What Grows in Warren County, Mississippi

USDA Zones 9a · 377K acres

Warren County, in Mississippi, sits in USDA hardiness zone 9a — a zone band wide enough that plant choice, not possibility, is the interesting question.

On paper, pecan, okra, muscadine grape, and magnolia all suit these conditions — on the ground, soil, sun, and drainage make the final call.

Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring

Score your parcel · free

Warren County holds more than one microclimate.

Soils and elevations shift across Warren 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 28 - Mar 30

First Frost (state avg.)

Oct 25 - Nov 20

County Area

377K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

9a9a
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Growing Season

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Last frost: Feb 28 - Mar 30First frost: Oct 25 - Nov 20

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

Soil in Warren County

Across Warren County, the ground is predominantly Inceptisols, where Memphis, Commerce, and Natchez are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a silt loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 5.3–6.8, moderately acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group B soils.

Soil order

Inceptisols

Drainage

Well drained

Prime farmland

21%

Hydric soils

36%

Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

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 Warren County — and how to grow with it.

Federal record: High

We checked the federal record across Warren County318 documented sites across 6 of the 9 source types we track.

The most significant on record: 6 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.

Warren 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

318

across Warren County

Risk Level

High

Highest-severity

6 Superfund sites

Severity Distribution

across Warren County

High10Moderate116Low192

Highest-Severity Sites

Barrett Refining Corporation
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
City of Vicksburg
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
Culkin Water Dist
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
Fairground Street Fuel Depot
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Fisher Ferry Water District
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Warren County, two things run higher than the national average — PFAS (4 sites) and Superfund (6 sites). That's not a problem with your land — it's information about it.

PFAS: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are called "forever chemicals" because they do not biodegrade.

Superfund: Superfund sites represent the most severe contamination in the federal system.

Test irrigation water source — this is the primary pathway for PFAS to reach garden crops.

Commission professional soil testing before any food production (test for heavy metals, VOCs, and SVOCs).

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Warren 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

Warren 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

Free Report

Read your parcel in Warren County

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Warren County, Mississippi — 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 Warren 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: 377K 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 Warren 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 Warren County, Mississippi?

Warren 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 Warren County?

Warren 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 Warren County?

Warren 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 Warren County, really?

Officially, Warren 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 Warren County?

The federal record around Warren County runs heavier than most — 318 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 Warren County — what should I know before planting?

Start with three facts. Warren 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 318 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 Warren 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.