Generally — Most Areas
canna lily (zones 7-11) suits most of Pennsylvania (5b-8a) — zones 7-8 are in range, and the rest of the state is the exception.
Canna Lily in Pennsylvania — the short answer
Canna Lily in Pennsylvania: hardy in zones 7–11, full sun, against a state median of ~197 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- 7-11
- Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
- Pennsylvania zones
- 5b-8a
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Apr 6 - Apr 24 – Oct 25 - Nov 3
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 160 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
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.
Pennsylvania spans zones 5b-8a, 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 canna lily against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Pennsylvania is not one climate
A single Pennsylvania answer averages 67 counties whose growing seasons are 90 days apart — from 160 frost-free days in Potter County to 250 in Philadelphia County. Which end of that your land sits nearer changes what canna lily can finish before the first hard freeze.
The middle half of 67 counties runs 182–211 days, with a median of 197 days — a 90-day span end to end.
Measured across 67 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania Fits Best
Canna Lily is rated for zones 7–11 — a cold floor USDA puts at 0 to 10°F. Against Pennsylvania’s 67 counties that band holds in 19 of them, and the line runs at Adams County (zone 7a), the coldest county still inside it.
Inside zones 7–11
19 counties
- Berks County · zone 7a
- Bucks County · zone 7a
- Chester County · zone 7a
3 of 19 shown
Below the zone 7 floor
48 counties
- Cambria County · zone 5b
- Cameron County · zone 5b
- Elk County · zone 5b
3 of 48 shown
Winter cold is the limit here — the same plant works in a container that comes under cover.
County hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023, per county. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so the floor above is the band the plant's rating denotes, not a single measured kill point. Slope, shelter and cold-air drainage routinely move a site half a zone either way from its county figure — which is the part only your address resolves.
Even within Pennsylvania's zones 5b-8a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for canna lily (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
Canna Lily Needs
- USDA Zones: 7-11
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 5 ft tall
- Picking window: ~60 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: Medium
Pennsylvania Has
- USDA Zones: 5b-8a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 6 - Apr 24
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 25 - Nov 3
- Annual Rainfall: 36-48 inches
- Common Soils: Silt loam, Shale-derived, Limestone-derived
Plant Zone Range (zones 7-11)
Preferred Soil pH
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 Canna Lily in Pennsylvania
The frost window
Across Pennsylvania, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 6 and Apr 24, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 25 and Nov 3 (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 211 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.
When to start the seed
Those dates are when canna lily goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 8 weeks ahead, so counting back from Pennsylvania's late-side last freeze of Apr 24 is what fixes your sowing date — and a yard that clears frost earlier than the state's late date starts earlier still.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Potter County, not the statewide average.
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
Canna Lily tolerates a wide pH range (pH 5-8) — 3 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in Pennsylvania. 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 5.5 and 7.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Pennsylvania soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Pennsylvania site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
SSURGO maps about 14.1% of Pennsylvania as poorly or somewhat-poorly drained, and the class flips parcel to parcel. Canna Lily sits mid-range for drought tolerance, so either extreme can cost you — your soil map unit, not the state average, is the real answer.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
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. Pennsylvania soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
What Else to Consider for Canna Lily in Pennsylvania
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Pennsylvania growers also need to think about:
Rocky shale soils in the ridge-and-valley region
Short mountain seasons in the Poconos and Alleghenies
Deer pressure is among the highest in the US
Growing canna lily here specifically
Canna Lily roots run deep and prefer pH 5.0–8.0, but drainage comes first here: SSURGO maps about 14.1% of Pennsylvania as poorly or somewhat-poorly drained, and wet ground rots its roots before pH ever matters.
Plant canna lily on a raised, gravel-amended berm so water drains fast and the roots stays dry. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Pennsylvania grower, not just canna lily — is covered on the Pennsylvania growing guide.
Timing shifts within Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania isn't one climate. In Potter County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about May 5 — roughly 21 days later than the recorded state median — so plant canna lily to your county's window, not the statewide date.
County last-freeze dates: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F freeze (earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost"). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Where in Pennsylvania Canna Lily Is Zone-Hardy
Canna Lily is rated for USDA zones 7–11. 19 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties fall inside that band. The coldest that does is Adams County at zone 7a. 48 counties sit below the plant’s zone 7 floor, where an unprotected plant is relying on snow cover and a mild year. Where you are in Pennsylvania decides this one.
Across those 67 counties Pennsylvania’s winter-low ladder runs from zone 5b in Cambria County to zone 7b in Philadelphia County — 2 USDA zones of spread, which is 20°F between the two counties’ average coldest night of the year. That is why a statewide hardiness answer is where you start and not where you finish.
The planting window moves with it. Potter County holds its last hard freeze (28°F) until about May 5, while Philadelphia County is clear by Mar 19 — 47 days apart. Set canna lily out on your county’s date, not the state’s.
County hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023, per county. County last-freeze dates: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F killing freeze — earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost". Canna Lily’s zone 7–11 band: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database. A parcel report resolves your address’s own zone and frost dates rather than its county’s.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Canna Lily draws hummingbirds and native bees (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, canna lily can only work that bloom inside Pennsylvania's frost window — roughly 197 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 6 - Apr 24) and closing at the first (Oct 25 - Nov 3), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Recommended Canna Lily Varieties for Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania publishes no state variety trial for canna lily, so we won't invent a "best for Pennsylvania" list. Choose types rated to your USDA hardiness zone (5b-8a), and confirm winter survival and drainage against your own parcel.
Pennsylvania Cooperative Extension
For Pennsylvania-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for canna lily, the canonical source is Penn State Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Common Questions About Growing Canna Lily in Pennsylvania
When can I plant Canna Lily in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 6 and Apr 24, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 25 and Nov 3 (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.
What hardiness zone is Canna Lily grown in across Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania spans USDA hardiness zones 5b-8a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Canna Lily carries a range of zones 7-11, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Pennsylvania site have?
A typical Pennsylvania site sees ~197 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Canna Lily 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. In cooler counties like Potter, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
How should I amend the soil for Canna Lily in Pennsylvania?
Canna Lily tolerates pH 5-8 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That is a 3-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a Pennsylvania site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Canna Lily actually grow on my specific land in Pennsylvania?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores canna lily 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 Pennsylvania
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores canna lily against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Pennsylvania canna lily averages can't show:
We read public map data around Pennsylvania — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Pennsylvania canna lily average
Explore More
Growing guides for canna lily
Explore Pennsylvania county by county
Pennsylvania carries 67 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for canna lily there:
Where else canna lily grows
Canna Lily's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has a growing page for 893 plants — a rotating sample of the rest of the shelf.
Analysis by the Growable Ground research team, grounded in USDA PLANTS, USDA NRCS SSURGO, NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020), and named Cooperative Extension sources. How we know →
Cite this dataset
Kirchick, M. (2026). Growable Ground Plant Database [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21435643
Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. DOI 10.5281/zenodo.21435643
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