Unlikely — Zone Mismatch
durian (zones 11-13) does not overlap with Arizona's zone range (5b-10b). Growing outdoors is unlikely without significant protection.
One zone short — what would close it
Durian is hardy to zone 11, and the warmest ground in Arizona is zone 10 — 1 zone short. Planted in open ground it will not survive a Arizona winter. To grow it here, grow durian 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 11-13 (plant) against 5-10 (Arizona). 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.
Arizona spans zones 5b-10b, 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 durian against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
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Zone Comparison
Durian Needs
- USDA Zones: 11-13
- Frost-Free Days: 270+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 80 ft tall
- Drought tolerance: Low
Arizona Has
- USDA Zones: 5b-10b
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Feb 1 - Apr 2
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 13 - Dec 12
- Annual Rainfall: 3-25 inches
- Common Soils: Caliche, Sandy loam, Desert pavement
Plant Zone Range (zones 11-13)
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 Durian in Arizona
The frost window
Across Arizona, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Feb 1 and Apr 2, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 13 and Dec 12 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 225-day window you can count on — up to 314 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
Arizona runs as cold as USDA zone 5, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for durian, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether durian is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within Arizona; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Coconino 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 durian does not survive a Arizona 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 Arizona under protection.
Frost-free days
Durian wants 270+ frost-free days; a typical Arizona site sees ~266 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020) — 4 days short of what it needs. A typical Arizona 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
Durian needs ~5500 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~3945 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Arizona's typical season runs short on heat — pick a south-facing site and consider season extension.
Chill hours
Durian has no winter-chill requirement — its listed minimum is 0 hours (USDA PLANTS Database). Arizona typically banks ~2087 chill hours per winter (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so chill is not a constraint on this plant here — and not evidence in its favour either. Winter survival and season length are what decide it.
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
Durian tolerates a wide pH range (pH 4.3-7.5) — 3.2 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in Arizona. 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 5 and 6.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Arizona soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Arizona 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 0.4% of Arizona as poorly or somewhat-poorly drained, and the class flips parcel to parcel. Durian 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 and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. Arizona soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Durian in Arizona — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Unlikely — Zone Mismatch
- Plant Zones: 11-13 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 5b-10b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Feb 1 - Apr 2 to Nov 13 - Dec 12 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
What Else to Consider for Durian in Arizona
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Arizona growers also need to think about:
Extreme heat exceeding 110F stresses most plants
Minimal rainfall requires drip irrigation
Caliche hardpan prevents root penetration without breaking through
Growing durian here specifically
Durian prefers pH 4.3–7.5 and hardy to about 53°F, but its real limit in Arizona is water: 19.7% of soils drain excessively (SSURGO) and the droughtiest parcels run it dry.
Buffer durian against droughty soil with thick mulch, compost, and reliable drip watering. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Arizona grower, not just durian — is covered on the Arizona growing guide.
Timing shifts within Arizona
Arizona isn't one climate. In Coconino County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about May 15 — roughly 78 days later than the recorded state median — so plant durian to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Durian needs about 270 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. 7 of Arizona’s 15 counties give it that outright. The tightest that does is Santa Cruz County at 277 frost-free days — 7 to spare. Below that line you are transplanting or extending the season, not direct-sowing.
Across Arizona’s 15 counties the frost-free season runs from 150 days in Coconino County to 345 days in Maricopa County — a spread of 195 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Arizona county sees 266 frost-free days, which is 4 days short of what durian needs — so on a typical Arizona 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"). Durian's 270-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
Durian draws moths (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, durian can only work that bloom inside Arizona's frost window — roughly 266 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Feb 1 - Apr 2) and closing at the first (Nov 13 - Dec 12), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Arizona Cooperative Extension
For Arizona-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for durian, the canonical source is University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Durian native to Arizona?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Durian as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Arizona's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Arizona natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Arizona 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 Durian in Arizona
When can I plant Durian in Arizona?
Arizona's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Feb 1 and Apr 2, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 13 and Dec 12 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for Durian, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in Arizona and publishes no fall establishment date for it — check its hardiness range against your own zone before treating it as a permanent planting.
What hardiness zone is Durian grown in across Arizona?
Arizona spans USDA hardiness zones 5b-10b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Durian carries a range of zones 11-13, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Arizona site have?
A typical Arizona site sees ~266 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Durian needs 270+ 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 Coconino, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Durian native to Arizona?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Durian as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Arizona's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Arizona natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Durian in Arizona?
Durian tolerates pH 4.3-7.5 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That is a 3.2-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a Arizona site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Durian actually grow on my specific land in Arizona?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores durian 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 Arizona
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores durian against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Arizona durian averages can't show:
We read public map data around Arizona — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Arizona durian average
Explore More
Growing guides for durian
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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