Conditional — Some Areas
black gum (zones 6-12) reaches only part of Iowa (4b-6a): zone 6 are in range, so where you are in the state decides it.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Iowa spans zones 4b-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 black gum 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.
No card required · your full report in seconds
Zone Comparison
Black Gum Needs
- USDA Zones: 6-12
- Frost-Free Days: 140+
- Sun: Shade
- Mature size: 50 ft tall
- Drought tolerance: Low
Iowa Has
- USDA Zones: 4b-6a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 10 - Apr 17
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 18 - Oct 23
- Annual Rainfall: 26-36 inches
- Common Soils: Prairie loess, Silt loam, Clay loam
Plant Zone Range (zones 6-12)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: USDA PLANTS Database / Growable Ground plant catalog. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Black Gum in Iowa
The frost window
Across Iowa, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 10 and Apr 17, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 18 and Oct 23 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 184-day window you can count on — up to 196 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
Iowa runs as cold as USDA zone 4, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for black gum, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether black gum is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within Iowa; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.
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 black gum survives winter in part of Iowa, not across all of it. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Black Gum wants 140+ frost-free days; a typical Iowa site sees ~189 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves a workable window — start indoors to bank time.
Chill hours
Black Gum requires ~800 chill hours (32-45°F dormancy window). Iowa 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
Black Gum likes near-neutral soil (pH 4.5-6). That's the common-ground band across Iowa's prairie loess and silt loam — a soil test confirms it for your site.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. Iowa soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Black Gum in Iowa — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Conditional — Some Areas
- Plant Zones: 6-12 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 4b-6a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Apr 10 - Apr 17 to Oct 18 - Oct 23 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
What Else to Consider for Black Gum in Iowa
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Iowa growers also need to think about:
Cold winters reaching -20F or below
Variable spring weather delays planting
Wind exposure on open prairies desiccates plants
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Iowa grower, not just black gum — is covered on the Iowa growing guide.
Timing shifts within Iowa
Black Gum needs about 140 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Howard County — Iowa’s shortest season at 168 frost-free days — clears that by 28 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Iowa. 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"). Black Gum's 140-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Where in Iowa Fits Best
Even within Iowa's zones 4b-6a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for black gum (USDA PHZM 2023):
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Black Gum draws honeybees and native bees (high value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, black gum can only work that bloom inside Iowa's frost window — roughly 189 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 10 - Apr 17) and closing at the first (Oct 18 - Oct 23), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Iowa Cooperative Extension
For Iowa-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for black gum, the canonical source is Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Black Gum native to Iowa?
Black Gum is native to parts of the Lower 48, but the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) does not document a native range in Iowa. It can still earn a place in a Iowa garden — the zone comparison above tells you whether it will thrive.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Iowa growing guide lists USDA-documented natives for the state.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing Black Gum in Iowa
When can I plant Black Gum in Iowa?
Iowa's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 10 and Apr 17, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 18 and Oct 23 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for Black Gum, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in Iowa 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 Black Gum grown in across Iowa?
Iowa spans USDA hardiness zones 4b-6a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Black Gum carries a range of zones 6-12, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Iowa site have?
A typical Iowa site sees ~189 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Black Gum needs 140+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Is Black Gum native to Iowa?
Black Gum is native to parts of the Lower 48, but the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) does not document a native range in Iowa. It can still earn a place in a Iowa garden — the zone comparison above tells you whether it will thrive.
How should I amend the soil for Black Gum in Iowa?
Black Gum prefers pH 4.5-6 (USDA PLANTS). That sits in the common-ground band across Iowa soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Black Gum actually grow on my specific land in Iowa?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores black gum 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 Iowa
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores black gum against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Iowa black gum averages can't show:
We read public map data around Iowa — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Iowa black gum average
Explore More
Growing guides for black gum
Last updated: