Can I Grow Annual Scabiosa in Nevada?

USDA Zones 4a-10a · Plant zone range 4-11

Yes — Strong Match

annual scabiosa (zones 4-11) covers every zone Nevada contains (4a-10a), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.

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Your yard isn't the whole zone.

Nevada spans zones 4a-10a, 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 annual scabiosa against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.

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Zone Comparison

Annual Scabiosa Needs

  • USDA Zones: 4-11
  • Sun: Full Sun
  • Mature size: 2.5 ft tall
  • Drought tolerance: Medium

Nevada Has

  • USDA Zones: 4a-10a
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 28 - May 20
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 9 - Oct 21
  • Annual Rainfall: 4-12 inches
  • Common Soils: Desert sand, Caliche, Alkaline clay

Plant Zone Range (zones 4-11)

4a
11b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Plant data: USDA PLANTS Database / Growable Ground plant catalog. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.

When to Plant Annual Scabiosa in Nevada

The frost window

Across Nevada, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 28 and May 20, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 9 and Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 142-day window you can count on — up to 176 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.

Days to maturity vs. the window

At 85 days to maturity (USDA PLANTS Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 57 days to spare even in Nevada's tightest freeze scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.

Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: USDA PLANTS Database. 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 annual scabiosa survives winter here. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.

Days to maturity

Annual Scabiosa matures in ~85 days (Growable Ground Plant Database). A typical Nevada site has ~163 frost-free days, so plenty of room for a second succession.

Growing degree days

Annual Scabiosa needs ~1200 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~1725 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Nevada'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.

Annual Scabiosa in Nevada — Quick Answer

  • Verdict: Yes — Strong Match
  • Plant Zones: 4-11 (USDA PLANTS Database)
  • State Zones: 4a-10a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
  • Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Apr 28 - May 20 to Oct 9 - Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
  • Days to Maturity: 85 days

What Else to Consider for Annual Scabiosa in Nevada

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

Extremely low rainfall (driest US state)

Alkaline soils (pH 8-9) limit many species

Extreme summer heat in southern valleys

What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Nevada grower, not just annual scabiosa — is covered on the Nevada growing guide.

Timing shifts within Nevada

Annual Scabiosa needs about 85 days of frost-free season from planting to harvest. Even Elko County — Nevada’s shortest season at 110 frost-free days — clears that by 25 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Nevada. What varies is your own parcel.

Across Nevada’s 17 counties the frost-free season runs from 110 days in Elko County to 321 days in Clark County — a spread of 211 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Nevada county sees 163 frost-free days, leaving annual scabiosa about 78 days of slack on a typical parcel — room for a second sowing where the season runs long.

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"). Annual Scabiosa's 85-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (days to maturity). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.

Where in Nevada Fits Best

Even within Nevada's zones 4a-10a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for annual scabiosa (USDA PHZM 2023):

Pollinator + Wildlife Value

Annual Scabiosa draws honeybees, native bees, and butterflies (high value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, annual scabiosa can only work that bloom inside Nevada's frost window — roughly 163 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 28 - May 20) and closing at the first (Oct 9 - Oct 21), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.

Nevada Cooperative Extension

For Nevada-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for annual scabiosa, the canonical source is University of Nevada, Reno Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.

Common Questions About Growing Annual Scabiosa in Nevada

When can I plant Annual Scabiosa in Nevada?

Nevada's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 28 and May 20, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 9 and Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Time outdoor planting to after the last hard freeze for your specific site — a further two to three weeks for anything tender — and count back from those dates for transplant scheduling.

Can Annual Scabiosa mature before first frost in Nevada?

Yes — Annual Scabiosa matures in 85 days (USDA PLANTS Database), and Nevada's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 142 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 57 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 Annual Scabiosa grown in across Nevada?

Nevada spans USDA hardiness zones 4a-10a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Annual Scabiosa carries a range of zones 4-11, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.

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

A typical Nevada site sees ~163 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Annual Scabiosa 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.

Will Annual Scabiosa actually grow on my specific land in Nevada?

State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores annual scabiosa 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 Nevada

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

Three things about your lot that Nevada annual scabiosa averages can't show:

Your soil pHYour frost-free days — Nevada averages 163Your sun & shade

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

25+ data sources read at your address, not the Nevada annual scabiosa average

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