What Grows in Roanoke, Texas

USDA Zones 8a-9a · 4K acres

Roanoke, Texas, sits in USDA hardiness zones 8a-9a — a band that supports both cool-season staples and warm-season crops chosen to fit the local frost window.

These conditions suit pecan, tomato, okra, and bluebonnet — a starting list any specific site will trim or extend with its own soil, sun, and drainage.

Score your parcel · free

Even in Roanoke, no two yards are alike.

A low spot, a south-facing slope, or a stand of trees moves the frost date and sun across a single Roanoke lot. 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

8a-9a

Last Frost (state avg.)

Feb 1 - Apr 15

First Frost (state avg.)

Oct 15 - Dec 15

City Area

4K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

8a
9a
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Growing Season

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Last frost: Feb 1 - Apr 15First frost: Oct 15 - Dec 15

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

Soil varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Growing Challenges in Texas

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

Extreme heat (100F+ days) stresses many crops from June through September

Run the garden on spring and fall windows and give summer survivors afternoon shade — timing beats fighting the heat.

Rainfall varies dramatically — 8 inches in west TX to 56 inches in east TX

Your county's rainfall, not the state's, sets the watering plan — check your exact spot before designing beds.

Heavy black clay (Blackland Prairie) is difficult to work and drains poorly

A raised bed with amended soil turns Blackland clay from an obstacle into a backdrop — and that clay feeds deep roots well.

Flash drought conditions can develop rapidly even in wet years

Mulch deep and water deeply-but-rarely to grow drought-tough roots; a drip system pays for itself in the first dry summer.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Texas, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is the authoritative local source.

Environmental Intelligence

Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.

Total Sites

450

within ~10 miles of Roanoke

Risk Level

High

Highest-severity

5 Superfund sites

Severity Distribution

within ~10 miles of Roanoke

High20Moderate176Low254

Highest-Severity Sites

Argyle Wsc
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
City of Fort Worth
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
City of Justin
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
City of Roanoke
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
Cross Timbers Wsc
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Roanoke, two things run higher than the national average — PFAS (15 sites) and Toxic Release Inventory (35 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.

Toxic Release Inventory: TRI facilities report annual chemical releases to air, water, and land.

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

Check prevailing wind direction — downwind parcels face higher exposure than upwind or crosswind locations.

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Roanoke

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

Roanoke Average

  • USDA Zones 8a-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 specific parcel in Roanoke

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Roanoke, Texas — 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 Roanoke, Texas

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8a-9a (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Spring Frost (state avg.): Feb 1 - Apr 15 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • First Fall Frost (state avg.): Oct 15 - Dec 15 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • Land Area: 4K acres (US Census TIGER 2025)

Zone data: USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Climate data: NOAA NCEI. Boundaries: US Census TIGER/Line 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardiness zone is Roanoke, Texas?

Roanoke sits in USDA hardiness zones 8a-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 Roanoke?

Roanoke follows Texas's statewide frost window: last spring frost around Feb 1 - Apr 15 and first fall frost around Oct 15 - Dec 15, 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 Roanoke?

Roanoke's zones 8a-9a support a wide range — strong performers include Pecan, Tomato, Okra, Bluebonnet, and Jalapeno. 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 Roanoke, really?

Officially, Roanoke sits in USDA zones 8a-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 Roanoke?

The federal record around Roanoke runs heavier than most — 450 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.

How do I protect my plants from frost in Roanoke?

As the season closes around Texas's first fall frost near Oct 15 - Dec 15 (NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020)), a few moves buy time: cover tender plants with floating row cover or an old sheet on still, clear nights, water the soil the afternoon before a freeze so it holds warmth overnight, and harvest frost-tender crops like tomatoes, peppers, and basil before the first hard night. Hardy greens and root crops shrug off light frost and often sweeten after it, so leave them in.

Everything on this page is a Roanoke 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.