Benson, Arizona, sits in USDA hardiness zones 9a-10b — room for a real mix of vegetables, fruit, and perennials matched to the local frost calendar.
These conditions suit palo verde, citrus, jalapeno, and date palm — a starting list any specific site will trim or extend with its own soil, sun, and drainage.
Even in Benson, no two yards are alike.
A low spot, a south-facing slope, or a stand of trees moves the frost date and sun across a single Benson lot. 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.
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Quick Facts
USDA Zones
9a-10b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Jan 6
Town normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Dec 9
Town normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
City Area
27K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Benson. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Benson
Plants matched to Benson's USDA zones 9a-10b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Benson?
Too late for some crops, right on time for others — a growing season is a sequence, not a deadline. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 1; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Jan 6 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 9 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the calendar nearly circles: cool-season crops take the winter shift, and the next window is always close.
Growing Challenges in Arizona
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Extreme heat exceeding 110F stresses most plants
Desert gardens run on winter: plant to the October-March windows and give the summer holdouts afternoon shade.
Minimal rainfall requires drip irrigation
Drip plus a deep mulch layer is the desert baseline — it waters roots, not air, and cuts evaporation dramatically.
Caliche hardpan prevents root penetration without breaking through
Where caliche won't break, build up instead — a deep raised bed gives roots the depth the ground refuses.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Arizona, the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension is the authoritative local source.
Environmental Intelligence
Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.
Sources Checked
within ~10 miles of Benson
Severity Distribution
within ~10 miles of Benson
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Benson, Nitrate runs higher than the national average — 118 sites nearby. It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.
Nitrate: Nitrate contamination primarily comes from agricultural fertilizer runoff and failing septic systems.
Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).
Check your specific parcel in Benson
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
Benson Average
- ●USDA Zones 9a-10b
- ●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 specific parcel in Benson
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Benson, Arizona — 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 Benson, Arizona
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9a-10b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Jan 6 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Dec 9 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~337 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- Land Area: 27K acres (US Census TIGER 2025)
Zone data: USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Climate data: NOAA NCEI. Boundaries: US Census TIGER/Line 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zone is Benson, Arizona?
Benson sits in USDA hardiness zones 9a-10b, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.
Is it too late to plant in Benson?
Too late for some crops, right on time for others — a growing season is a sequence, not a deadline. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 1; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Jan 6 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 9 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the calendar nearly circles: cool-season crops take the winter shift, and the next window is always close.
When does frost risk typically end in Benson?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Benson typically lands around Jan 6, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — an earlier marker than the light-frost dates many planting charts quote. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost — light frosts can still bite for a few more weeks, so tender transplants usually wait another 2–3 weeks.
When is the first frost in Benson?
The first hard freeze (28°F) in Benson typically arrives around Dec 9, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — the point most tender summer crops finish. Lighter frosts usually reach a couple of weeks earlier, so watch the forecast from late summer on and harvest or cover tender plants before the first cold night.
What vegetables grow in Benson?
Benson's zones 9a-10b support a wide range — strong performers include Palo Verde, Citrus, Jalapeno, Date Palm, and Prickly Pear. 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 Benson, really?
Officially, Benson sits in USDA zones 9a-10b (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 Benson?
The federal record around Benson is a meaningful one — 172 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.
How do I protect my plants from frost in Benson?
As the season closes around the first 28°F hard freeze near Dec 9 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals), a few moves buy time: cover tender plants with floating row cover or an old sheet on still, clear nights, water the soil the afternoon before a freeze so it holds warmth overnight, and harvest frost-tender crops like tomatoes, peppers, and basil before the first hard night. Hardy greens and root crops shrug off light frost and often sweeten after it, so leave them in.
Everything on this page is a Benson 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.