geranium (Pelargonium × hortorum), photographi

Can I Grow Geranium in Oklahoma?

USDA Zones 6b-8b · Plant zone range 10-11

Yes — Strong Match

geranium is grown as an annual, so season length decides it here, not a winter zone — and Oklahoma's typical season runs ~237 frost-free days against the ~95 geranium needs.

Sow by about Aug 9

Geranium is grown as an annual, so what decides it here is season length, not a winter zone. It needs about 95 days from sowing to finish and a typical Oklahoma season runs ~237 frost-free days, leaving 142 days of slack. That is room to sow as late as about Aug 9 and still finish before the usual first freeze (Nov 12).

Want more weeks at either end of that window? How to buy the weeks →

95 days to maturity against Oklahoma’s ~237-day season. NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS 1991-2020 (28°F killing freeze), state median across counties, via stateClimateData.ts.

Geranium in Oklahoma — the short answer

Geranium in Oklahoma: grown in zones 10–11, part sun, against a state median of ~237 frost-free days.

Plant zones
Grown as an annual — see the growing season
Growing season, not a hardiness zone
Oklahoma zones
6b-8b
USDA PHZM 2023
Frost window
Mar 15 - Mar 26 – Nov 9 - Nov 14
NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
Shortest county season
197 days
NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
Days to maturity
95 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.

Score your parcel · free to start

Your yard isn't the whole zone.

Geranium is grown as an annual, so your winter zone isn't the deciding factor — your frost-free window is. A typical Oklahoma site runs ~237 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 geranium against your land's actual frost dates, sun, and soil.

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

No card required · your parcel report in seconds — read in full free for your first 14 days

Oklahoma is not one climate

A single Oklahoma answer averages 77 counties whose growing seasons are 70 days apart — from 197 frost-free days in Cimarron County to 267 in Choctaw County. Which end of that your land sits nearer changes what geranium can finish before the first hard freeze.

197 daysCimarron County267 daysChoctaw County

The middle half of 77 counties runs 229–244 days, with a median of 237 days — a 70-day span end to end.

Measured across 77 Oklahoma 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.

Zone Comparison

Geranium Needs

  • USDA Zones: 10-11
  • Sun: Part SunWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
  • Mature size: 1.5 ft tallWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
  • Picking window: ~150 days of harvestWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
  • Drought tolerance: MediumWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Oklahoma Has

  • USDA Zones: 6b-8b
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 15 - Mar 26
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 9 - Nov 14
  • Annual Rainfall: 15-56 inches
  • Common Soils: Red clay, Sandy loam, Prairie loam

Plant Zone Range (zones 10-11)

10a
11b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

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 Geranium in Oklahoma

The frost window

Across Oklahoma, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 15 and Mar 26, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 9 and Nov 14 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 228-day window you can count on — up to 244 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 geranium goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 14 weeks ahead, so counting back from Oklahoma's late-side last freeze of Mar 26 is what fixes your sowing date — and a yard that clears frost earlier than the state's late date starts earlier still.

Days to maturity vs. the window

At 95 days to maturity (Growable Ground Plant Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 133 days to spare even in Oklahoma's tightest freeze scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.

Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Cimarron 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

Days to maturity

Geranium matures in ~95 days. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. A typical Oklahoma site has ~237 frost-free days, so plenty of room for a second succession.

Growing degree days

Geranium needs ~1000 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. The state median runs ~4695 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Oklahoma'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

Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Oklahoma site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, a raised bed lifts the roots above wet ground, or work in compost. Drainage need: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Your land, not the state average

Oklahoma's soils run mostly silt loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. What matters for geranium is the horizon its roots actually work, not the surface. That map unit, not the state average, decides how geranium 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. Oklahoma soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.

What Else to Consider for Geranium in Oklahoma

The zone range tells you where geranium is grown — but Oklahoma growers also need to think about:

Extreme weather variability (tornadoes, ice storms, drought)

Red clay soils drain poorly in central OK

Low western rainfall requires irrigation

What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Oklahoma grower, not just geranium — is covered on the Oklahoma growing guide.

Timing shifts within Oklahoma

Oklahoma isn't one climate. In Cimarron County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Apr 13 — roughly 24 days later than the recorded state median — so plant geranium to your county's window, not the statewide date.

Geranium needs about 95 days of frost-free season from planting to harvest. Even Cimarron County — Oklahoma’s shortest season at 197 frost-free days — clears that by 102 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Oklahoma. What varies is your own parcel.

Across Oklahoma’s 77 counties the frost-free season runs from 197 days in Cimarron County to 267 days in Choctaw County — a spread of 70 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Oklahoma county sees 237 frost-free days, leaving geranium about 142 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"). Geranium's 95-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (days to maturity). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.

Pollinator + Wildlife Value

Geranium draws honeybees and butterflies (moderate value). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, geranium can only work that bloom inside Oklahoma's frost window — roughly 237 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Mar 15 - Mar 26) and closing at the first (Nov 9 - Nov 14), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Pollinator value: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Good to Know Before You Plant Geranium

Geranium is listed as toxic to dogs, cats (all) at a mild level. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. Most listed plants only cause brief upset — a raised bed or a fenced corner usually keeps curious pets clear. Worth knowing for placement: in Oklahoma this is a one-season plant and the first hard freeze (Nov 9 - Nov 14) takes it down, so the exposure above is a summer-long one rather than something standing in the bed all year.

Recommended Geranium Varieties for Oklahoma

Oklahoma publishes no state variety trial for geranium, so we won't invent a "best for Oklahoma" list. Choose types rated to your USDA hardiness zone (6b-8b), and confirm winter survival and drainage against your own parcel.

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension

For Oklahoma-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for geranium, the canonical source is Oklahoma State University Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.

Common Questions About Growing Geranium in Oklahoma

When can I plant Geranium in Oklahoma?

Oklahoma's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 15 and Mar 26, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 9 and Nov 14 (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.

Can Geranium mature before first frost in Oklahoma?

Yes — Geranium matures in 95 days (Growable Ground Plant Database), and Oklahoma's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 228 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 133 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 Geranium grown in across Oklahoma?

Oklahoma spans USDA hardiness zones 6b-8b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Geranium carries a range of zones 10-11, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.

How many frost-free days does a typical Oklahoma site have?

A typical Oklahoma site sees ~237 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Geranium should be matched against that window, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date. In cooler counties like Cimarron, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.

Will Geranium actually grow on my specific land in Oklahoma?

State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores geranium against your address's mapped soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.

Free to start

Check your specific parcel in Oklahoma

State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores geranium against your land's mapped soil, modelled sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.

Three things about your lot that Oklahoma geranium averages can't show:

Your soil pHYour frost-free days — Oklahoma averages 237Your sun & shade

We read public map data around Oklahoma — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources read at your address, not the Oklahoma geranium average

Explore More

Explore Oklahoma county by county

Oklahoma carries 77 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for geranium there:

Where else geranium grows

Geranium's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma

Oklahoma has a growing page for 1,011 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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