Evangeline County, in Louisiana, sits in USDA hardiness zone 9a — a zone band wide enough that plant choice, not possibility, is the interesting question.
A short list that earns its place here — satsuma orange, okra, pecan, and muscadine grape — with any one site's soil, sun, and drainage making the final cut.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring
Evangeline County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Evangeline 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
9a
Last Frost (state avg.)
Feb 15 - Mar 15
First Frost (state avg.)
Nov 10 - Dec 10
County Area
424K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Growing Season
Zone maps are averages across Evangeline County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Evangeline County
Across Evangeline County, the ground is predominantly Alfisols, where Kinder, Mowata, and Crowley are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally poorly drained with a silt loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 4.6–5.8, strongly acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group D soils.
Soil order
Alfisols
Drainage
Poorly drained
Prime farmland
78%
Hydric soils
42%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Evangeline County
Plants matched to Evangeline County's USDA zones 9a — each links to its full growing profile.
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 Evangeline County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Evangeline County — 503 documented sites across 5 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 3 Toxics Release Inventory facilities. Active industrial facilities reporting chemical releases to air, water, and land.
There's a meaningful federal record across Evangeline County — worth a look before you plant food, not a reason to hold back from growing. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. A soil test before new food beds is the sensible precaution here, and the map shows exactly which sites sit where, so you can see what's actually near you.
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.
Total Sites
503
across Evangeline County
Risk Level
Elevated
Highest-severity
3 Toxics Release Inventory facilities
Sources Checked
across Evangeline County
Severity Distribution
across Evangeline County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Evangeline County, two things run higher than the national average — Nitrate (236 sites) and PFAS (5 sites). 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.
PFAS: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are called "forever chemicals" because they do not biodegrade.
Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).
Test irrigation water source — this is the primary pathway for PFAS to reach garden crops.
Check your specific parcel in Evangeline 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
Evangeline County Average
- ●USDA Zones 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
Read your parcel in Evangeline County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Evangeline County, Louisiana — 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 Evangeline County, Louisiana
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9a (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: 424K 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 Evangeline 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 Evangeline County, Louisiana?
Evangeline County sits in USDA hardiness zone 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 Evangeline County?
Evangeline 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 Evangeline County?
Evangeline County's zone 9a 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 Evangeline County, really?
Officially, Evangeline County sits in USDA zone 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 Evangeline County?
The federal record around Evangeline County is a meaningful one — 503 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.
Just moved to Evangeline County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Evangeline County sits in USDA zone 9a, 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 503 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 Evangeline 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.