Conditional — Some Areas
acerola cherry (zones 9-11) reaches only part of South Carolina (7a-9b): zone 9 are in range, so where you are in the state decides it.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
South Carolina spans zones 7a-9b, but your yard sits in exactly one — and slope, tree cover, and cold-air pockets nudge it further. Enter your address and we'll score acerola cherry against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
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Zone Comparison
Acerola Cherry Needs
- USDA Zones: 9-11
- Frost-Free Days: 270+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 12 ft tall
- Picking window: ~28 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: Medium
South Carolina Has
- USDA Zones: 7a-9b
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Feb 27 - Mar 12
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 23 - Dec 1
- Annual Rainfall: 45-55 inches
- Common Soils: Red clay (Piedmont), Sandy loam (Coastal), Alluvial
Plant Zone Range (zones 9-11)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: USDA PLANTS Database / Growable Ground plant catalog. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Acerola Cherry in South Carolina
The frost window
Across South Carolina, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Feb 27 and Mar 12, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 23 and Dec 1 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 256-day window you can count on — up to 277 days on a mild site in a kind year. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost, so tender transplants usually wait another 2-3 weeks.
Winter standing
South Carolina runs as cold as USDA zone 7, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for acerola cherry, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether acerola cherry is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within South Carolina; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Chester County, not the statewide average.
Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: USDA PLANTS Database. Your site's own frost dates can run earlier or later than the state range — a parcel report pins them down.
Growing Season Fit
The zone check says acerola cherry survives winter in part of South Carolina, not across all of it. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Acerola Cherry wants 270+ frost-free days; a typical South Carolina site sees ~265 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020) — 5 days short of what it needs. A typical South Carolina season does not carry this crop to harvest outdoors, and a gap that size is not one an earlier sowing date or a faster cultivar closes; growing it here means growing it under cover.
Growing degree days
Acerola Cherry needs ~4000 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~5233 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so South Carolina's typical season clears that easily.
Chill hours
Acerola Cherry has no winter-chill requirement — its listed minimum is 0 hours (USDA PLANTS Database). South Carolina typically banks ~1278 chill hours per winter (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so chill is not a constraint on this plant here — and not evidence in its favour either. Winter survival and season length are what decide it.
GDD and chill-hour figures are computed from PRISM 1991-2020 monthly climate normals; frost-free days from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Each is the state median across its counties (P25/P75 span the within-state spread). Hardiness-zone range is USDA PHZM 2023.
Soil + Drainage Fit
Acerola Cherry tolerates a wide pH range (pH 5-8) — 3 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in South Carolina. A soil test is still worth having, but for what else it tells you about this site, not to clear this plant. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 5.5 and 7.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a South Carolina soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your South Carolina site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
SSURGO maps about 21.6% of South Carolina as poorly or somewhat-poorly drained, and the class flips parcel to parcel. Acerola Cherry sits mid-range for drought tolerance, so either extreme can cost you — your soil map unit, not the state average, is the real answer.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. South Carolina soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Acerola Cherry in South Carolina — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Conditional — Some Areas
- Plant Zones: 9-11 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 7a-9b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Feb 27 - Mar 12 to Nov 23 - Dec 1 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
What Else to Consider for Acerola Cherry in South Carolina
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but South Carolina growers also need to think about:
Red Piedmont clay requires amendment for drainage
High heat and humidity promote diseases
Hurricane risk along the coast
Growing acerola cherry here specifically
Acerola Cherry likes pH 5.0–8.0 and takes cold to about 41°F, yet neither saves it from wet feet — SSURGO maps about 21.6% of South Carolina poorly-drained, where its crown sit and rot.
Set acerola cherry high on bermed, grit-amended ground so winter and storm water drain away from the crown. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every South Carolina grower, not just acerola cherry — is covered on the South Carolina growing guide.
Timing shifts within South Carolina
South Carolina isn't one climate. In Chester County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Mar 22 — roughly 14 days later than the recorded state median — so plant acerola cherry to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Acerola Cherry needs about 270 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. 16 of South Carolina’s 46 counties give it that outright. The tightest that does is Clarendon County at 270 frost-free days — 0 to spare. Below that line you are transplanting or extending the season, not direct-sowing.
Across South Carolina’s 46 counties the frost-free season runs from 237 days in Chester County to 320 days in Charleston County — a spread of 83 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median South Carolina county sees 265 frost-free days, which is 5 days short of what acerola cherry needs — so on a typical South Carolina parcel this is a transplant-or-protect crop, not a direct-sow one.
County last-freeze dates and frost-free day counts: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F freeze (earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost"). Acerola Cherry's 270-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Where in South Carolina Fits Best
Even within South Carolina's zones 7a-9b, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for acerola cherry (USDA PHZM 2023):
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Acerola Cherry draws native bees (high value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, acerola cherry can only work that bloom inside South Carolina's frost window — roughly 265 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Feb 27 - Mar 12) and closing at the first (Nov 23 - Dec 1), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
South Carolina Cooperative Extension
For South Carolina-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for acerola cherry, the canonical source is Clemson Cooperative Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Acerola Cherry native to South Carolina?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Acerola Cherry as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of South Carolina's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few South Carolina natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The South Carolina growing guide lists USDA-documented natives for the state.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing Acerola Cherry in South Carolina
When can I plant Acerola Cherry in South Carolina?
South Carolina's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Feb 27 and Mar 12, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 23 and Dec 1 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for Acerola Cherry, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in South Carolina and publishes no fall establishment date for it — check its hardiness range against your own zone before treating it as a permanent planting.
What hardiness zone is Acerola Cherry grown in across South Carolina?
South Carolina spans USDA hardiness zones 7a-9b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Acerola Cherry carries a range of zones 9-11, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical South Carolina site have?
A typical South Carolina site sees ~265 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Acerola Cherry needs 270+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date. In cooler counties like Chester, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Acerola Cherry native to South Carolina?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Acerola Cherry as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of South Carolina's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few South Carolina natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Acerola Cherry in South Carolina?
Acerola Cherry tolerates pH 5-8 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That is a 3-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a South Carolina site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Acerola Cherry actually grow on my specific land in South Carolina?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores acerola cherry against your address's exact soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.
Check your specific parcel in South Carolina
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores acerola cherry against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that South Carolina acerola cherry averages can't show:
We read public map data around South Carolina — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the South Carolina acerola cherry average
Explore More
Growing guides for acerola cherry
Analysis by the Growable Ground research team, grounded in USDA PLANTS, USDA NRCS SSURGO, NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020), and named Cooperative Extension sources. How we know →
Cite this dataset
Kirchick, M. (2026). Growable Ground Plant Database [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21435643
Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. DOI 10.5281/zenodo.21435643
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