Can I Grow Blue Star Creeper in Ohio?

USDA Zones 5b-7a · Plant zone range 6-8

Generally — Most Areas

blue star creeper (zones 6-8) suits most of Ohio (5b-7a) — zones 6-7 are in range, and the rest of the state is the exception.

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Ohio spans zones 5b-7a, 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 blue star creeper against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.

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Zone Comparison

Blue Star Creeper Needs

  • USDA Zones: 6-8
  • Frost-Free Days: 120+
  • Sun: Part Sun
  • Mature size: 2 in tall
  • Drought tolerance: Low

Ohio Has

  • USDA Zones: 5b-7a
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 5 - Apr 13
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 31 - Nov 6
  • Annual Rainfall: 34-42 inches
  • Common Soils: Glacial till, Clay loam, Silt loam

Plant Zone Range (zones 6-8)

6a
8b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Preferred Soil pH

3.5 (Acidic)7.0 (Neutral)9.0 (Alkaline)
Highlighted range: pH 6.17.8

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

When to Plant Blue Star Creeper in Ohio

The frost window

Across Ohio, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 5 and Apr 13, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 31 and Nov 6 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 201-day window you can count on — up to 215 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

Ohio runs as cold as USDA zone 5, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for blue star creeper, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether blue star creeper is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within Ohio; 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 blue star creeper survives winter in part of Ohio, not across all of it. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.

Frost-free days

Blue Star Creeper wants 120+ frost-free days; a typical Ohio site sees ~208 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.

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

Blue Star Creeper likes near-neutral soil (pH 6.1-7.8). That's the common-ground band across Ohio's glacial till and clay loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 6.1 and 7 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Ohio soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Ohio site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.

Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. Ohio soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.

Blue Star Creeper in Ohio — Quick Answer

  • Verdict: Generally — Most Areas
  • Plant Zones: 6-8 (USDA PLANTS Database)
  • State Zones: 5b-7a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
  • Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Apr 5 - Apr 13 to Oct 31 - Nov 6 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)

What Else to Consider for Blue Star Creeper in Ohio

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

Heavy clay soils across much of northern Ohio require amendment for drainage

Variable spring weather with late frost risk through mid-May

Japanese beetles and tomato hornworms are common garden pests

Wet springs can delay planting and promote root rot

What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Ohio grower, not just blue star creeper — is covered on the Ohio growing guide.

Timing shifts within Ohio

Blue Star Creeper needs about 120 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Columbiana County — Ohio’s shortest season at 182 frost-free days — clears that by 62 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Ohio. 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"). Blue Star Creeper's 120-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.

Where in Ohio Fits Best

Even within Ohio's zones 5b-7a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for blue star creeper (USDA PHZM 2023):

Pollinator + Wildlife Value

Blue Star Creeper draws native bees (low value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, blue star creeper can only work that bloom inside Ohio's frost window — roughly 208 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 5 - Apr 13) and closing at the first (Oct 31 - Nov 6), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.

Ohio Cooperative Extension

For Ohio-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for blue star creeper, the canonical source is Ohio State University Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.

Is Blue Star Creeper native to Ohio?

No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Blue Star Creeper as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Ohio's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Ohio natives keeps local pollinators fed too.

Looking for plants that belong here? The Ohio 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 Blue Star Creeper in Ohio

When can I plant Blue Star Creeper in Ohio?

Ohio's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 5 and Apr 13, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 31 and Nov 6 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for Blue Star Creeper, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in Ohio 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 Blue Star Creeper grown in across Ohio?

Ohio spans USDA hardiness zones 5b-7a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Blue Star Creeper carries a range of zones 6-8, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.

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

A typical Ohio site sees ~208 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Blue Star Creeper needs 120+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.

Is Blue Star Creeper native to Ohio?

No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Blue Star Creeper as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Ohio's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Ohio natives keeps local pollinators fed too.

How should I amend the soil for Blue Star Creeper in Ohio?

Blue Star Creeper prefers pH 6.1-7.8 and well (dry spells) drainage (Growable Ground Plant Database). That sits in the common-ground band across Ohio soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.

Will Blue Star Creeper actually grow on my specific land in Ohio?

State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores blue star creeper 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 Ohio

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

Three things about your lot that Ohio blue star creeper averages can't show:

Your soil pHYour frost-free days — Ohio averages 208Your sun & shade

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

25+ data sources read at your address, not the Ohio blue star creeper average

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