Yes — Strong Match
American linden (zones 2-8) covers every zone New Jersey contains (6a-8a), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.
American Linden in New Jersey — the short answer
American Linden in New Jersey: hardy in zones 2–8, full sun, against a state median of ~222 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- 2-8
- 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
- New Jersey zones
- 6a-8a
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Mar 26 - Apr 4 – Nov 5 - Nov 17
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 196 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.
New Jersey spans zones 6a-8a, 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 linden against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
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New Jersey is not one climate
New Jersey’s winter-low ladder runs across 21 counties, from zone 6.5 in Morris County to zone 7.5 in Salem County. That is 10°F between the two counties’ average coldest night — the difference between american linden overwintering in the ground and coming under cover.
The middle half of 21 counties runs 7–7 zones, with a median of 7 zones — a 1-zone span end to end.
Measured across 21 New Jersey 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 New Jersey Fits Best
Even within New Jersey's zones 6a-8a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for american linden (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
American Linden Needs
- USDA Zones: 2-8
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 80 ft tall
- Drought tolerance: Low
New Jersey Has
- USDA Zones: 6a-8a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 26 - Apr 4
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 5 - Nov 17
- Annual Rainfall: 40-50 inches
- Common Soils: Sandy loam (Pine Barrens), Silt loam, Clay
Plant Zone Range (zones 2-8)
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 Linden in New Jersey
The frost window
Across New Jersey, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 26 and Apr 4, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 5 and Nov 17 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 215-day window you can count on — up to 236 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
New Jersey runs as cold as USDA zone 6, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for american linden, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether american linden is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within New Jersey; 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.
Growing Season Fit
The zone check says american linden survives winter here. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Chill hours
American Linden requires ~500 chill hours (32-45°F dormancy window). New Jersey 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 Linden likes near-neutral soil (pH 6-8). That's the common-ground band across New Jersey's sandy loam (pine barrens) and silt loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 6.5 and 7.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a New Jersey soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your New Jersey site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
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. New Jersey 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 Linden in New Jersey
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but New Jersey growers also need to think about:
Sandy Pine Barrens soils are nutrient-poor
Urban heat island effects in northern NJ
Deer browse is extreme in suburban areas
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every New Jersey grower, not just american linden — is covered on the New Jersey growing guide.
Where in New Jersey American Linden Is Zone-Hardy
American Linden is rated for USDA zones 2–8. Every one of New Jersey’s 21 counties sits inside that band — from Morris County at zone 6b to Salem County at zone 7b — 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 21 counties New Jersey’s winter-low ladder runs from zone 6b in Morris County to zone 7b in Salem County — 1 USDA zone of spread, which is 10°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. Sussex County holds its last hard freeze (28°F) until about Apr 11, while Salem County is clear by Mar 20 — 22 days apart. Set american linden 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 Linden’s zone 2–8 band: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database. A parcel report resolves your address’s own zone and frost dates rather than its county’s.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
American Linden draws honeybees and native bees (high value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, american linden can only work that bloom inside New Jersey's frost window — roughly 222 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Mar 26 - Apr 4) and closing at the first (Nov 5 - Nov 17), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
New Jersey Cooperative Extension
For New Jersey-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for american linden, the canonical source is Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is American Linden native to New Jersey?
Yes — the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) documents American Linden as native to New Jersey. Planting it supports the pollinators and wildlife that evolved alongside it.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
What pests threaten american linden in New Jersey?
Japanese beetle is documented in New Jersey and will find american linden, but it is manageable here. What an experienced grower watches for, and does:
Japanese beetle
Worth watchingLinden, birch and elm are named among the Japanese beetle's preferred trees, and the skeletonized leaves look alarming — but the University of Minnesota's read is that healthy, mature trees and shrubs tolerate a lot of feeding without significant, long-term injury.
What to do: For an established tree the honest move is to leave it alone and keep it watered through the flight. Young or already-stressed trees are the exception — those are worth protecting, and a beetle trap is the one thing not to hang, because it pulls beetles toward the tree rather than away.
Documented range: states listed as Japanese-beetle infested · University of Minnesota Extension, National Plant Board
Only pests whose documented range and host relationship both trace to a primary source appear here — so a quiet section means we have nothing sourced to tell you, not that your garden is pest-free.
Common Questions About Growing American Linden in New Jersey
When can I plant American Linden in New Jersey?
New Jersey's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 26 and Apr 4, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 5 and Nov 17 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for American Linden, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in New Jersey 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 Linden grown in across New Jersey?
New Jersey spans USDA hardiness zones 6a-8a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). American Linden carries a range of zones 2-8, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical New Jersey site have?
A typical New Jersey site sees ~222 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). American Linden should be matched against that window, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Is American Linden native to New Jersey?
Yes — the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) documents American Linden as native to New Jersey. Planting it supports the pollinators and wildlife that evolved alongside it.
How should I amend the soil for American Linden in New Jersey?
American Linden prefers pH 6-8 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That sits in the common-ground band across New Jersey soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will American Linden actually grow on my specific land in New Jersey?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores american linden 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 New Jersey
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores american linden against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that New Jersey american linden averages can't show:
We read public map data around New Jersey — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the New Jersey american linden average
Explore More
Growing guides for american linden
Explore New Jersey county by county
New Jersey carries 21 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for american linden there:
Where else american linden grows
American Linden's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to New Jersey 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 New Jersey
New Jersey has a growing page for 1,020 plants — a rotating sample of the rest of the shelf.
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