Unlikely — Zone Mismatch
cinnamon (zones 10-12) does not overlap with Washington's zone range (4a-9b). Growing outdoors is unlikely without significant protection.
One zone short — what would close it
Cinnamon is hardy to zone 10, and the warmest ground in Washington is zone 9 — 1 zone short. Planted in open ground it will not survive a Washington winter. To grow it here, grow cinnamon 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 10-12 (plant) against 5-9 (Washington). 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.
Washington spans zones 4a-9b, 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 cinnamon against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
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Zone Comparison
Cinnamon Needs
- USDA Zones: 10-12
- Frost-Free Days: 300+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 45 ft tall
- Drought tolerance: Low
Washington Has
- USDA Zones: 4a-9b
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 16 - Apr 15
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 24 - Nov 18
- Annual Rainfall: 6-90 inches
- Common Soils: Volcanic ash, Silt loam (Palouse), Sandy loam
Plant Zone Range (zones 10-12)
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 Cinnamon in Washington
The frost window
Across Washington, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 16 and Apr 15, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 24 and Nov 18 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 192-day window you can count on — up to 247 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
Cinnamon overwinters from USDA zone 10 and warmer (NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder), and Washington runs as cold as zone 4, so it does not survive winter in the ground here. It is a woody plant rather than a crop you resow each spring, so neither a fall establishment date nor a harvest countdown describes it in Washington — which is why this page gives neither. What it needs here is a way through winter, not a planting date.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Whatcom 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 cinnamon does not survive a Washington 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 Washington under protection.
Frost-free days
Cinnamon wants 300+ frost-free days; a typical Washington site sees ~208 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020) — 92 days short of what it needs. A typical Washington season does not carry this crop to harvest outdoors, and a gap that size is not one an earlier sowing date or a faster cultivar closes; growing it here means growing it under cover.
Growing degree days
Cinnamon needs ~5000 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~1740 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Washington's typical season runs short on heat — pick a south-facing site and consider season extension.
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
Cinnamon likes near-neutral soil (pH 5-7). That's the common-ground band across Washington's volcanic ash and silt loam (palouse) — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 5.5 and 6.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Washington soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Washington site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
Washington's soils run mostly silt loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. Cinnamon needs about 59 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 cinnamon performs.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. Washington soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Cinnamon in Washington — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Unlikely — Zone Mismatch
- Plant Zones: 10-12 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 4a-9b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Mar 16 - Apr 15 to Oct 24 - Nov 18 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
- Days to Maturity: 365 days
What Else to Consider for Cinnamon in Washington
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Washington growers also need to think about:
Extreme rain divide: 90+ inches west, 6 inches east of Cascades
East side requires irrigation — no rain from June through September
Slug and root rot pressure on the wet west side
Short seasons at elevation in the Cascades and northeast corners
Growing cinnamon here specifically
At ~365 days to harvest, cinnamon barely fits Washington's ~208 frost-free days — there's little slack if spring runs cold.
Give cinnamon an indoor head start and a row cover in fall to beat the first freeze. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Washington grower, not just cinnamon — is covered on the Washington growing guide.
Timing shifts within Washington
Washington isn't one climate. In Whatcom County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about May 29 — roughly 54 days later than the recorded state median — so plant cinnamon to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Cinnamon needs about 300 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. 1 of Washington’s 39 counties give it that outright. The tightest that does is San Juan County at 300 frost-free days — 0 to spare. Below that line you are transplanting or extending the season, not direct-sowing.
Across Washington’s 39 counties the frost-free season runs from 131 days in Whatcom County to 300 days in San Juan County — a spread of 169 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Washington county sees 208 frost-free days, which is 92 days short of what cinnamon needs — so on a typical Washington parcel this is a transplant-or-protect crop, not a direct-sow one.
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"). Cinnamon's 300-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
Cinnamon draws honeybees (low value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, cinnamon can only work that bloom inside Washington's frost window — roughly 208 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Mar 16 - Apr 15) and closing at the first (Oct 24 - Nov 18), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Good to Know Before You Plant Cinnamon
Cinnamon is listed as toxic to dogs, cats (bark) at a mild level (Pet Poison Helpline). Most listed plants only cause brief upset — a raised bed or a fenced corner usually keeps curious pets clear. Worth knowing for placement: cinnamon is woody and hardy only from zone 10, against a Washington low of zone 4, so it is overwintered under cover here rather than left standing outside — which is where it will be in reach.
Recommended Cinnamon Varieties for Washington
Washington publishes no state variety trial for cinnamon, so we won't invent a "best for Washington" list. Choose types rated to your USDA hardiness zone (4a-9b), and confirm winter survival and drainage against your own parcel.
Washington Cooperative Extension
For Washington-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for cinnamon, the canonical source is WSU Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Cinnamon native to Washington?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Cinnamon as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Washington's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Washington natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Washington growing guide lists USDA-documented natives for the state.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing Cinnamon in Washington
When can I plant Cinnamon in Washington?
Washington's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 16 and Apr 15, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 24 and Nov 18 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Cinnamon overwinters only from USDA zone 10 and warmer, and Washington runs as cold as zone 4, so it does not survive winter in the ground here — the question for Washington growers is how to carry it through winter under cover, not which week to plant it.
What hardiness zone is Cinnamon grown in across Washington?
Washington spans USDA hardiness zones 4a-9b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Cinnamon carries a range of zones 10-12, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Washington site have?
A typical Washington site sees ~208 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Cinnamon needs 300+ 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 Whatcom, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Cinnamon native to Washington?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Cinnamon as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Washington's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Washington natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Cinnamon in Washington?
Cinnamon prefers pH 5-7 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That sits in the common-ground band across Washington soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Cinnamon actually grow on my specific land in Washington?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores cinnamon 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 Washington
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores cinnamon against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Washington cinnamon averages can't show:
We read public map data around Washington — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Washington cinnamon average
Explore More
Growing guides for cinnamon
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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