18 | Nov 12 | 240 |
| Opp | Andalusia, River Falls, Laurel Hill, Dozier, Red Level, Carolina | Andalusia 3 W | Mar 25 | Nov 9 | 230 |
| Ozark | Newton, Newville | Dothan Rgnl Ap | Mar 1 | Nov 24 | 270 |
| Pelham | Chelsea, Alabaster, Calera, Columbiana, Pea Ridge | Alabaster Shelby Co Ap | Mar 12 | Nov 16 | 248 |
| Phenix | — | Ft Benning Lawson Fld | Mar 26 | Nov 8 | 228 |
| Redland | Tuskegee, Tallassee, Wetumpka, Shorter, Fitzpatrick | Milstead | Mar 25 | Nov 8 | 228 |
| Rutledge | Fort Deposit, Petrey | Highland Home | Mar 31 | Nov 5 | 220 |
| Saraland | — | Mobile Dwtn Ap | Feb 21 | Dec 6 | 292 |
| Selmont-West Selmont | Billingsley, Benton | Selma | Mar 8 | Nov 18 | 254 |
| Smiths Station | — | Mulberry Grove | Mar 21 | Nov 18 | 243 |
| Troy | Brundidge, New Brockton, Ariton, Goshen, Banks, Glenwood | Troy | Mar 10 | Nov 21 | 257 |
| Tuscaloosa | Northport, Coaling, Moundville, Cottondale, Coker, Union | Tuscaloosa Acfd | Mar 12 | Nov 15 | 250 |
| Union Springs | Fitzpatrick, Banks, Hurtsboro | Union Springs 9 S | Mar 25 | Nov 6 | 226 |
| Valley Grande | Uniontown, Marion, Orrville | Marion Junction 2 Ne | Mar 19 | Nov 9 | 238 |
| Vance | Brookwood | Bankhead L&d | Mar 20 | Nov 11 | 235 |
| Whatley | — | Whatley | Mar 22 | Nov 8 | 231 |
* Moundville is this group's median-season location — the calendar below is computed from its data.
Data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (public domain) and USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Planting windows synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides.
Planting calendar (Moundville, representative)
Computed from Moundville's average frost dates — the median-season location in this Alabamazone 8b group. hatched = start seeds indoors, solid green = plant out, teal = a fall sowing, and the terracotta dot marks the estimated first harvest. Ranges are extension-guide planning guidance, not guarantees — your own location's dates may run a week or two earlier or later (see the table above).
- Start indoors
- Plant out
- Fall sowing
- First harvest
| Crop | Frost tolerance | Start indoors | Plant out | First harvest | Fall planting | Season fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Tender | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 25 – Apr 1 | May 24 – Jun 13 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | Apr 1 – Apr 8 | May 31 – Jun 30 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Feb 18 – Feb 25 | Mar 25 – Apr 1 | May 14 – Jun 3 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | Mar 25 – Apr 1 | May 9 – May 24 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | Mar 25 – Apr 1 | May 14 – May 24 | Sep 13 – Sep 23 | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | May 17 – Jun 16 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 25 – Apr 1 | Apr 24 – May 9 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 4 – Apr 19 | Aug 30 – Sep 14 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 31 – Apr 15 | Aug 20 – Sep 4 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 16 – Mar 26 | Sep 9 – Sep 19 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Feb 25 – Mar 4 | Apr 26 – May 16 | Aug 10 – Aug 30 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 14 – May 4 | Aug 15 – Sep 4 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Moundville's own 240-day growing season (32°F, NOAA 1991–2020 median) against each crop's real days-to-maturity range: 12 of 12 crops mature here with comfortable margin. A different location in the table above with a longer or shorter season will get a different mix — the ZIP planner on the home page gives your own.
Frost & freeze dates (Moundville)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USC00013511. The median (p50) is the average date; the 90%-safe column is the date the freeze has passed in about 9 years out of 10 — the conservative date to plant after or harvest before.
| Threshold | Last spring — avg | Last spring — 90%-safe | First fall — avg | First fall — 90%-safe | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 2 | Apr 19 | Nov 1 | Nov 17 | 215 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 18 | Apr 6 | Nov 12 | Dec 1 | 240 |
| 28°F | Mar 3 | Mar 26 | Nov 24 | Dec 21 | 266 |
| 24°F | Feb 14 | Mar 15 | Dec 11 | Jan 13 | 301 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days (GDD) accumulate warmth above a base temperature over the year — a better predictor of crop development than the calendar alone. This group's median GDD (base 50°F) across all 43 locations is 5,940; Moundville's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 5,676 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 8,900 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 8b in Alabama
Zone 8b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of about 15 to 20 °F on the USDA's 2023 map — the number that tells you which perennials, shrubs, and trees reliably survive an average winter here. It does not set your planting dates, which come from the frost calendar above. Alabama spans 5 hardiness zones in this dataset — see all Alabama locations for the full range, including zones7b, 8a, 9a, 9b.
Explore zone 8b in other states at zone 8b, or see all USDA hardiness zones.
Frequently asked questions
- What does USDA hardiness zone 8b mean in Alabama?
- Zone 8b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of 15 to 20 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 43 locations in Alabama fall in this zone. It does not set planting dates; see the frost calendar below for that.
- Where in Alabama's zone 8b is the growing season longest?
- Saraland runs the longest season on this page at about 292 days; Rutledge is shortest at about 220 days — they share the same hardiness zone, but they sit at different weather stations, so their frost calendars differ.
- When should I plant tomatoes in Alabama's zone 8b?
- Using Moundville's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Jan 21 – Feb 4, then transplant outside about Mar 25 – Apr 1. Your own location in the table above may differ by a week or two — use the ZIP planner on the home page for your exact station's dates.
- Does every location in Alabama's zone 8b have the same frost dates?
- No — they do not all share a weather station, so frost dates vary by a week or more across the 43 locations listed (see the table above for each location's own dates).
Sources & method
Frost, freeze, growing-season, and growing-degree-day figures are NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, one reading per location's own nearest station (see the table above). The hardiness zone is the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023, matched to each location's ZIP. Planting windows are computed by counting from the average last and first frost using per-crop offsets synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides — the full method and citations are on the methodology page.