Yes — Strong Match
American hornbeam (zones 3-9) covers every zone Vermont contains (4a-6a), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.
American Hornbeam in Vermont — the short answer
American Hornbeam in Vermont: hardy in zones 3–9, shade, against a state median of ~163 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- 3-9
- 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
- Vermont zones
- 4a-6a
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Apr 27 - May 5 – Oct 10 - Oct 17
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 146 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.
Vermont spans zones 4a-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 hornbeam against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Vermont is not one climate
Vermont’s winter-low ladder runs across 14 counties, from zone 4.5 in Caledonia County to zone 5.5 in Windsor County. That is 10°F between the two counties’ average coldest night — the difference between american hornbeam overwintering in the ground and coming under cover.
The middle half of 14 counties runs 4.5–5 zones, with a median of 5 zones — a 1-zone span end to end.
Measured across 14 Vermont 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 Vermont Fits Best
Even within Vermont's zones 4a-6a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for american hornbeam (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
American Hornbeam Needs
- USDA Zones: 3-9
- Frost-Free Days: 120+
- Sun: Shade
- Mature size: 30 ft tall
- Drought tolerance: Low
Vermont Has
- USDA Zones: 4a-6a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 27 - May 5
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 10 - Oct 17
- Annual Rainfall: 34-44 inches
- Common Soils: Glacial till, Clay, Silt loam
Plant Zone Range (zones 3-9)
Preferred Soil pH
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 Hornbeam in Vermont
The frost window
Across Vermont, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 27 and May 5, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 10 and Oct 17 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 158-day window you can count on — up to 173 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
Vermont runs as cold as USDA zone 4, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for american hornbeam, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether american hornbeam is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within Vermont; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Essex County, not the statewide average.
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.
Growing Season Fit
The zone check says american hornbeam survives winter here. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
American Hornbeam wants 120+ frost-free days; a typical Vermont site sees ~163 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves a workable window — start indoors to bank time.
Chill hours
American Hornbeam requires ~400 chill hours (32-45°F dormancy window). Vermont typically banks ~2500 chill hours per winter (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), which keeps this plant on track.
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
American Hornbeam likes near-neutral soil (pH 4.5-7.4). That's the common-ground band across Vermont's glacial till and clay — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 5 and 6.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Vermont soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Vermont site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
Vermont's soils run mostly fine sandy loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. What matters for american hornbeam is the horizon its roots actually work, not the surface. That map unit, not the state average, decides how american hornbeam performs.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
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. Vermont 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 Hornbeam in Vermont
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Vermont growers also need to think about:
Short growing season (100-130 frost-free days)
Rocky soils throughout the Green Mountains
Heavy clay in the Champlain Valley
Growing american hornbeam here specifically
Vermont's soils run mostly fine sandy loam (Spodosols), and whether that suits american hornbeam's pH 4.5–7.4 preference comes down to your exact parcel, not the statewide picture.
Pull your parcel's SSURGO map unit, test pH, and amend toward american hornbeam's 4.5–7.4 target before planting. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Vermont grower, not just american hornbeam — is covered on the Vermont growing guide.
Timing shifts within Vermont
Vermont isn't one climate. In Essex County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about May 13 — roughly 11 days later than the recorded state median — so plant american hornbeam to your county's window, not the statewide date.
American Hornbeam needs about 120 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Essex County — Vermont’s shortest season at 146 frost-free days — clears that by 26 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Vermont. What varies is your own parcel.
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"). American Hornbeam's 120-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Vermont Cooperative Extension
For Vermont-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for american hornbeam, the canonical source is UVM Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is American Hornbeam native to Vermont?
Yes — the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) documents American Hornbeam as native to Vermont. Planting it supports the pollinators and wildlife that evolved alongside it.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing American Hornbeam in Vermont
When can I plant American Hornbeam in Vermont?
Vermont's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 27 and May 5, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 10 and Oct 17 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for American Hornbeam, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in Vermont 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 Hornbeam grown in across Vermont?
Vermont spans USDA hardiness zones 4a-6a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). American Hornbeam carries a range of zones 3-9, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Vermont site have?
A typical Vermont site sees ~163 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). American Hornbeam needs 120+ 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 Essex, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is American Hornbeam native to Vermont?
Yes — the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) documents American Hornbeam as native to Vermont. Planting it supports the pollinators and wildlife that evolved alongside it.
How should I amend the soil for American Hornbeam in Vermont?
American Hornbeam prefers pH 4.5-7.4 and well (dry spells) drainage (Growable Ground Plant Database). That sits in the common-ground band across Vermont soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will American Hornbeam actually grow on my specific land in Vermont?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores american hornbeam 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 Vermont
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores american hornbeam against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Vermont american hornbeam averages can't show:
We read public map data around Vermont — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Vermont american hornbeam average
Explore More
Growing guides for american hornbeam
Explore Vermont county by county
Vermont carries 14 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for american hornbeam there:
Where else american hornbeam grows
American Hornbeam's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to Vermont 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 Vermont
Vermont has a growing page for 747 plants — a rotating sample of the rest of the shelf.
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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