African Foxtail is a cover crop — grown to build and protect the soil rather than for a harvest of its own. It's hardy across USDA zones 8 through 13. It roots deep, which helps it reach moisture in a dry spell and open up tight soil as it establishes.
African Foxtail — the short answer
African Foxtail: grown in zones 8–13, full sun, pH 5.5–8.5.
- USDA zones
- 8–13
- Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
- Soil pH
- 5.5–8.5
- FAO ECOCROP
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Score African Foxtail on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether african foxtail actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score african foxtail against your land's real conditions.
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How to grow African Foxtail
African Foxtail grows in USDA zones 8 through 13. African Foxtail does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 8.5, on well-drained to fast-draining ground. It needs a growing season of at least 120 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
8-13
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.5 - 8.5
FAO ECOCROP
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells), excessive (dry/moderately dry)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Minimum Growing Temperature
41°F
Below this it stops growing rather than dies — a pace limit, not a survival limit.
FAO ECOCROP
Frost-Free Days
120+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant african foxtail in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
African Foxtail prefers pH 5.5 to 8.5 (FAO ECOCROP). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Turn it in before it seeds
Cut african foxtail down or turn it into the soil before it sets seed, while the growth is still green — that's when it returns the most to the ground.
Where African Foxtail thrives
African Foxtail is hardy across USDA zones 8 through 13. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 8–13 spans average winter lows from 10°F to 70°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers 3 outright and splits 25 more down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 8–13·Where African Foxtail growsOpen map →
Continental US shown — Alaska and US Pacific territories sit outside the federal map's polygon dataset.
Where African Foxtail stands, state by state
African Foxtail is rated for zones 8–13 — a cold floor USDA puts at 10 to 20°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 3 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 25 more, and 23 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
The line runs through
25 states
- Alaska · zones 1a-9a
- Idaho · zones 3b-8a
- California · zones 4b-11a
3 of 25 shown
African Foxtail’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around African Foxtail
Growing guides for african foxtail
In rotation planning, african foxtail counts as a Grass — beds recover best when grass crops don’t follow each other in the same spot year over year. (Growable Ground derivation — crop-rotation group from botanical family)
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — african foxtail isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
African Foxtail isn't classified as a notable pollinator plant in our data — pair it with high-value bloomers nearby to feed bees.
Your land is one point inside African Foxtail's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if African Foxtail will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether african foxtail actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
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
How we know this about African Foxtail
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•USDA PHZM•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow African Foxtail in my zone?
African Foxtail grows in USDA hardiness zones 8 through 13 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant African Foxtail?
Most growers plant african foxtail after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 120-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does African Foxtail need?
African Foxtail needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does African Foxtail need?
African Foxtail prefers soil pH 5.5 to 8.5, on well-drained to fast-draining ground (FAO ECOCROP). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does African Foxtail attract pollinators?
African Foxtail isn't classified as a notable pollinator plant in our data. Pairing it with high-value bloomers nearby keeps bees and butterflies fed.
Is African Foxtail safe for pets?
African Foxtail is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data. Always supervise pets around new plantings. (Source: ASPCA.)