Yes — Strong Match
chrysanthemum (zones 5-9) covers every zone Virginia contains (5b-8b), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.
Chrysanthemum in Virginia — the short answer
Chrysanthemum in Virginia: hardy in zones 5–9, full sun, against a state median of ~224 frost-free days.
- Plant 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
- Virginia zones
- 5b-8b
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Mar 22 - Apr 2 – Nov 2 - Nov 17
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 176 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.
Virginia spans zones 5b-8b, 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 chrysanthemum against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.
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Virginia is not one climate
A single Virginia answer averages 133 counties whose growing seasons are 113 days apart — from 176 frost-free days in Highland County to 289 in Hampton County. Which end of that your land sits nearer changes what chrysanthemum can finish before the first hard freeze.
The middle half of 133 counties runs 214–240 days, with a median of 224 days — a 113-day span end to end.
Measured across 133 Virginia 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 Virginia Fits Best
Even within Virginia's zones 5b-8b, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for chrysanthemum (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
Chrysanthemum Needs
- USDA Zones: 5-9
- Frost-Free Days: 180+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 3 ft tall
- Picking window: ~45 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: Medium
Virginia Has
- USDA Zones: 5b-8b
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 22 - Apr 2
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 2 - Nov 17
- Annual Rainfall: 36-50 inches
- Common Soils: Red clay (Piedmont), Silt loam, Sandy loam (Tidewater)
Plant Zone Range (zones 5-9)
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 Chrysanthemum in Virginia
The frost window
Across Virginia, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 22 and Apr 2, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 2 and Nov 17 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 214-day window you can count on — up to 240 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 chrysanthemum goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 8 weeks ahead, so counting back from Virginia's late-side last freeze of Apr 2 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 — Highland 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.
Growing Season Fit
The zone check says chrysanthemum survives winter here. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Chrysanthemum wants 180+ frost-free days; a typical Virginia site sees ~224 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves a workable window — start indoors to bank time.
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
Chrysanthemum likes near-neutral soil (pH 5.5-7.3). That's the common-ground band across Virginia's red clay (piedmont) and silt loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 6 and 6.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Virginia soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Virginia site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
Virginia's soils run mostly fine sandy loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. Chrysanthemum needs about 7 inches of workable depth, so it is that horizon — not the surface — you are testing for. That map unit, not the state average, decides how chrysanthemum performs.
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. Virginia soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
What Else to Consider for Chrysanthemum in Virginia
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Virginia growers also need to think about:
Heavy Piedmont red clay requires amendment
Humidity and heat in summer promote disease
Deer pressure is heavy in suburban and rural areas
Growing chrysanthemum here specifically
Chrysanthemum needs pH 5.5–7.3; Virginia's dominant fine sandy loam soils may or may not deliver that, so your parcel's SSURGO map unit is the real test.
Start with a soil test on your own ground and adjust pH and texture to fit chrysanthemum's 5.5–7.3 range. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Virginia grower, not just chrysanthemum — is covered on the Virginia growing guide.
Timing shifts within Virginia
Virginia isn't one climate. In Highland County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Apr 27 — roughly 30 days later than the recorded state median — so plant chrysanthemum to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Chrysanthemum needs about 180 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. 132 of Virginia’s 133 counties give it that outright. The tightest that does is Bath County at 190 frost-free days — 10 to spare. Below that line you are transplanting or extending the season, not direct-sowing.
Across Virginia’s 133 counties the frost-free season runs from 176 days in Highland County to 289 days in Hampton County — a spread of 113 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Virginia county sees 224 frost-free days, leaving chrysanthemum about 44 days of slack on a typical parcel — room for a second sowing where the season runs long.
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"). Chrysanthemum's 180-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
Chrysanthemum draws honeybees and butterflies (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, chrysanthemum can only work that bloom inside Virginia's frost window — roughly 224 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Mar 22 - Apr 2) and closing at the first (Nov 2 - Nov 17), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Good to Know Before You Plant Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum is listed as toxic to dogs, cats (all) at a mild level (ASPCA). Most listed plants only cause brief upset — a raised bed or a fenced corner usually keeps curious pets clear. Worth knowing for placement: in Virginia this is a one-season plant and the first hard freeze (Nov 2 - Nov 17) takes it down, so the exposure above is a summer-long one rather than something standing in the bed all year.
Recommended Chrysanthemum Varieties for Virginia
Virginia publishes no state variety trial for chrysanthemum, so we won't invent a "best for Virginia" list. Choose types rated to your USDA hardiness zone (5b-8b), and confirm winter survival and drainage against your own parcel.
Virginia Cooperative Extension
For Virginia-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for chrysanthemum, the canonical source is Virginia Cooperative Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Common Questions About Growing Chrysanthemum in Virginia
When can I plant Chrysanthemum in Virginia?
Virginia's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 22 and Apr 2, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 2 and Nov 17 (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 Chrysanthemum grown in across Virginia?
Virginia spans USDA hardiness zones 5b-8b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Chrysanthemum carries a range of zones 5-9, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Virginia site have?
A typical Virginia site sees ~224 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Chrysanthemum needs 180+ 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 Highland, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
How should I amend the soil for Chrysanthemum in Virginia?
Chrysanthemum prefers pH 5.5-7.3 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That sits in the common-ground band across Virginia soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Chrysanthemum actually grow on my specific land in Virginia?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores chrysanthemum 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 Virginia
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores chrysanthemum against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Virginia chrysanthemum averages can't show:
We read public map data around Virginia — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Virginia chrysanthemum average
Explore More
Growing guides for chrysanthemum
Explore Virginia county by county
Virginia carries 133 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for chrysanthemum there:
Where else chrysanthemum grows
Chrysanthemum's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to Virginia 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 Virginia
Virginia has a growing page for 1,020 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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