Che is a tree, a long-term addition to the landscape. It's hardy across USDA zones 5 through 9, handles dry spells once it's established and grows just as well in a container as in the ground. Its spring flowers are a modest draw for honeybees, even though the fruit is the prize.
Che — the short answer
Che: grown in zones 5–9, full sun, pH 6–7.5.
- USDA zones
- 5–9
- 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
- Soil pH
- 6–7.5
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- Frost-kill temp (growing season)
- -20°F
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Score Che on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether che actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score che against your land's real conditions.
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What Che is
Che grows as a perennial and reaches around 20 feet at maturity. It blooms green in spring. It's also well suited to containers.
How to grow Che
Che grows in USDA zones 5 through 9. Che does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 6 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs a growing season of at least 150 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
5-9
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
6 - 7.5
Growable Ground Plant Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost Kill Temperature
-20°F
Where cold starts killing growing tissue. Not a winter-survival floor — a dormant perennial takes far colder, which its hardiness zone answers.
Growable Ground Plant Database
Mature Height
20 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
150+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Plant it right
Set che in full sun with well-drained soil. Many fruit trees need a second variety nearby to pollinate — check before you plant just one.
Match the soil
Che prefers pH 6 to 7.5 (Growable Ground Plant Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Be patient, then harvest
Prune annually while the tree establishes; fruit trees reward patience with years of harvest. Local Extension guides publish per-cultivar bearing-age tables.
Where Che thrives
Che is hardy across USDA zones 5 through 9. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 5–9 spans average winter lows from -20°F to 30°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers 25 outright and splits 25 more down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 5–9·Where Che growsOpen map →
This map is derived from the USDA ARS / PRISM Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) and is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Where Che stands, state by state
Che is rated for zones 5–9 — a cold floor USDA puts at -20 to -10°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 25 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 25 more, and 1 sits outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
Fully inside zones 5–9
25 states
3 of 25 shown
The line runs through
25 states
3 of 25 shown
Che’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
Outside zones 5–9
1 state
- North Dakota · zones 3b-4b
Winter cold is the limit here — the same plant often works in a container that comes under cover. Each link is that state’s own growing hub.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around Che
Growing guides for che
Related plants in fruit
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — che is toxic to dogs and cats (mild severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: Pet Poison Helpline.)
Che offers low value to bees and other pollinators.
Before you harvest che, know your soil
Anything you grow to eat takes up what's in the ground it grows in, so it's worth knowing what's documented near you before you plant che for food. Our free screen reads 9 federal source types across roughly 1.8M indexed sites and shows which sit near your address and which way they drain. It's a screening estimate from public records and proximity — not a soil test — so a nearby record means a soil test is worth it, not that your soil is unsafe.
Your land is one point inside Che's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Che will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether che actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
How we know this about Che
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•USDA PHZM•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Che in my zone?
Che grows in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Che?
Set che out in early spring or fall while it's dormant, so the roots establish before the heat of summer. Your local last-frost date — which a Growable Ground report pulls for your exact address — sets the precise window.
How much sun does Che need?
Che needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Che need?
Che prefers soil pH 6 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (Growable Ground Plant Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Che attract pollinators?
Yes — che's flowers are a modest nectar source for honeybees.
Is Che safe for pets?
Che is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with mild severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: Pet Poison Helpline.)
Keep exploring Che
Che state by state
Every state che's zone reaches — 14 link straight to that state's che growing page; the rest open the state's full growing guide.