What Grows in Caddo County, Oklahoma

USDA Zones 7b · 818K acres

Caddo County, in Oklahoma, sits in USDA hardiness zone 7b — room for a real mix of vegetables, fruit, and perennials matched to the local frost calendar.

The conditions favor pecan, tomato, okra, and redbud, 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 · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals

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.

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Quick Facts

USDA Zones

7b

Last Hard Freeze (28°F)

Feb 17

County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later

First Hard Freeze (28°F)

Dec 7

County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier

County Area

818K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

7b7b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

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 Mollisols, where Noble, Pond Creek, and Minco are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a fine sandy loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 6.2–7.0, neutral. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group B soils.

Soil order

Mollisols

Drainage

Well drained

Prime farmland

57%

Hydric soils

1%

Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Is it too late to plant in Caddo County?

Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 20; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 17 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 7 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the calendar nearly circles: cool-season crops take the winter shift, and the next window is always close.

Growing Challenges in Oklahoma

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

Extreme weather variability (tornadoes, ice storms, drought)

Flexible beats fortified here: row covers staged, storm-tough perennials, and quick-replant annual beds.

Red clay soils drain poorly in central OK

A raised bed ends the standing-water fight in a weekend, and fall compost keeps opening the clay below.

Low western rainfall requires irrigation

Western plots run on drip and mulch — plan the water before the planting and the dry years lose their teeth.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Oklahoma, the Oklahoma State University Extension 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 County658 documented sites across 8 of the 9 source types we track.

The most significant on record: 13 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

658

across Caddo County

Risk Level

High

Highest-severity

13 Superfund sites

Severity Distribution

across Caddo County

High14Moderate473Low171

Highest-Severity Sites

Anadarko Tank Battery
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Apache Drums
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Apache Mahseet Street Site
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Caddo County Landfill #1
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Caddo County Landfill #2
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Caddo County, two things run higher than the national average — Nitrate (418 sites) and Superfund (13 sites). That's not a problem with your land — it's information about it.

Nitrate: Nitrate contamination primarily comes from agricultural fertilizer runoff and failing septic systems.

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

Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).

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

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 7b
  • 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, Oklahoma — 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, Oklahoma

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7b (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Feb 17 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Dec 7 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
  • Days Between Hard Freezes: ~293 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
  • County Land Area: 818K 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, Oklahoma?

Caddo County sits in USDA hardiness zone 7b, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.

Is it too late to plant in Caddo County?

Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 20; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 17 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 7 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the calendar nearly circles: cool-season crops take the winter shift, and the next window is always close.

When does frost risk typically end in Caddo County?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in Caddo County typically lands around Feb 17, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — an earlier marker than the light-frost dates many planting charts quote. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost — light frosts can still bite for a few more weeks, so tender transplants usually wait another 2–3 weeks.

How long is the growing season in Caddo County?

Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Caddo County sees about 293 frost-free days — roughly Feb 17 through Dec 7, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. Tender crops get a somewhat shorter practical window, since lighter frosts reach a few weeks past the hard-freeze dates on both ends.

What vegetables grow in Caddo County?

Caddo County's zone 7b supports a wide range — strong performers include Pecan, Tomato, Okra, Redbud, and Blackberry. 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 7b (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 — 658 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 7b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Feb 17, with about 293 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 658 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 Oklahoma's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.