Escambia County, in Alabama, sits in USDA hardiness zone 8b — a range where zone-matched perennials and frost-aware annual timing set what succeeds.
These conditions suit pecan, muscadine grape, okra, and collard greens — a starting list any specific site will trim or extend with its own soil, sun, and drainage.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring
Escambia County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Escambia County, so your frost dates and drainage aren't the county average. Enter your address and we'll score 1,112 plants against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
No card required · your full report in seconds
Quick Facts
USDA Zones
8b
Last Frost (state avg.)
Feb 28 - Apr 5
First Frost (state avg.)
Oct 25 - Nov 20
County Area
605K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Growing Season
Zone maps are averages across Escambia County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Escambia County
Across Escambia County, the ground is predominantly Ultisols, where Benndale, Orangeburg, and Troup are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a fine sandy loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 5.0–5.3, strongly acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group B soils.
Soil order
Ultisols
Drainage
Well drained
Prime farmland
38%
Hydric soils
18%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Escambia County
Plants matched to Escambia County's USDA zones 8b — each links to its full growing profile.
Growing Challenges in Alabama
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Heavy clay soils in the Piedmont region
Open clay with compost over time — or start above it in a raised bed and let the ground catch up underneath.
High humidity promotes fungal diseases
Airflow is the free fungicide: space generously, water at the base in the morning, and pick resistant varieties from your extension's list.
Fire ants are a persistent garden pest
Season-long baiting beats mound-by-mound whack-a-mole — your extension office publishes the current program that works.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Alabama, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Escambia County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Escambia County — 293 documented sites across 6 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 2 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
There's a meaningful federal record across Escambia County — worth a look before you plant food, not a reason to hold back from growing. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. A soil test before new food beds is the sensible precaution here, and the map shows exactly which sites sit where, so you can see what's actually near you.
Sources: EPA, USGS — 1.8M documented sites tracked nationwide across 9 federal source types.
Environmental Intelligence
Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.
Sources Checked
across Escambia County
Severity Distribution
across Escambia County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Escambia County, two things run higher than the national average — PFAS (6 sites) and Underground Storage Tanks (188 sites). It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.
PFAS: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are called "forever chemicals" because they do not biodegrade.
Underground Storage Tanks: Underground storage tanks are the single most common source of soil contamination near homes and gardens.
Test irrigation water source — this is the primary pathway for PFAS to reach garden crops.
Use raised beds with imported soil — this eliminates the primary soil-contact pathway.
Check your specific parcel in Escambia County
Get exact proximity distances to contamination sources for your specific parcel — plus soil, sun, drainage, and 1,112 plant recommendations.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
Your Specific Parcel Matters
Escambia County Average
- ●USDA Zones 8b
- ●Generic soil type for the area
- ●State-average frost dates
YOUR Parcel
- ✓Your exact hardiness zone
- ✓Your SSURGO soil type & pH
- ✓Your sun exposure, cast in 3D
See MY Growing Report
Read your parcel in Escambia County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Escambia County, Alabama — soil, sun, drainage, frost risk, and scored plant recommendations.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
Key Growing Facts for Escambia County, Alabama
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 8b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Spring Frost (state avg.): Feb 28 - Apr 5 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
- First Fall Frost (state avg.): Oct 25 - Nov 20 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 605K acres (US Census TIGER 2025)
Zone data: USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Climate data: NOAA NCEI. County boundaries: US Census TIGER/Line 2025.
Frost dates here are the Escambia County average. Low spots and tree cover move them by days on any one yard — see your exact frost windows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zone is Escambia County, Alabama?
Escambia County sits in USDA hardiness zone 8b, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.
When does frost risk typically end in Escambia County?
Escambia County follows Alabama's statewide frost window: last spring frost around Feb 28 - Apr 5 and first fall frost around Oct 25 - Nov 20, per NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020). Frost dates shift with elevation and local microclimate, so watch your own site's cold pockets.
What vegetables grow in Escambia County?
Escambia County's zone 8b supports a wide range — strong performers include Pecan, Muscadine Grape, Okra, Collard Greens, and Fig. What actually takes on any one site comes down to its soil, sun, and drainage, and we score each plant against the real conditions at your address.
Which hardiness zone is Escambia County, really?
Officially, Escambia County sits in USDA zone 8b (USDA PHZM 2023) — but a zone is a 30-year average of winter's coldest night across an area, and it can't see any one yard. A south-facing slope, a tree line, or a low frost pocket can shift a single site by half a zone either way, which is why neighboring gardeners often quote different numbers. We read the conditions at your exact address — soil, sun, slope, and frost — and score 1,112 plants against what's actually there.
Is the soil safe to grow vegetables in Escambia County?
The federal record around Escambia County is a meaningful one — 293 documented sites — so a soil test before new food beds is a sensible precaution here, not a reason to hold back from growing. Remember that proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard; the contamination map shows exactly what sits where.
Just moved to Escambia County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Escambia County sits in USDA zone 8b, which sets what survives winter; the statewide frost window runs about Feb 28 - Apr 5 to Oct 25 - Nov 20 (NOAA 30-year climate normals); and 293 documented sites sit on the federal record here, so a soil test before food beds is the smart first step. From there, matching plants to your actual soil and sun is the fun part.
Everything on this page is a Escambia County average. Your yard writes its own version — we read soil, sun, drainage, and frost at your exact address. Try it for 14 days — no card required.
Will It Grow Here?
Zone fit is the first question — each answer below reads Alabama's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.