Yes — Strong Match
crimson clover (zones 5-10) covers every zone Indiana contains (5b-7b), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.
Crimson Clover in Indiana — the short answer
Crimson Clover in Indiana: hardy in zones 5–10, full sun, against a state median of ~209 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- 5-10
- 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
- Indiana zones
- 5b-7b
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Apr 4 - Apr 9 – Oct 30 - Nov 4
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 191 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
- Days to maturity
- 120 days
- Growable Ground Plant Database
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.
Crimson Clover is grown as an annual, so your winter zone isn't the deciding factor — your frost-free window is. A typical Indiana site runs ~209 frost-free days, but that is a state median, not your yard: slope, trees, and low spots move the last-frost date across a single parcel. Enter your address and we'll score crimson clover against your land's actual frost dates, sun, and soil.
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Indiana is not one climate
A single Indiana answer averages 92 counties whose growing seasons are 41 days apart — from 191 frost-free days in Steuben County to 232 in Posey County. Which end of that your land sits nearer changes what crimson clover can finish before the first hard freeze.
The middle half of 92 counties runs 203–214 days, with a median of 209 days — a 41-day span end to end.
Measured across 92 Indiana 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 Indiana Fits Best
Even within Indiana's zones 5b-7b, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for crimson clover (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
Crimson Clover Needs
- USDA Zones: 5-10
- Frost-Free Days: 100+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 1.5 ft tall
- Drought tolerance: Low
Indiana Has
- USDA Zones: 5b-7b
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 4 - Apr 9
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 30 - Nov 4
- Annual Rainfall: 36-46 inches
- Common Soils: Silt loam, Clay loam, Glacial till
Plant Zone Range (zones 5-10)
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 Crimson Clover in Indiana
The frost window
Across Indiana, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 4 and Apr 9, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 30 and Nov 4 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 204-day window you can count on — up to 214 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 hardiness
Crimson Clover takes cold down to about 0°F before a freeze kills it (FAO ECOCROP), so you can plant on the early side of Indiana's window — even a few weeks before the final hard freeze. That is the point where cold damages growing tissue, not a winter-survival floor — an established perennial comes through far colder while dormant, which is what its hardiness zone tells you.
When to start the seed
Crimson Clover is direct-sown where it grows rather than started under cover, so there is no seed-tray head start to bank — Indiana's dates above are the whole calendar for it. That makes the last-freeze date the binding constraint, and a warmer pocket of your own yard is worth more to this crop than it is to a transplanted one.
Days to maturity vs. the window
At 120 days to maturity (Growable Ground Plant Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 84 days to spare even in Indiana's tightest freeze scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Steuben 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 crimson clover survives winter here. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Crimson Clover wants 100+ frost-free days; a typical Indiana site sees ~209 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Crimson Clover needs ~1600 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~3153 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Indiana's typical season clears that easily.
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
Crimson Clover tolerates a wide pH range (pH 4.8-8.3) — 3.5 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in Indiana. 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 6 and 7 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Indiana soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Indiana 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 37.8% of Indiana as poorly or somewhat-poorly drained, and the class flips parcel to parcel. Crimson Clover has low drought tolerance, so it is the fast-draining end that will 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. Indiana soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
What Else to Consider for Crimson Clover in Indiana
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Indiana growers also need to think about:
Heavy clay soils limit drainage in many areas
Late spring frosts through early May
Hot humid summers promote blight and mildew
Growing crimson clover here specifically
Crimson Clover needs sharp drainage and sends medium roots; its growing tissue takes cold to about 0°F (FAO ECOCROP), but in Indiana, about 37.8% of soils are poorly-drained (SSURGO), and standing water is what actually kills it.
Build crimson clover 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 Indiana grower, not just crimson clover — is covered on the Indiana growing guide.
Timing shifts within Indiana
Indiana isn't one climate. In Steuben County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Apr 18 — roughly 11 days later than the recorded state median — so plant crimson clover to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Crimson Clover needs about 100 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Steuben County — Indiana’s shortest season at 191 frost-free days — clears that by 91 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Indiana. 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"). Crimson Clover's 100-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
Crimson Clover draws honeybees, native bees, and butterflies (high value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, crimson clover can only work that bloom inside Indiana's frost window — roughly 209 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 4 - Apr 9) and closing at the first (Oct 30 - Nov 4), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Indiana Cooperative Extension
For Indiana-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for crimson clover, the canonical source is Purdue Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Crimson Clover native to Indiana?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Crimson Clover as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Indiana's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Indiana natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Indiana 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 Crimson Clover in Indiana
When can I plant Crimson Clover in Indiana?
Indiana's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 4 and Apr 9, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 30 and Nov 4 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Crimson Clover takes cold to about 0°F before a freeze kills it (FAO ECOCROP — the point where cold damages growing tissue, not a winter-survival floor), so plant on the early side of that window — even ahead of the final hard freeze.
Can Crimson Clover mature before first frost in Indiana?
Yes — Crimson Clover matures in 120 days (Growable Ground Plant Database), and Indiana's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 204 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 84 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 Crimson Clover grown in across Indiana?
Indiana spans USDA hardiness zones 5b-7b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Crimson Clover carries a range of zones 5-10, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Indiana site have?
A typical Indiana site sees ~209 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Crimson Clover needs 100+ 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 Steuben, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Crimson Clover native to Indiana?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Crimson Clover as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Indiana's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Indiana natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Crimson Clover in Indiana?
Crimson Clover tolerates pH 4.8-8.3 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That is a 3.5-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a Indiana site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Crimson Clover actually grow on my specific land in Indiana?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores crimson clover 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 Indiana
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores crimson clover against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Indiana crimson clover averages can't show:
We read public map data around Indiana — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Indiana crimson clover average
Explore More
Growing guides for crimson clover
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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