What Grows in Cameron, West Virginia

USDA Zones 6a-7b · 550 acres

Cameron, West Virginia, sits in USDA hardiness zones 6a-7b — a zone band wide enough that plant choice, not possibility, is the interesting question.

Growers here do well with apple, ramp, pawpaw, and sugar maple — with the usual caveat that any single yard's soil, sun, and drainage cast the deciding vote.

Score your parcel · free

Even in Cameron, 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 Cameron 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.

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Quick Facts

USDA Zones

6a-7b

Last Hard Freeze (28°F)

Mar 23

Town normal — light frosts run a few weeks later

First Hard Freeze (28°F)

Nov 18

Town normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier

City Area

550 acres

Hardiness Zone Range

6a
7b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Zone maps are averages across Cameron. 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.

Is it too late to plant in Cameron?

Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 23; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 23 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 18 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. A long window like this one runs successions deep into fall — and even its last weeks take quick greens and garlic.

Growing Challenges in West Virginia

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

Steep terrain limits usable growing area

Grow with the hill, not against it — terraced beds turn slopes into some of the best-drained ground there is, and your extension office has terracing guidance for exactly this country.

Thin acidic soils over shale bedrock

A soil test shows exactly how thin and how acid — then lime, compost, and built-up beds put depth where shale left none.

Short mountain valley growing seasons

Valley frost pockets shorten the season — fast varieties and a cold frame give the weeks back.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to West Virginia, the WVU Extension is the authoritative local source.

Environmental Intelligence

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

Total Sites

82

within ~10 miles of Cameron

Risk Level

Moderate

Highest-severity

7 Toxics Release Inventory facilities

Severity Distribution

within ~10 miles of Cameron

High1Moderate34Low47

Highest-Severity Sites

Marshall County Psd 4
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
Astons Pleasant Vally Store LLC
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Clearfork Processing Plant
Toxics Release Inventory · 2603wclrfr225ne
Cnx Midstream Operating Company LLC, Majorsville Station
Toxics Release Inventory · 2603wcnxmd37num
Consol Pa Coal CO - Mcelroy Mine
Toxics Release Inventory · 2604wthmrssr2xx

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Cameron, Toxic Release Inventory runs higher than the national average — 7 sites nearby. Knowing it is half the work — and it's nothing a thoughtful grower can't plan for.

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

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

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Cameron

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

Cameron Average

  • USDA Zones 6a-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 specific parcel in Cameron

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Cameron, West Virginia — 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 Cameron, West Virginia

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 6a-7b (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 23 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 18 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
  • Days Between Hard Freezes: ~240 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
  • Land Area: 550 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 Cameron, West Virginia?

Cameron sits in USDA hardiness zones 6a-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 Cameron?

Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 23; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 23 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 18 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. A long window like this one runs successions deep into fall — and even its last weeks take quick greens and garlic.

When does frost risk typically end in Cameron?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in Cameron typically lands around Mar 23, 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.

When is the first frost in Cameron?

The first hard freeze (28°F) in Cameron typically arrives around Nov 18, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — the point most tender summer crops finish. Lighter frosts usually reach a couple of weeks earlier, so watch the forecast from late summer on and harvest or cover tender plants before the first cold night.

What vegetables grow in Cameron?

Cameron's zones 6a-7b support a wide range — strong performers include Apple, Ramp, Pawpaw, Sugar Maple, and Ginseng. 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 Cameron, really?

Officially, Cameron sits in USDA zones 6a-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 Cameron?

The federal record around Cameron shows 82 documented sites — a typical footprint for a growing area, and proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. It's worth seeing which recorded sites sit closest to where you grow, and testing the soil before new food beds near any of them.

How do I protect my plants from frost in Cameron?

As the season closes around the first 28°F hard freeze near Nov 18 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals), 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 Cameron 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.