Yes — Strong Match
good king henry is grown as an annual, so season length decides it here, not a winter zone — and California's typical season runs ~317 frost-free days against the ~60 good king henry needs.
Sow by about Oct 11
Good King Henry is grown as an annual, so what decides it here is season length, not a winter zone. It needs about 60 days from sowing to finish and a typical California season runs ~317 frost-free days, leaving 257 days of slack. That is room to sow as late as about Oct 11 and still finish before the usual first freeze (Dec 10), or to run a second succession.
Want more weeks at either end of that window? How to buy the weeks →
60 days to maturity against California’s ~317-day season. NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS 1991-2020 (28°F killing freeze), state median across counties, via stateClimateData.ts.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Good King Henry is grown as an annual, so your winter zone isn't the deciding factor — your frost-free window is. A typical California site runs ~317 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 good king henry against your land's actual frost dates, sun, and soil.
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Zone Comparison
Good King Henry Needs
- USDA Zones: Data pending
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 1 ft tall
- Picking window: ~90 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: Medium
California Has
- USDA Zones: 4b-11a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Jan 19 - Mar 19
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 29 - Dec 12
- Annual Rainfall: 5-80 inches
- Common Soils: Alluvial clay, Sandy loam, Adobe clay
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 Good King Henry in California
The frost window
Across California, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Jan 19 and Mar 19, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 29 and Dec 12 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 255-day window you can count on — up to 327 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 good king henry goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 4 weeks ahead, so counting back from California's late-side last freeze of Mar 19 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 60 days to maturity (USDA PLANTS Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 195 days to spare even in California's tightest freeze scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Mono 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
Days to maturity
Good King Henry matures in ~60 days (Growable Ground Plant Database). A typical California site has ~317 frost-free days, so plenty of room for a second succession.
Growing degree days
Good King Henry needs ~700 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~4290 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so California'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
Good King Henry likes near-neutral soil (pH 5.5-8). That's the common-ground band across California's alluvial clay and sandy loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 6 and 7.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a California soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your California site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
California's soils run mostly loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. What matters for good king henry is the horizon its roots actually work, not the surface. That map unit, not the state average, decides how good king henry performs.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. California soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Good King Henry in California — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Yes — Strong Match
- Plant Zones: Data pending (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 4b-11a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Jan 19 - Mar 19 to Nov 29 - Dec 12 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
- Days to Maturity: 60 days
What Else to Consider for Good King Henry in California
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but California growers also need to think about:
Drought is a persistent challenge — irrigation is essential in most regions
Wildfire risk affects rural and foothill properties
Adobe clay soils in valleys drain poorly without amendment
Wide climate variation means plant selection is highly location-specific
Growing good king henry here specifically
California's soils run mostly loam (Alfisols), and whether that suits good king henry's pH 5.5–8.0 preference comes down to your exact parcel, not the statewide picture.
Pull your parcel's SSURGO map unit, test pH, and amend toward good king henry's 5.5–8.0 target before planting. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every California grower, not just good king henry — is covered on the California growing guide.
Timing shifts within California
California isn't one climate. In Mono County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Jun 4 — roughly 120 days later than the recorded state median — so plant good king henry to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Good King Henry needs about 60 days of frost-free season from planting to harvest. Even Mono County — California’s shortest season at 108 frost-free days — clears that by 48 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in California. What varies is your own parcel.
Across California’s 57 counties the frost-free season runs from 108 days in Mono County to 365 days in Ventura County — a spread of 257 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median California county sees 317 frost-free days, leaving good king henry about 257 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"). Good King Henry's 60-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (days to maturity). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Good to Know Before You Plant Good King Henry
Good King Henry is listed as toxic to dogs, cats (leaves) at a mild level (Cornell). Most listed plants only cause brief upset — a raised bed or a fenced corner usually keeps curious pets clear. Worth knowing for placement: in California this is a one-season plant and the first hard freeze (Nov 29 - Dec 12) takes it down, so the exposure above is a summer-long one rather than something standing in the bed all year.
Recommended Good King Henry Varieties for California
California publishes no state variety trial for good king henry, so we won't invent a "best for California" list. Choose types rated to your USDA hardiness zone (4b-11a), and confirm winter survival and drainage against your own parcel.
California Cooperative Extension
For California-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for good king henry, the canonical source is UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Good King Henry native to California?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Good King Henry as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of California's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few California natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The California 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 Good King Henry in California
When can I plant Good King Henry in California?
California's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Jan 19 and Mar 19, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 29 and Dec 12 (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 Good King Henry mature before first frost in California?
Yes — Good King Henry matures in 60 days (USDA PLANTS Database), and California's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 255 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 195 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 Good King Henry grown in across California?
California spans USDA hardiness zones 4b-11a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Good King Henry carries a range of zones Data pending, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical California site have?
A typical California site sees ~317 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Good King Henry 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 Mono, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Good King Henry native to California?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Good King Henry as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of California's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few California natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Good King Henry in California?
Good King Henry prefers pH 5.5-8 and well (dry spells) drainage (Growable Ground Plant Database). That sits in the common-ground band across California soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Good King Henry actually grow on my specific land in California?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores good king henry 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 California
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores good king henry against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that California good king henry averages can't show:
We read public map data around California — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the California good king henry average
Explore More
Growing guides for good king henry
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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