Yes — Strong Match
bugbane (simplex) (zones 4-8) covers every zone Massachusetts contains (5a-7b), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.
Bugbane Simplex in Massachusetts — the short answer
Bugbane Simplex in Massachusetts: hardy in zones 4–8, shade.
- Plant zones
- 4-8
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Massachusetts zones
- 5a-7b
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Apr 4 - Apr 14 – Oct 24 - Nov 14
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Typical season
- ~206 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020
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.
Massachusetts spans zones 5a-7b, 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 bugbane simplex against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
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Zone Comparison
Bugbane Simplex Needs
- USDA Zones: 4-8
- Sun: ShadeWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Mature size: 5 ft tallWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Picking window: ~30 days of harvestWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Drought tolerance: LowWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Massachusetts Has
- USDA Zones: 5a-7b
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 4 - Apr 14
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 24 - Nov 14
- Annual Rainfall: 42-50 inches
- Common Soils: Glacial till, Sandy loam, Rocky loam
Plant Zone Range (zones 4-8)
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 Bugbane Simplex in Massachusetts
The frost window
Across Massachusetts, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 4 and Apr 14, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 24 and Nov 14 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 193-day window you can count on — up to 224 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
Massachusetts runs as cold as USDA zone 5, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for bugbane simplex, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether bugbane simplex is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within Massachusetts; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.
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.
Soil + Drainage Fit
Bugbane Simplex likes near-neutral soil (pH 5.5-7.5). That's the common-ground band across Massachusetts's glacial till and sandy loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Massachusetts 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 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. Massachusetts soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
What Else to Consider for Bugbane Simplex in Massachusetts
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Massachusetts growers also need to think about:
Short growing season (120-180 frost-free days) limits warm-season crops
Rocky glacial soils require amendment in many areas
Late spring frosts can damage early plantings through mid-May
Deer pressure is significant in suburban and rural areas
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Massachusetts grower, not just bugbane simplex — is covered on the Massachusetts growing guide.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Bugbane Simplex draws native bees (moderate value). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, bugbane simplex can only work that bloom inside Massachusetts's frost window — roughly 206 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 4 - Apr 14) and closing at the first (Oct 24 - Nov 14), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Pollinator value: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Massachusetts Cooperative Extension
For Massachusetts-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for bugbane simplex, the canonical source is UMass Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Common Questions About Growing Bugbane Simplex in Massachusetts
When can I plant Bugbane Simplex in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 4 and Apr 14, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 24 and Nov 14 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for Bugbane Simplex, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in Massachusetts 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 Bugbane Simplex grown in across Massachusetts?
Massachusetts spans USDA hardiness zones 5a-7b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Bugbane Simplex carries a range of zones 4-8, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Massachusetts site have?
A typical Massachusetts site sees ~206 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Bugbane Simplex 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.
How should I amend the soil for Bugbane Simplex in Massachusetts?
Bugbane Simplex prefers pH 5.5-7.5 and well (dry spells) drainage. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. That sits in the common-ground band across Massachusetts soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Bugbane Simplex actually grow on my specific land in Massachusetts?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores bugbane simplex 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 Massachusetts
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores bugbane simplex against your land's mapped soil, modelled sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Massachusetts bugbane simplex averages can't show:
We read public map data around Massachusetts — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Massachusetts bugbane simplex average
Explore More
Growing guides for bugbane simplex
Where else bugbane simplex grows
Bugbane Simplex's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts
Massachusetts has a growing page for 889 plants — a rotating sample of the rest of the shelf.
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