Yes — Strong Match
American cranberry bush (zones 2-7) covers every zone Iowa contains (4b-6a), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.
American Cranberry Bush in Iowa — the short answer
American Cranberry Bush in Iowa: hardy in zones 2–7, part sun.
- Plant zones
- 2-7
- Rated hardy to zone 2a by NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: our plant database.
- Iowa zones
- 4b-6a
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Apr 10 - Apr 17 – Oct 18 - Oct 23
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 168 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — per-field provenance varies and is published with the dataset.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Iowa spans zones 4b-6a, 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 american cranberry bush against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
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Iowa is not one climate
Iowa’s winter-low ladder runs across 99 counties, from zone 4.5 in Clayton County to zone 6 in Lee County. That is 15°F between the two counties’ average coldest night — the difference between american cranberry bush overwintering in the ground and coming under cover.
The middle half of 99 counties runs 5–5.5 zones, with a median of 5 zones — a 1.5-zone span end to end.
Measured across 99 Iowa counties. USDA PHZM 2023, per county. Quartiles are order statistics — every figure shown is a value a real county recorded, not an interpolation. Your own site sits somewhere inside this range; a parcel report resolves where.
Where in Iowa Fits Best
Even within Iowa's zones 4b-6a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for american cranberry bush (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
American Cranberry Bush Needs
- USDA Zones: 2-7
- Sun: Part SunWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Mature size: 12 ft tallWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Picking window: ~28 days of harvestWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Drought tolerance: LowWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Iowa Has
- USDA Zones: 4b-6a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 10 - Apr 17
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 18 - Oct 23
- Annual Rainfall: 26-36 inches
- Common Soils: Prairie loess, Silt loam, Clay loam
Plant Zone Range (zones 2-7)
Preferred Soil pH
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources — per-field provenance varies and is published with the dataset. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant American Cranberry Bush in Iowa
The frost window
Across Iowa, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 10 and Apr 17, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 18 and Oct 23 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 184-day window you can count on — up to 196 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
Iowa runs as cold as USDA zone 4, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for american cranberry bush, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether american cranberry bush is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within Iowa; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.
Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: Growable Ground Plant Database — frost-free days from FAO ECOCROP, days to harvest from university Extension production guides, and growing-degree-day and chill-hour minimums that are compilation estimates rather than published figures. Your site's own frost dates can run earlier or later than the state range — a parcel report pins them down.
Soil + Drainage Fit
American Cranberry Bush likes near-neutral soil (pH 5-7.5). That's the common-ground band across Iowa's prairie loess and silt loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 5.5 and 7 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Iowa soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Iowa site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, a raised bed lifts the roots above wet ground, or work in compost. pH range, preferred pH and drainage need: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Plant pH requirements: FAO ECOCROP and USDA PLANTS, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation. Drainage: FAO ECOCROP, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation. Iowa soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
What Else to Consider for American Cranberry Bush in Iowa
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Iowa growers also need to think about:
Cold winters reaching -20F or below
Variable spring weather delays planting
Wind exposure on open prairies desiccates plants
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Iowa grower, not just american cranberry bush — is covered on the Iowa growing guide.
Where in Iowa American Cranberry Bush Is Zone-Hardy
American Cranberry Bush is rated for USDA zones 2–7. Every one of Iowa’s 99 counties sits inside that band — from Clayton County at zone 4b to Lee County at zone 6a — so winter cold is not what decides this plant anywhere in the state. What is left to vary is your own parcel: slope, shelter and cold-air drainage routinely move a site half a zone either way from the county figure.
Across those 99 counties Iowa’s winter-low ladder runs from zone 4b in Clayton County to zone 6a in Lee County — 1.5 USDA zones of spread, which is 15°F between the two counties’ average coldest night of the year. That is why a statewide hardiness answer is where you start and not where you finish.
The planting window moves with it. Howard County holds its last hard freeze (28°F) until about Apr 24, while Lee County is clear by Apr 1 — 23 days apart. Set american cranberry bush out on your county’s date, not the state’s.
County hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023, per county. County last-freeze dates: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F killing freeze — earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost". American Cranberry Bush’s zone 2–7 band: Rated hardy to zone 2a by NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: our plant database.. A parcel report resolves your address’s own zone and frost dates rather than its county’s.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
American Cranberry Bush draws honeybees, native bees, and butterflies (moderate value). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, american cranberry bush can only work that bloom inside Iowa's frost window — roughly 189 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 10 - Apr 17) and closing at the first (Oct 18 - Oct 23), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Pollinator value: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Iowa Cooperative Extension
For Iowa-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for american cranberry bush, the canonical source is Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is American Cranberry Bush native to Iowa?
The USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-10-19) lists American Cranberry Bush as native to the Lower 48 and records it growing in Iowa, but it does not say whether those Iowa plants are native or introduced. Your state's native plant society or Cooperative Extension can tell you whether it is part of the local flora.
State records: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution data (presence, not state-level nativity), accessed 2026-10-19.
Common Questions About Growing American Cranberry Bush in Iowa
When can I plant American Cranberry Bush in Iowa?
Iowa's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 10 and Apr 17, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 18 and Oct 23 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for American Cranberry Bush, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in Iowa 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 American Cranberry Bush grown in across Iowa?
Iowa spans USDA hardiness zones 4b-6a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). American Cranberry Bush carries a range of zones 2-7, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Iowa site have?
A typical Iowa site sees ~189 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). American Cranberry Bush needs 60+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Is American Cranberry Bush native to Iowa?
The USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-10-19) lists American Cranberry Bush as native to the Lower 48 and records it growing in Iowa, but it does not say whether those Iowa plants are native or introduced. Your state's native plant society or Cooperative Extension can tell you whether it is part of the local flora.
How should I amend the soil for American Cranberry Bush in Iowa?
American Cranberry Bush prefers pH 5-7.5 and well (dry spells) drainage. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. That sits in the common-ground band across Iowa soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will American Cranberry Bush actually grow on my specific land in Iowa?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores american cranberry bush against your address's mapped soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.
Check your specific parcel in Iowa
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores american cranberry bush against your land's mapped soil, modelled sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Iowa american cranberry bush averages can't show:
We read public map data around Iowa — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Iowa american cranberry bush average
Explore More
Growing guides for american cranberry bush
Explore Iowa county by county
Iowa carries 99 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for american cranberry bush there:
Where else american cranberry bush grows
American Cranberry Bush's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to Iowa in winter climate where it also has a page, plus the far ends of its range. Each one re-answers the question with that state's own record.
More to grow in Iowa
Iowa has a growing page for 810 plants — a rotating sample of the rest of the shelf.
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