angelica (Angelica archangelica), photographi

Can I Grow Angelica in New Hampshire?

USDA Zones 3b-6b · Plant zone range 4-9

Generally — Most Areas

angelica (zones 4-9) suits most of New Hampshire (3b-6b) — zones 4-6 are in range, and the rest of the state is the exception.

Angelica in New Hampshire — the short answer

Angelica in New Hampshire: hardy in zones 4–9, full sun, against a state median of ~171 frost-free days.

Plant zones
4-9
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
New Hampshire zones
3b-6b
USDA PHZM 2023
Frost window
Apr 22 - May 4 – Oct 10 - Oct 21
NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
Shortest county season
145 days
NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
Days to maturity
120 days
Growable Ground Plant Database

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.

Score your parcel · free

Your yard isn't the whole zone.

New Hampshire spans zones 3b-6b, but your yard has its own microclimate — slope, trees, and low spots shift frost and sun across a single parcel. Enter your address and we'll score angelica against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

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New Hampshire is not one climate

New Hampshire’s winter-low ladder runs across 10 counties, from zone 4.5 in Coos County to zone 6 in Strafford County. That is 15°F between the two counties’ average coldest night — the difference between angelica overwintering in the ground and coming under cover.

4.5 zonesCoos County6 zonesStrafford County

The middle half of 10 counties runs 56 zones, with a median of 5.5 zones — a 1.5-zone span end to end.

Measured across 10 New Hampshire 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 Hampshire Fits Best

Even within New Hampshire's zones 3b-6b, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for angelica (USDA PHZM 2023):

Zone Comparison

Angelica Needs

  • USDA Zones: 4-9
  • Frost-Free Days: 120+
  • Sun: Full Sun
  • Mature size: 6 ft tall
  • Picking window: ~60 days of harvest
  • Drought tolerance: Low

New Hampshire Has

  • USDA Zones: 3b-6b
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 22 - May 4
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 10 - Oct 21
  • Annual Rainfall: 36-50 inches
  • Common Soils: Glacial till, Sandy loam, Rocky loam

Plant Zone Range (zones 4-9)

4a
9b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Preferred Soil pH

3.5 (Acidic)7.0 (Neutral)9.0 (Alkaline)
Highlighted range: pH 4.57.3

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 Angelica in New Hampshire

The frost window

Across New Hampshire, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 22 and May 4, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 10 and Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 159-day window you can count on — up to 182 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.

Frost tenderness

Angelica is frost-tender — FAO ECOCROP puts its killing temperature at 32°F — so set plants out two to three weeks PAST your local last hard freeze, not on it and not on the state's earliest date. The 28°F marker above is when killing freezes stop, not when light frost does. That is the point where cold damages growing tissue, not a winter-survival floor — an established perennial comes through far colder while dormant, which is what its hardiness zone tells you.

When to start the seed

Those dates are when angelica goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 6 weeks ahead, so counting back from New Hampshire's late-side last freeze of May 4 is what fixes your sowing date — and a yard that clears frost earlier than the state's late date starts earlier still.

Days to maturity vs. the window

At 120 days to maturity (Growable Ground Plant Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 39 days to spare even in New Hampshire's tightest freeze scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.

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 angelica survives winter in part of New Hampshire, not across all of it. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.

Frost-free days

Angelica wants 120+ frost-free days; a typical New Hampshire site sees ~171 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves a workable window — start indoors to bank time.

Growing degree days

Angelica needs ~700 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~1870 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so New Hampshire's typical season clears that easily.

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

Angelica likes near-neutral soil (pH 4.5-7.3). That's the common-ground band across New Hampshire's glacial till and sandy 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 6.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a New Hampshire soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your New Hampshire 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 Hampshire soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.

Before you plant angelica for food

Anything you grow to eat takes up what is in the ground it grows in, so what is on record near you is worth knowing before angelica goes in. What follows is New Hampshire’s documented federal record at state scale — a screening signal, not a soil test, and not a statement about any one lot.

Safe to Grow Here?

What the federal record shows across New Hampshire — and how to grow with it.

Federal record: High

We checked the federal record across New Hampshire10,091 documented sites across 8 of the 9 source types we track.

The most significant on record: 82 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.

New Hampshire carries one of the heavier federal records we track — and that's not a verdict on your yard. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis: nothing here says any particular parcel is affected. It does earn one concrete step — before food beds go in the ground, a professional soil test tells you exactly what you're working with, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well almost anywhere in the meantime.

Know before you grow — the guide

Sources Checked

across New Hampshire

Severity Distribution

across New Hampshire

High85Moderate3,894Low6,112

Highest-Severity Sites

PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
Superfund · Superfund NPL
Superfund · Superfund NPL
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
Mining Sites · Past Producer

Know Before You Grow

  • Underground tanks leak petroleum as they age — near a former filling station, test the soil.
  • Near a brownfield, raised beds of imported soil give your food clean ground.
  • On a private well, test for nitrates: above 10 mg/L the water needs treatment before irrigating.

Sources: EPA, USGS1.8M documented sites tracked nationwide across 9 federal source types.

What Else to Consider for Angelica in New Hampshire

Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but New Hampshire growers also need to think about:

Very short season in the White Mountains (80-100 frost-free days)

Rocky glacial soils throughout the state

Harsh winters with deep snow cover

What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every New Hampshire grower, not just angelica — is covered on the New Hampshire growing guide.

Timing shifts within New Hampshire

Angelica needs about 120 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Coos County — New Hampshire’s shortest season at 145 frost-free days — clears that by 25 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in New Hampshire. 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"). Angelica's 120-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.

Pollinator + Wildlife Value

Angelica draws honeybees, native bees, and butterflies (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, angelica can only work that bloom inside New Hampshire's frost window — roughly 171 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 22 - May 4) and closing at the first (Oct 10 - Oct 21), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.

New Hampshire Cooperative Extension

For New Hampshire-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for angelica, the canonical source is UNH Cooperative Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.

Common Questions About Growing Angelica in New Hampshire

When can I plant Angelica in New Hampshire?

New Hampshire's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 22 and May 4, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 10 and Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Angelica is frost-tender — its killing temperature is 32°F (FAO ECOCROP — the point where cold damages growing tissue, not a winter-survival floor) — so wait two to three weeks past your site's last hard freeze, when light frost has also stopped, before planting out.

Can Angelica mature before first frost in New Hampshire?

Yes — Angelica matures in 120 days (Growable Ground Plant Database), and New Hampshire's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 159 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 39 days of margin. Plant once the last hard freeze has passed — two to three weeks later for anything tender — and it ripens ahead of the first fall freeze.

What hardiness zone is Angelica grown in across New Hampshire?

New Hampshire spans USDA hardiness zones 3b-6b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Angelica carries a range of zones 4-9, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.

How many frost-free days does a typical New Hampshire site have?

A typical New Hampshire site sees ~171 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Angelica needs 120+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.

How should I amend the soil for Angelica in New Hampshire?

Angelica prefers pH 4.5-7.3 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That sits in the common-ground band across New Hampshire soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.

Will Angelica actually grow on my specific land in New Hampshire?

State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores angelica against your address's exact soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in New Hampshire

State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores angelica against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.

Three things about your lot that New Hampshire angelica averages can't show:

Your soil pHYour frost-free days — New Hampshire averages 171Your sun & shade

We read public map data around New Hampshire — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources read at your address, not the New Hampshire angelica average

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