Greenlee County, in Arizona, sits in USDA hardiness zone 8a — a range where zone-matched perennials and frost-aware annual timing set what succeeds.
On paper, palo verde, jalapeno, date palm, and prickly pear all suit these conditions — on the ground, soil, sun, and drainage make the final call.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Greenlee County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Greenlee 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
8a
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Feb 15
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Nov 24
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
1.2M acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Greenlee County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Greenlee County
Across Greenlee County, the ground is predominantly Aridisols, where Tubac, Sonoita, and Atascosa are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a gravelly sandy loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 6.7–8.2, slightly alkaline. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group C soils.
Soil order
Aridisols
Drainage
Well drained
Hydric soils
0%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Greenlee County
Plants matched to Greenlee County's USDA zones 8a — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Greenlee County?
Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 18; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 15 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 24 — 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.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Greenlee County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Greenlee County — 155 documented sites across 7 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.
Greenlee County carries one of the heavier federal records we track — and that's not a verdict on your yard. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis: nothing here says any particular parcel is affected. It does earn one concrete step — before food beds go in the ground, a professional soil test tells you exactly what you're working with, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well almost anywhere in the meantime.
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 Greenlee County
Severity Distribution
across Greenlee County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Greenlee County, Mining runs higher than the national average — 98 sites nearby. That's not a problem with your land — it's information about it.
Mining: Mining sites — both historic and active — can leach heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury) into soil and water for centuries after operations cease.
Test soil for heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury) — this is essential near any mining site.
Check your specific parcel in Greenlee 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
Greenlee County Average
- ●USDA Zones 8a
- ●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 Greenlee County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Greenlee County, 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 Greenlee County, Arizona
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 8a (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Feb 15 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 24 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~282 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 1.2M 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 Greenlee 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 Greenlee County, Arizona?
Greenlee County sits in USDA hardiness zone 8a, 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 Greenlee County?
Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 18; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 15 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 24 — 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 Greenlee County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Greenlee County typically lands around Feb 15, 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.
How long is the growing season in Greenlee County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Greenlee County sees about 282 frost-free days — roughly Feb 15 through Nov 24, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. Tender crops get a somewhat shorter practical window, since lighter frosts reach a few weeks past the hard-freeze dates on both ends.
What vegetables grow in Greenlee County?
Greenlee County's zone 8a supports a wide range — strong performers include Palo Verde, 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 Greenlee County, really?
Officially, Greenlee County sits in USDA zone 8a (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 Greenlee County?
The federal record around Greenlee County runs heavier than most — 155 documented sites — so test the soil before planting food in the ground, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well in the meantime. Even here, proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard; the contamination map shows exactly what's recorded and where.
Just moved to Greenlee County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Greenlee County sits in USDA zone 8a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Feb 15, with about 282 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 155 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 Greenlee 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 Arizona's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.