USDA zone 10a in Florida
USDA plant hardiness zone 10a covers 43 locations across Florida (average annual extreme minimum 30 to 35 °F): Alafaya, FL, Alva, FL, Bartow, FL, Belle Glade, FL, Buckhead Ridge, FL, Christmas, FL, and 37 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges January 20 (East Lake) to February 26 (Lake Placid), and growing seasons run 300–364 days (Lake Placid to Alva) — even within one state, because hardiness sets winter survival, not planting dates. The table below gives every Florida location's own frost dates; the printable planting calendar uses Bartow, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 10a30 to 35 °F
- Last frost range
- Jan 20–Feb 26avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Jan 4–Dec 22avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 300–364days
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alafaya | Ocoee, Pine Hills, Bithlo, Altamonte Springs, University, Winter Park, +13 more | Orlando Executive Ap | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Alva | Harbour Heights | Punta Gorda Charlotte Co Ap | Jan 22 | Jan 10 | 364 |
| Bartow * | Fort Meade, Highland, Bradley Junction, Homeland | Bartow 1se | Jan 24 | Jan 7 | 352 |
| Belle Glade | South Bay | S Bay 15 S | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Buckhead Ridge | — | Okeechobee | Jan 31 | Jan 11 | 355 |
| Christmas | Titusville, Mims, North Merritt Island, Cocoa, Port St. John, West Canaveral Groves, +3 more | Titusville | Jan 25 | Jan 13 | 362 |
| Clearwater | Largo, Safety Harbor, Feather Sound, South Highpoint | St Petersburg Intl Ap | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| East Lake | Clearwater, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Tarpon Springs, Oldsmar, Holiday, +5 more | Tarpon Spgs Sewage Plt | Jan 20 | Jan 9 | 354 |
| Edgewater | — | New Smyrna Bch - Marine Discov | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Everglades | — | Everglades | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Fellsmere | Sebastian, Vero Beach, Winter Beach, West Vero Corridor, Indian River Shores, Wabasso | Vero Beach 4se | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Florida Ridge | — | Vero Beach Intl Ap | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Four Corners | Bay Lake, Lake Butler, Polk | Clermont 9 S | Jan 29 | Jan 11 | 349 |
| Frostproof | Sebring | Avon Park 2 W | Jan 28 | Jan 8 | 343 |
| Indiantown | — | Canal Pt Usda | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Lake Placid | — | Archbold Bio Stn | Feb 26 | Dec 22 | 300 |
| Lake Wales | Dundee, Cypress Gardens, Lake Hamilton, Waverly, Hillcrest Heights | Mtn Lake | Feb 4 | Jan 4 | 332 |
| Lakeland | Lakeland Highlands | Lakeland 2 | Jan 26 | Jan 9 | 349 |
| Lakewood Ranch | Bradenton, Ellenton, Memphis, Samoset, Desoto Lakes | Bradenton 5 Ese | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Lehigh Acres | Immokalee, Ave Maria | Immokalee | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Lehigh Acres | North Fort Myers, Buckingham, Alva, Gateway, Florida Gulf Coast University | Ft Myers Page Fld Ap | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Montura | — | Big Cypress | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Moore Haven | — | Moore Haven Lock 1 | Jan 23 | Jan 11 | 361 |
| North Merritt Island | Cape Canaveral | Titusville 7 E | Jan 29 | Jan 16 | 353 |
| North Port | Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Charlotte Harbor, Burnt Store Marina | Punta Gorda 4 Ese | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| North Port | Old Miakka, Palmer Ranch, Lake Sarasota | Myakka Rvr Sp | Feb 1 | Jan 6 | 336 |
| North Port | Englewood, Venice, Laurel, Osprey, Plantation | Venice | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Orangetree | Verona Walk | Naples | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Orlando | Alafaya, Wedgefield, Southchase, Lake Mary Jane, Doctor Phillips, Conway, +1 more | Orlando Intl Ap | Jan 25 | Jan 10 | 355 |
| Oviedo | Winter Springs, Longwood | Orlando Sanford Ap | Jan 24 | Jan 9 | 352 |
| Palm Bay | Micco | Palm Bay | Jan 30 | Jan 11 | 343 |
| Palm Bay | Melbourne, Grant-Valkaria, Merritt Island, Rockledge, Malabar, Viera West, +5 more | Melbourne Wfo | Jan 24 | Jan 9 | 359 |
| Poinciana | Four Corners, St. Cloud, Kissimmee, Celebration, Buenaventura Lakes, Davenport, +4 more | Kissimmee 2 | Jan 28 | Jan 6 | 342 |
| Port LaBelle | — | La Belle | Feb 2 | Jan 8 | 339 |
| Port Orange | South Daytona, Daytona Beach Shores | Daytona Beach Intl Ap | Jan 30 | Jan 8 | 340 |
| Port St. Lucie | Fort Pierce, Lakewood Park, Indian River Estates, Fort Pierce South, St. Lucie | Ft Pierce | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Port St. Lucie | Indiantown, Palm | Stuart | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Riverview | Apollo Beach, Ruskin, Sun City Center, Gibsonton, Progress | Tampa Bay Area Wfo | Jan 20 | Jan 9 | 357 |
| Sarasota | Fruitville, Longboat Key, Bee Ridge, Bayshore Gardens, The Meadows, Siesta Key, +3 more | Sarasota Bradenton Ap | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| St. Petersburg | Pinellas Park, Bardmoor | St Petersburg | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Tampa | Town 'n' Country, Gibsonton, Palm River-Clair Mel, Citrus Park, Westchase, Carrollwood, +1 more | Tampa Intl Ap | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Winter Haven | Haines, Auburndale, Lake Alfred, Jan Phyl, Eagle Lake | Winter Haven Gilbert Ap | frost-free | frost-free | 365 |
| Yeehaw Junction | — | Kissimmee Prairie Preserve | Jan 30 | Jan 11 | 347 |
* Bartow 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 (Bartow, representative)
Computed from Bartow's average frost dates — the median-season location in this Floridazone 10a 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 1 | Jan 31 – Feb 7 | Apr 1 – Apr 21 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Jan 1 | Feb 7 – Feb 14 | Apr 8 – May 8 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Jan 1 – Jan 3 | Jan 31 – Feb 7 | Mar 22 – Apr 11 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | Jan 31 – Feb 7 | Mar 17 – Apr 1 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | Jan 31 – Feb 7 | Mar 22 – Apr 1 | — | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Mar 25 – Apr 24 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Jan 1 | Jan 31 – Feb 7 | Mar 2 – Mar 17 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Jan 1 | Jan 1 – Jan 10 | Feb 15 – Mar 2 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Jan 1 | Feb 25 – Mar 12 | — | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Jan 1 | Feb 10 – Feb 20 | — | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Jan 3 – Jan 10 | Mar 4 – Mar 24 | — | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Jan 1 | Jan 1 – Jan 10 | Feb 25 – Mar 17 | — | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Bartow's own 352-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 (Bartow)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USC00080478. 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 | Feb 6 | Mar 7 | Dec 30 | Jan 28 | 319 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Jan 24 | Feb 20 | Jan 7 | Feb 6 | 352 |
| 28°F | Jan 19 | Feb 8 | Jan 11 | Feb 6 | 365 |
| 24°F | — | — | — | — | 365 |
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 8,693; Bartow's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 8,459 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 12,087 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 10a in Florida
Zone 10a means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of about 30 to 35 °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. Florida spans 7 hardiness zones in this dataset — see all Florida locations for the full range, including zones8b, 9a, 9b, 10b, 11a, 11b.
Explore zone 10a in other states at zone 10a, or see all USDA hardiness zones.
Frequently asked questions
- What does USDA hardiness zone 10a mean in Florida?
- Zone 10a means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of 30 to 35 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 43 locations in Florida fall in this zone. It does not set planting dates; see the frost calendar below for that.
- Where in Florida's zone 10a is the growing season longest?
- Alva runs the longest season on this page at about 364 days; Lake Placid is shortest at about 300 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 Florida's zone 10a?
- Using Bartow's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Jan 1, then transplant outside about Jan 31 – Feb 7. 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 Florida's zone 10a 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.