USDA zone 8b in Arkansas
USDA plant hardiness zone 8b covers 23 locations across Arkansas (average annual extreme minimum 15 to 20 °F): Alleene, AR, Ashdown, AR, El Dorado, AR, Elaine, AR, Eudora, AR, Genoa, AR, and 17 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges March 10 (Gillett) to March 31 (Magnolia), and growing seasons run 218–251 days (Magnolia to Gillett) — even within one state, because hardiness sets winter survival, not planting dates. The table below gives every Arkansas location's own frost dates; the printable planting calendar uses West Crossett, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 8b15 to 20 °F
- Last frost range
- Mar 10–Mar 31avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Nov 2–Nov 18avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 218–251days
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alleene | — | Dequeen | Mar 29 | Nov 5 | 222 |
| Ashdown | Wilton | Ashdown 4 Sse | Mar 24 | Nov 11 | 233 |
| El Dorado | Mount Holly, Lillie, Junction | El Dorado S Ar Rgnl Ap | Mar 24 | Nov 7 | 230 |
| Elaine | — | Helena | Mar 15 | Nov 16 | 246 |
| Eudora | Kilbourne | Eudora | Mar 13 | Nov 14 | 244 |
| Genoa | Fouke, Ogden | Texarkana Webb Fld | Mar 13 | Nov 13 | 246 |
| Gillett | Gunnison, Mellwood | Arkansas Post | Mar 10 | Nov 18 | 251 |
| Humnoke | — | Keo | Mar 21 | Nov 9 | 235 |
| Indian Bay | — | Saint Charles | Mar 17 | Nov 10 | 238 |
| Magnolia | Springhill, Waldo, Willisville, McNeil, Taylor, Emerson | Magnolia | Mar 31 | Nov 2 | 218 |
| McGehee | Dermott, Lake, Arkansas | Dermott 3 Ne | Mar 13 | Nov 10 | 242 |
| McNab | — | Hope 3 Ne | Mar 26 | Nov 6 | 226 |
| Monticello | Wilmar, Fountain Hill | Monticello Muni Ap | Mar 18 | Nov 12 | 238 |
| Norphlet | Strong, Calion, Hermitage | Calion L&d | Mar 18 | Nov 7 | 235 |
| Pine Bluff | Grady, Wabbaseka | Pine Bluff Grider Fld | Mar 13 | Nov 13 | 243 |
| Saratoga | — | Nashville | Mar 26 | Nov 9 | 227 |
| Stamps | Lewisville, Buckner, Bradley, Garland | Lewisville | Mar 19 | Nov 12 | 238 |
| Star | Grady, Gould | Cane Creek Sp | Mar 15 | Nov 17 | 246 |
| Stuttgart | DeWitt, Humphrey, Holly Grove, St. Charles, Almyra, Ulm, +1 more | Stuttgart 9 Ese | Mar 11 | Nov 17 | 250 |
| Wabbaseka | Sherrill | Pine Bluff | Mar 14 | Nov 16 | 245 |
| West Crossett * | Hamburg, Huttig, Hermitage | Crossett 2 Sse | Mar 18 | Nov 11 | 238 |
| Wilmot | Bonita, Portland, Parkdale, Montrose | Portland | Mar 14 | Nov 10 | 241 |
| Winchester | Mitchellville | Dumas | Mar 12 | Nov 14 | 245 |
* West Crossett 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 (West Crossett, representative)
Computed from West Crossett's average frost dates — the median-season location in this Arkansaszone 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 12 – Sep 22 | 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 29 – Sep 13 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 31 – Apr 15 | Aug 19 – Sep 3 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 16 – Mar 26 | Sep 8 – Sep 18 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Feb 25 – Mar 4 | Apr 26 – May 16 | Aug 9 – Aug 29 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 14 – May 4 | Aug 14 – Sep 3 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using West Crossett's own 238-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 (West Crossett)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USC00031730. 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 | 213 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 18 | Apr 6 | Nov 11 | Dec 1 | 238 |
| 28°F | Mar 3 | Mar 25 | Nov 26 | Dec 19 | 267 |
| 24°F | Feb 14 | Mar 10 | Dec 11 | Jan 11 | 300 |
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 23 locations is 5,614; West Crossett's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 6,147 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 9,320 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 8b in Arkansas
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. Arkansas spans 4 hardiness zones in this dataset — see all Arkansas locations for the full range, including zones7a, 7b, 8a.
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 Arkansas?
- Zone 8b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of 15 to 20 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 23 locations in Arkansas fall in this zone. It does not set planting dates; see the frost calendar below for that.
- Where in Arkansas's zone 8b is the growing season longest?
- Gillett runs the longest season on this page at about 251 days; Magnolia is shortest at about 218 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 Arkansas's zone 8b?
- Using West Crossett'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 Arkansas'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 23 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.