Yes — Strong Match
field pea (zones 2-10) covers every zone North Dakota contains (3b-4b), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.
Field Pea in North Dakota — the short answer
Field Pea in North Dakota: hardy in zones 2–10, full sun, against a state median of ~157 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- 2-10
- 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
- North Dakota zones
- 3b-4b
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Apr 30 - May 6 – Oct 4 - Oct 9
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 141 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
- Days to maturity
- 70 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.
Field Pea is grown as an annual, so your winter zone isn't the deciding factor — your frost-free window is. A typical North Dakota site runs ~157 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 field pea against your land's actual frost dates, sun, and soil.
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North Dakota is not one climate
North Dakota’s winter-low ladder runs across 53 counties, from zone 3.5 in Bottineau County to zone 4.5 in Stutsman County. That is 10°F between the two counties’ average coldest night — the difference between field pea overwintering in the ground and coming under cover.
The middle half of 53 counties runs 4–4 zones, with a median of 4 zones — a 1-zone span end to end.
Measured across 53 North Dakota counties. USDA PHZM 2023, per county. 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 North Dakota Fits Best
Even within North Dakota's zones 3b-4b, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for field pea (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
Field Pea Needs
- USDA Zones: 2-10
- Frost-Free Days: 60+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 2 ft tall
- Picking window: ~21 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: Low
North Dakota Has
- USDA Zones: 3b-4b
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 30 - May 6
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 4 - Oct 9
- Annual Rainfall: 14-22 inches
- Common Soils: Prairie loam, Clay (Red River Valley), Sandy loam
Plant Zone Range (zones 2-10)
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 Field Pea in North Dakota
The frost window
Across North Dakota, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 30 and May 6, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 4 and Oct 9 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 151-day window you can count on — up to 162 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
Field Pea is frost-tender — FAO ECOCROP puts its killing temperature at 32°F — 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. 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
Field Pea is direct-sown where it grows rather than started under cover, so there is no seed-tray head start to bank — North Dakota'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 70 days to maturity (Growable Ground Plant Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 81 days to spare even in North Dakota's tightest freeze scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.
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 field pea survives winter here. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Field Pea wants 60+ frost-free days; a typical North Dakota site sees ~157 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Field Pea needs ~1000 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~1913 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so North Dakota'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
Field Pea tolerates a wide pH range (pH 4.5-8.3) — 3.8 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in North Dakota. 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 5.5 and 7 — worth knowing before you decide whether a North Dakota soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your North Dakota site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
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. North Dakota soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
What Else to Consider for Field Pea in North Dakota
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but North Dakota growers also need to think about:
Extreme cold (-40F) and short growing season
Persistent wind desiccates plants
Low rainfall in western ND
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every North Dakota grower, not just field pea — is covered on the North Dakota growing guide.
Timing shifts within North Dakota
Field Pea needs about 60 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Bottineau County — North Dakota’s shortest season at 141 frost-free days — clears that by 81 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in North Dakota. 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"). Field Pea'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
Field Pea draws honeybees (low value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, field pea can only work that bloom inside North Dakota's frost window — roughly 157 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 30 - May 6) and closing at the first (Oct 4 - Oct 9), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
North Dakota Cooperative Extension
For North Dakota-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for field pea, the canonical source is NDSU Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Field Pea native to North Dakota?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Field Pea as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of North Dakota's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few North Dakota natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The North Dakota 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 Field Pea in North Dakota
When can I plant Field Pea in North Dakota?
North Dakota's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 30 and May 6, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 4 and Oct 9 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Field Pea is frost-tender — its killing temperature is 32°F (FAO ECOCROP — the point where cold damages growing tissue, not a winter-survival floor) — so wait two to three weeks past your site's last hard freeze, when light frost has also stopped, before planting out.
Can Field Pea mature before first frost in North Dakota?
Yes — Field Pea matures in 70 days (Growable Ground Plant Database), and North Dakota's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 151 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 81 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 Field Pea grown in across North Dakota?
North Dakota spans USDA hardiness zones 3b-4b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Field Pea carries a range of zones 2-10, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical North Dakota site have?
A typical North Dakota site sees ~157 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Field Pea needs 60+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Is Field Pea native to North Dakota?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Field Pea as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of North Dakota's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few North Dakota natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Field Pea in North Dakota?
Field Pea tolerates pH 4.5-8.3 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That is a 3.8-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a North Dakota site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Field Pea actually grow on my specific land in North Dakota?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores field pea 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 North Dakota
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores field pea against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that North Dakota field pea averages can't show:
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