Yes — Strong Match
berseem clover is grown in zones 3-9, which covers every zone Minnesota contains (3a-5a). Whether the season is long enough is the question that remains.
Berseem Clover in Minnesota — the short answer
Berseem Clover in Minnesota: grown in zones 3–9, full sun, against a state median of ~174 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- Grown as an annual — see the growing season
- Growing season, not a hardiness zone
- Minnesota zones
- 3a-5a
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Apr 19 - Apr 30 – Oct 10 - Oct 17
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 137 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
- Days to maturity
- 90 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.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Berseem Clover is grown as an annual, so your winter zone isn't the deciding factor — your frost-free window is. A typical Minnesota site runs ~174 frost-free days, but that is a state median, not your yard: slope, trees, and low spots move the last-frost date across a single parcel. Enter your address and we'll score berseem clover against your land's actual frost dates, sun, and soil.
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Minnesota is not one climate
A single Minnesota answer averages 87 counties whose growing seasons are 62 days apart — from 137 frost-free days in Lake County to 199 in Ramsey County. Which end of that your land sits nearer changes what berseem clover can finish before the first hard freeze.
The middle half of 87 counties runs 162–181 days, with a median of 174 days — a 62-day span end to end.
Measured across 87 Minnesota counties. NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze. 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 Minnesota Fits Best
Even within Minnesota's zones 3a-5a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for berseem clover (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
Berseem Clover Needs
- USDA Zones: 3-9
- Frost-Free Days: 60+
- Sun: Full SunWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Mature size: 1.5 ft tall
- Drought tolerance: LowWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Minnesota Has
- USDA Zones: 3a-5a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 19 - Apr 30
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 10 - Oct 17
- Annual Rainfall: 19-34 inches
- Common Soils: Prairie loam, Clay, Sandy outwash
Plant Zone Range (zones 3-9)
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 Berseem Clover in Minnesota
The frost window
Across Minnesota, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 19 and Apr 30, 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 163-day window you can count on — up to 181 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 hardiness
Berseem Clover takes cold down to about 20°F before a freeze kills it, so you can plant on the early side of Minnesota's window — even a few weeks before the final hard freeze. 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. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
When to start the seed
Berseem Clover is direct-sown where it grows rather than started under cover, so there is no seed-tray head start to bank — Minnesota's dates above are the whole calendar for it. That makes the last-freeze date the binding constraint, and a warmer pocket of your own yard is worth more to this crop than it is to a transplanted one.
Days to maturity vs. the window
At 90 days to maturity (Growable Ground Plant Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 73 days to spare even in Minnesota'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
Berseem Clover is grown in zones 3–9, which covers every zone Minnesota contains (3a-5a). It is grown as a summer crop, so season length decides it here. Minnesota's typical season runs ~174 frost-free days against the ~60 berseem clover needs.
Frost-free days
Berseem Clover wants 60+ frost-free days; a typical Minnesota site sees ~174 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Berseem Clover needs ~1000 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. The state median runs ~1920 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Minnesota'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
Berseem Clover tolerates a wide pH range (pH 5-8) — 3 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in Minnesota. A soil test is still worth having, but for what else it tells you about this site, not to clear this plant. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 6.5 and 8 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Minnesota soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Minnesota 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. Minnesota soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
What Else to Consider for Berseem Clover in Minnesota
The zone range tells you where berseem clover is grown — but Minnesota growers also need to think about:
Extreme cold (zone 3a: -40F) limits many species
Short growing season (100-140 frost-free days)
Heavy clay soils in the Red River Valley
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Minnesota grower, not just berseem clover — is covered on the Minnesota growing guide.
Timing shifts within Minnesota
Berseem Clover needs about 60 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Lake County — Minnesota’s shortest season at 137 frost-free days — clears that by 77 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Minnesota. What varies is your own parcel.
Across Minnesota’s 87 counties the frost-free season runs from 137 days in Lake County to 199 days in Ramsey County — a spread of 62 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Minnesota county sees 174 frost-free days, leaving berseem clover about 114 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"). Berseem Clover's 60-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
Berseem Clover draws honeybees, native bees, and butterflies (high value). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, berseem clover can only work that bloom inside Minnesota's frost window — roughly 174 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 19 - Apr 30) and closing at the first (Oct 10 - Oct 17), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Pollinator value: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Minnesota Cooperative Extension
For Minnesota-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for berseem clover, the canonical source is University of Minnesota Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Berseem Clover native to Minnesota?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Berseem Clover as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Minnesota's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Minnesota natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Minnesota growing guide lists plants that USDA PLANTS records growing in Minnesota and that Kew and NatureServe Explorer both list in its native range, leaving out any that NatureServe flags as exotic there or that our audit holds.
State records: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution data (presence, not state-level nativity), accessed 2026-10-19.
Common Questions About Growing Berseem Clover in Minnesota
When can I plant Berseem Clover in Minnesota?
Minnesota's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 19 and Apr 30, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 10 and Oct 17 (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 Berseem Clover mature before first frost in Minnesota?
Yes — Berseem Clover matures in 90 days (Growable Ground Plant Database), and Minnesota's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 163 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 73 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 Berseem Clover grown in across Minnesota?
Minnesota spans USDA hardiness zones 3a-5a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Berseem Clover 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 Minnesota site have?
A typical Minnesota site sees ~174 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Berseem Clover 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 Berseem Clover native to Minnesota?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Berseem Clover as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Minnesota's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Minnesota natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Berseem Clover in Minnesota?
Berseem Clover tolerates pH 5-8 and well (dry spells) drainage. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. That is a 3-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a Minnesota site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Berseem Clover actually grow on my specific land in Minnesota?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores berseem clover 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 Minnesota
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores berseem clover against your land's mapped soil, modelled sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Minnesota berseem clover averages can't show:
We read public map data around Minnesota — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Minnesota berseem clover average
Explore More
Growing guides for berseem clover
Explore Minnesota county by county
Minnesota carries 87 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for berseem clover there:
Where else berseem clover grows
Berseem Clover's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to Minnesota 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 Minnesota
Minnesota has a growing page for 752 plants — a rotating sample of the rest of the shelf.
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