What Grows in Caddo County, Louisiana

USDA Zones 8b · 563K acres

Caddo County, in Louisiana, sits in USDA hardiness zone 8b — room for a real mix of vegetables, fruit, and perennials matched to the local frost calendar.

The conditions favor satsuma orange, okra, pecan, and muscadine grape, among others — though every individual site edits that list with its own soil, sun, and drainage.

Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring

Score your parcel · free

Caddo County holds more than one microclimate.

Soils and elevations shift across Caddo 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 15 - Mar 15

First Frost (state avg.)

Nov 10 - Dec 10

County Area

563K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

8b8b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Growing Season

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

Zone maps are averages across Caddo County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.

Soil in Caddo County

Across Caddo County, the ground is predominantly Alfisols, where Eastwood, Guyton, and Keithville are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a silt loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 5.3–6.5, moderately acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group D soils.

Soil order

Alfisols

Drainage

Well drained

Prime farmland

47%

Hydric soils

13%

Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Growing Challenges in Louisiana

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

Extreme humidity and rainfall promote rot and fungal diseases

Raised rows, morning base-watering, and generous spacing keep the wet at bay — extension's resistant-variety lists do the rest.

Poor drainage in delta and coastal areas

Where ground stays wet, grow up — mounded rows and raised beds keep roots breathing through the wettest months.

Hurricane damage risk from June through November

Wind-tough perennials, proper staking, and fall crops in movable containers take the sting out of storm season.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Louisiana, the LSU AgCenter is the authoritative local source.

Safe to Grow Here?

What the federal record shows across Caddo County — and how to grow with it.

Federal record: High

We checked the federal record across Caddo County2,469 documented sites across 7 of the 9 source types we track.

The most significant on record: 10 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.

Caddo 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, USGS1.8M 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.

Total Sites

2,469

across Caddo County

Risk Level

High

Highest-severity

10 Superfund sites

Severity Distribution

across Caddo County

High14Moderate615Low1,840

Highest-Severity Sites

Aep Fortson Transformer
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
American Recycling Company
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Bayou State Oil Site
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Hmm Landfill
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Kriger Battery
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)

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.
  • Test well water for nitrates if you rely on a private well. Levels above 10 mg/L require treatment.
Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Caddo 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:

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

Caddo 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

Free Report

Read your parcel in Caddo County

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Caddo County, Louisiana — 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 Caddo County, Louisiana

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8b (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Spring Frost (state avg.): Feb 15 - Mar 15 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • First Fall Frost (state avg.): Nov 10 - Dec 10 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • County Land Area: 563K 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 Caddo 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 Caddo County, Louisiana?

Caddo 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 Caddo County?

Caddo County follows Louisiana's statewide frost window: last spring frost around Feb 15 - Mar 15 and first fall frost around Nov 10 - Dec 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 Caddo County?

Caddo County's zone 8b supports a wide range — strong performers include Satsuma Orange, Okra, Pecan, Muscadine Grape, and Live Oak. 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 Caddo County, really?

Officially, Caddo 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 Caddo County?

The federal record around Caddo County runs heavier than most — 2,469 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 Caddo County — what should I know before planting?

Start with three facts. Caddo County sits in USDA zone 8b, which sets what survives winter; the statewide frost window runs about Feb 15 - Mar 15 to Nov 10 - Dec 10 (NOAA 30-year climate normals); and 2,469 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 Caddo 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 Louisiana's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.