Marion County, in Mississippi, sits in USDA hardiness zone 9a — a range where zone-matched perennials and frost-aware annual timing set what succeeds.
Crops well matched to these conditions include pecan, okra, muscadine grape, and magnolia — though what thrives on any one site still turns on its specific soil, sun, and drainage.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring
Marion County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Marion 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.
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Quick Facts
USDA Zones
9a
Last Frost (state avg.)
Feb 28 - Mar 30
First Frost (state avg.)
Oct 25 - Nov 20
County Area
347K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Growing Season
Zone maps are averages across Marion County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Marion County
Across Marion County, the ground is predominantly Ultisols, where Smithdale, Ruston, and Savannah are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a fine sandy loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 5.0–5.1, very strongly acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group B soils.
Soil order
Ultisols
Drainage
Well drained
Prime farmland
34%
Hydric soils
14%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Marion County
Plants matched to Marion County's USDA zones 9a — each links to its full growing profile.
Growing Challenges in Mississippi
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Extreme summer heat and humidity
Run the garden on the generous spring and fall windows — and let summer belong to okra, peas, and sweet potatoes.
Heavy alluvial clay in the Delta region
Delta clay is rich but slow to drain — raised rows get roots above the wet while keeping that fertility in reach.
Frequent severe storms and flooding
Site beds on the high ground, mound the rows, and keep water moving — drainage planning is storm insurance.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Mississippi, the Mississippi State University Extension Service is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Marion County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Marion County — 211 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.
There's a meaningful federal record across Marion 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.
Sources Checked
across Marion County
Severity Distribution
across Marion County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Marion County, Underground Storage Tanks runs higher than the national average — 144 sites nearby. It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.
Underground Storage Tanks: Underground storage tanks are the single most common source of soil contamination near homes and gardens.
Use raised beds with imported soil — this eliminates the primary soil-contact pathway.
Check your specific parcel in Marion 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
Marion 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 Marion County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Marion County, Mississippi — 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 Marion County, Mississippi
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9a (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Spring Frost (state avg.): Feb 28 - Mar 30 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
- First Fall Frost (state avg.): Oct 25 - Nov 20 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 347K 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 Marion 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 Marion County, Mississippi?
Marion 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 Marion County?
Marion County follows Mississippi's statewide frost window: last spring frost around Feb 28 - Mar 30 and first fall frost around Oct 25 - Nov 20, 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 Marion County?
Marion County's zone 9a supports a wide range — strong performers include Pecan, Okra, Muscadine Grape, Magnolia, and Sweet Potato. 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 Marion County, really?
Officially, Marion 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 Marion County?
The federal record around Marion County is a meaningful one — 211 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 Marion County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Marion County sits in USDA zone 9a, which sets what survives winter; the statewide frost window runs about Feb 28 - Mar 30 to Oct 25 - Nov 20 (NOAA 30-year climate normals); and 211 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 Marion 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 Mississippi's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.