USDA zone 8b in Louisiana
USDA plant hardiness zone 8b covers 26 locations across Louisiana (average annual extreme minimum 15 to 20 °F): Ashland, LA, Bastrop, LA, Baton Rouge, LA, Belmont, LA, Benton, LA, Bienville, LA, and 20 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges February 28 (Baton Rouge) to March 30 (Lisbon), and growing seasons run 221–275 days (Lisbon to Marthaville) — even within one state, because hardiness sets winter survival, not planting dates. The table below gives every Louisiana location's own frost dates; the printable planting calendar uses Winnsboro, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 8b15 to 20 °F
- Last frost range
- Feb 28–Mar 30avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Nov 5–Dec 1avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 221–275days
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland | Goldonna, Ringgold, Hall Summit, Pleasant Hill, Castor, Saline, +1 more | Ashland | Mar 24 | Nov 7 | 229 |
| Bastrop | Sterlington, Bonita, Mer Rouge, Collinston, Oak Ridge | Bastrop | Mar 15 | Nov 12 | 241 |
| Baton Rouge | — | Lsu Ben-hur Farm | Feb 28 | Nov 26 | 272 |
| Belmont | Zwolle, Pleasant Hill | Many | Mar 20 | Nov 9 | 236 |
| Benton | — | Benton 5e | Mar 14 | Nov 14 | 246 |
| Bienville | Jonesboro, Mount Lebanon, Arcadia, Simsboro, Jamestown, Hodge, +1 more | Bienville 3 Ne | Mar 19 | Nov 9 | 237 |
| Choudrant | Calhoun, Eros, Chatham, Downsville | Calhoun Rsch Stn | Mar 28 | Nov 5 | 224 |
| Delhi | Eagle Bend, Richmond, Epps | Tallulah | Mar 2 | Nov 24 | 271 |
| Farmerville | Bernice, Spearsville | Farmerville | Mar 14 | Nov 16 | 246 |
| Lake Providence | Oak Grove, Forest, Pioneer | Lake Providence | Mar 5 | Nov 24 | 263 |
| Lisbon | Shongaloo, Haynesville, Homer, Athens, Junction, Cullen | Homer 1n | Mar 30 | Nov 6 | 221 |
| Mansfield | Grand Cane | Mansfield 4 Nw | Mar 8 | Nov 20 | 255 |
| Marion | — | Monroe 26 N | Mar 25 | Nov 5 | 226 |
| Marthaville | Campti, Powhatan | Natchitoches | Feb 28 | Dec 1 | 275 |
| Minden | Haughton, Sibley, Doyline, Cotton Valley, Heflin, Sarepta | Minden | Mar 17 | Nov 14 | 241 |
| Monroe | Claiborne, Swartz, Start, Bawcomville, Richwood, Rayville | Monroe Rgnl Ap | Mar 8 | Nov 15 | 253 |
| Olla | Midway, Tullos, Urania, Harrisonburg, Clarks, Trout | Jena | Mar 19 | Nov 12 | 238 |
| Ruston | Grambling, Dubach | Ruston La Tech | Mar 11 | Nov 16 | 248 |
| Shreveport | Bossier, Blanchard, Plain Dealing | Shreveport Dwtn Ap | Feb 28 | Nov 24 | 268 |
| Shreveport | Greenwood, Stonewall, Keachi, Gloster | Shreveport | Mar 9 | Nov 18 | 255 |
| Shreveport | Bossier, Haughton, Ringgold, Frierson | Red River Rsch Stn | Mar 6 | Nov 18 | 256 |
| Sikes | Clarks, Columbia | Columbia Lock | Mar 5 | Nov 22 | 263 |
| Tangipahoa | — | Amite | Mar 7 | Nov 18 | 257 |
| Vivian | Hosston, Gilliam, Oil, Belcher, Ida, Mooringsport | Mooringsport 1 N | Mar 6 | Nov 19 | 257 |
| Winnfield | Dodson, Calvin | Winnfield 3 N | Mar 13 | Nov 10 | 242 |
| Winnsboro * | Mangham, Gilbert, Harrisonburg, Wisner, Sicily Island | Winnsboro 5 Sse | Mar 10 | Nov 16 | 250 |
* Winnsboro 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 (Winnsboro, representative)
Computed from Winnsboro's average frost dates — the median-season location in this Louisianazone 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 13 – Jan 27 | Mar 17 – Mar 24 | May 16 – Jun 5 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Jan 1 – Jan 13 | Mar 24 – Mar 31 | May 23 – Jun 22 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Feb 10 – Feb 17 | Mar 17 – Mar 24 | May 6 – May 26 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | Mar 17 – Mar 24 | May 1 – May 16 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | Mar 17 – Mar 24 | May 6 – May 16 | Sep 17 – Sep 27 | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | May 9 – Jun 8 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Mar 17 – Mar 24 | Apr 16 – May 1 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Mar 27 – Apr 11 | Sep 3 – Sep 18 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Mar 23 – Apr 7 | Aug 24 – Sep 8 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Mar 8 – Mar 18 | Sep 13 – Sep 23 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Feb 17 – Feb 24 | Apr 18 – May 8 | Aug 14 – Sep 3 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Jan 13 – Jan 27 | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Apr 6 – Apr 26 | Aug 19 – Sep 8 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Winnsboro's own 250-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 (Winnsboro)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USC00169806. 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 | Mar 25 | Apr 11 | Nov 4 | Nov 21 | 224 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 10 | Mar 31 | Nov 16 | Dec 5 | 250 |
| 28°F | Feb 26 | Mar 16 | Dec 1 | Jan 1 | 280 |
| 24°F | Feb 4 | Mar 8 | Dec 24 | Jan 24 | 316 |
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 26 locations is 6,139; Winnsboro's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 6,400 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 9,648 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 8b in Louisiana
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. Louisiana spans 4 hardiness zones in this dataset — see all Louisiana locations for the full range, including zones9a, 9b, 10a.
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 Louisiana?
- Zone 8b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of 15 to 20 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 26 locations in Louisiana fall in this zone. It does not set planting dates; see the frost calendar below for that.
- Where in Louisiana's zone 8b is the growing season longest?
- Marthaville runs the longest season on this page at about 275 days; Lisbon is shortest at about 221 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 Louisiana's zone 8b?
- Using Winnsboro's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Jan 13 – Jan 27, then transplant outside about Mar 17 – Mar 24. 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 Louisiana'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 26 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.