Unlikely — Zone Mismatch
chiltepin pepper (zones 7-11) does not overlap with Iowa's zone range (4b-6a). Growing outdoors is unlikely without significant protection.
One zone short — what would close it
Chiltepin Pepper is hardy to zone 7, and the warmest ground in Iowa is zone 6 — 1 zone short. Planted in open ground it will not survive a Iowa winter. To grow it here, grow chiltepin pepper in a container and move it under cover for the coldest weeks, or give it a greenhouse.
Season extension and overwintering under cover both work at this margin. How to buy the weeks →
Zone math from 7-11 (plant) against 4-6 (Iowa). Lift modeled by crop_engine Sprint 20B effective_zone_modifier (+2 zones) via api/fast_sections.py Unlock Engine v2.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Iowa spans zones 4b-6a, 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 chiltepin pepper 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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Zone Comparison
Chiltepin Pepper Needs
- USDA Zones: 7-11
- Frost-Free Days: 60+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 3 ft tall
- Picking window: ~60 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: High
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 7-11)
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 Chiltepin Pepper 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.
Frost tenderness
Chiltepin Pepper is frost-tender — its listed minimum temperature is 46.4°F (USDA PLANTS Database) — so set plants out two to three weeks PAST your local last hard freeze, not on it and not on the state's earliest date. The 28°F marker above is when killing freezes stop, not when light frost does.
When to start the seed
Those dates are when chiltepin pepper goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 10 weeks ahead, so counting back from Iowa's late-side last freeze of Apr 17 is what fixes your sowing date — and a yard that clears frost earlier than the state's late date starts earlier still.
Days to maturity vs. the window
At 120 days to maturity (USDA PLANTS Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 64 days to spare even in Iowa's tightest freeze scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Howard County, not the statewide average.
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 chiltepin pepper does not survive a Iowa winter in the ground. The season figures below measure a different question — whether it could finish a season here at all — and they only bear on Iowa under protection.
Frost-free days
Chiltepin Pepper wants 60+ frost-free days; a typical Iowa site sees ~189 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Chiltepin Pepper needs ~2500 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~2730 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Iowa sits right at the threshold — pay attention to siting and microclimate.
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
Chiltepin Pepper likes near-neutral soil (pH 4.5-7). That's the common-ground band across Iowa's prairie loess and silt loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 5.5 and 6.8 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Iowa soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Iowa 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 42.9% of Iowa as poorly or somewhat-poorly drained, and the class flips parcel to parcel. Chiltepin Pepper tolerates drought well, so wet feet — not dry spells — is its real risk here — your soil map unit, not the state average, is the real answer.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
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.
Chiltepin Pepper in Iowa — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Unlikely — Zone Mismatch
- Plant Zones: 7-11 (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)
- Days to Maturity: 120 days
What Else to Consider for Chiltepin Pepper 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
Growing chiltepin pepper here specifically
Chiltepin Pepper needs sharp drainage and sends medium roots hardy to about 46°F; in Iowa, about 42.9% of soils are poorly-drained (SSURGO), and standing water is what actually kills it.
Build chiltepin pepper up on a coarse, free-draining mound so its roots never sit in saturated soil. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Iowa grower, not just chiltepin pepper — is covered on the Iowa growing guide.
Timing shifts within Iowa
Iowa isn't one climate. In Howard County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Apr 24 — roughly 10 days later than the recorded state median — so plant chiltepin pepper to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Chiltepin Pepper needs about 60 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Howard County — Iowa’s shortest season at 168 frost-free days — clears that by 108 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"). Chiltepin Pepper's 60-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Chiltepin Pepper draws honeybees and native bees (low value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, chiltepin pepper 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 chiltepin pepper, 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.
Common Questions About Growing Chiltepin Pepper in Iowa
When can I plant Chiltepin Pepper 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). Chiltepin Pepper is frost-tender — its listed minimum temperature is 46.4°F (USDA PLANTS Database) — so wait two to three weeks past your site's last hard freeze, when light frost has also stopped, before planting out.
Can Chiltepin Pepper mature before first frost in Iowa?
Yes — Chiltepin Pepper matures in 120 days (USDA PLANTS Database), and Iowa's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 184 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 64 days of margin. Plant once the last hard freeze has passed — two to three weeks later for anything tender — and it ripens ahead of the first fall freeze.
What hardiness zone is Chiltepin Pepper grown in across Iowa?
Iowa spans USDA hardiness zones 4b-6a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Chiltepin Pepper 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 Iowa site have?
A typical Iowa site sees ~189 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Chiltepin Pepper needs 60+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date. In cooler counties like Howard, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
How should I amend the soil for Chiltepin Pepper in Iowa?
Chiltepin Pepper prefers pH 4.5-7 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). 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 Chiltepin Pepper actually grow on my specific land in Iowa?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores chiltepin pepper 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 chiltepin pepper against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Iowa chiltepin pepper 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 chiltepin pepper average
Explore More
Growing guides for chiltepin pepper
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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