What Grows in Camden, Arkansas

USDA Zones 8a-9a · 11K acres

Camden, Arkansas, sits in USDA hardiness zones 8a-9a — a range where zone-matched perennials and frost-aware annual timing set what succeeds.

Reliable performers under these conditions include tomato, peach, muscadine grape, and sweet potato; what your own ground favors still comes down to its soil, sun, and drainage.

Score your parcel · free

Even in Camden, 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 Camden 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.

No card required · your full report in seconds

Quick Facts

USDA Zones

8a-9a

Last Frost (state avg.)

Mar 15 - Apr 15

First Frost (state avg.)

Oct 15 - Nov 10

City Area

11K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

8a
9a
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Growing Season

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Last frost: Mar 15 - Apr 15First frost: Oct 15 - Nov 10

Zone maps are averages across Camden. 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.

Growing Challenges in Arkansas

What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.

Hot, humid summers drive fungal and bacterial diseases

Morning base-watering, wide spacing, and resistant varieties keep disease manageable — your extension lists what holds up here.

Heavy clay soils in parts of the Ozarks

A raised bed gets you growing this season; compost worked in each fall opens the clay for the long run.

Severe spring storms and hail risk

Keep row cover staged through storm season — five minutes of shelter can save a bed of seedlings from hail.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Arkansas, the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service is the authoritative local source.

Environmental Intelligence

Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.

Total Sites

282

within ~10 miles of Camden

Risk Level

Elevated

Highest-severity

16 Toxics Release Inventory facilities

Severity Distribution

within ~10 miles of Camden

High0Moderate120Low162

Highest-Severity Sites

12s16w22acc1
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
12s16w22acc1
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
12s16w33bca1
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
12s16w33bca1
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
12s17w24acc1
Nitrate Monitoring · Well

Know Before You Grow

  • Underground tanks can leak petroleum products. Soil testing near former gas stations is recommended.
  • Test well water for nitrates if you rely on a private well. Levels above 10 mg/L require treatment.
  • Raised beds with imported soil can reduce exposure risk near brownfield sites.
Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Camden

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:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

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

Camden Average

  • USDA Zones 8a-9a
  • 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

Free Report

Read your specific parcel in Camden

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Camden, Arkansas — soil, sun, drainage, frost risk, and scored plant recommendations.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

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 Camden, Arkansas

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8a-9a (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Spring Frost (state avg.): Mar 15 - Apr 15 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • First Fall Frost (state avg.): Oct 15 - Nov 10 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • Land Area: 11K 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 Camden, Arkansas?

Camden sits in USDA hardiness zones 8a-9a, 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 Camden?

Camden follows Arkansas's statewide frost window: last spring frost around Mar 15 - Apr 15 and first fall frost around Oct 15 - Nov 10, 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 Camden?

Camden's zones 8a-9a support a wide range — strong performers include Tomato, Peach, Muscadine Grape, Sweet Potato, and Blackberry. 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 Camden, really?

Officially, Camden sits in USDA zones 8a-9a (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 Camden?

The federal record around Camden is a meaningful one — 282 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 Camden?

As the season closes around Arkansas's first fall frost near Oct 15 - Nov 10 (NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020)), 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 Camden 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.