Kalawao County, in Hawaii, sits in USDA hardiness zones 10a-11b — a zone band wide enough that plant choice, not possibility, is the interesting question.
Expect taro, mango, macadamia, and coffee to be strong candidates here; the deciding factors on any one parcel stay local — soil, sun, and drainage.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring
Kalawao County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Kalawao 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
10a-11b
Last Frost (state avg.)
None
First Frost (state avg.)
None
County Area
8K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Growing Season
Zone maps are averages across Kalawao County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Kalawao County
Across Kalawao County, the ground is predominantly Andisols, where Kalaupapa is the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a medial silty clay loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 6.6, neutral. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group D soils.
Soil order
Andisols
Drainage
Well drained
Hydric soils
0%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Kalawao County
Plants matched to Kalawao County's USDA zones 10a-11b — each links to its full growing profile.
Growing Challenges in Hawaii
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Extreme rainfall variation — desert on one side, rainforest on the other
Your side of the island decides everything — check your exact spot's rainfall before choosing crops.
Volcanic soil is nutrient-poor in young flows
A soil test shows what young lava ground is missing — compost and targeted amendments close the gap fast.
Invasive species pressure is severe
Source clean plant material and learn the current watch list — your extension office is the authority on what to keep out.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Hawaii, the UH Mānoa CTAHR Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Kalawao County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Kalawao County — 3 documented sites across 2 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 1 brownfield site. Former commercial or industrial land where legacy contamination may persist.
The federal record across Kalawao County is light. Growing food here starts from a strong position — a quick pass over the map tells you whether any recorded site sits near your land, and if one does, that's information to plant with, not a reason to stop.
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.
Severity Distribution
across Kalawao County
Highest-Severity Sites
Know Before You Grow
- •Underground tanks can leak petroleum products. Soil testing near former gas stations is recommended.
- •Raised beds with imported soil can reduce exposure risk near brownfield sites.
Check your specific parcel in Kalawao 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
Kalawao County Average
- ●USDA Zones 10a-11b
- ●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 Kalawao County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Kalawao County, Hawaii — 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 Kalawao County, Hawaii
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 10a-11b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Spring Frost (state avg.): None (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
- First Fall Frost (state avg.): None (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 8K 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 Kalawao 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 Kalawao County, Hawaii?
Kalawao County sits in USDA hardiness zones 10a-11b, 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 Kalawao County?
Kalawao County follows Hawaii's statewide frost window: last spring frost around None and first fall frost around None, 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 Kalawao County?
Kalawao County's zones 10a-11b support a wide range — strong performers include Taro, Mango, Macadamia, Coffee, and Plumeria. 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 Kalawao County, really?
Officially, Kalawao County sits in USDA zones 10a-11b (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 Kalawao County?
The federal record around Kalawao County is light — 3 documented sites across the 9 federal source types we checked — and proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. Growing food here starts from a strong position; a soil test before new food beds settles any site-specific question.
Just moved to Kalawao County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Kalawao County sits in USDA zones 10a-11b, which sets what survives winter; the statewide frost window runs about None to None (NOAA 30-year climate normals); and the local federal record is light — 3 documented sites across the area we checked. From there, matching plants to your actual soil and sun is the fun part.
Everything on this page is a Kalawao 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 Hawaii's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.