Hetero is a cover crop — grown to build and protect the soil rather than for a harvest of its own. It's hardy across USDA zones 10 through 13 and grows just as well in a container as in the ground. Its summer flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies. A nitrogen-fixer, it draws nitrogen from the air and feeds it back to the soil — turn it under or leave the roots in place, and the next planting inherits a richer bed.
Zones
10-13
pH Range
4.5-7
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
---
Score Hetero on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether hetero actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score hetero against your land's real conditions.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
No card required · your full report in seconds
What Hetero is
Hetero grows as a perennial and reaches around 6 inches at maturity. It blooms red in summer. It's also well suited to containers.
How to grow Hetero
Hetero grows in USDA zones 10 through 13. Hetero does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.5 to 7, on well-drained ground. It needs a growing season of at least 120 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
10-13
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
4.5 - 7
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost Tolerance
53.6°F
The lowest temperature it shrugs off — below this, expect damage without cover.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
0.5 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
120+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant hetero in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Hetero prefers pH 4.5 to 7 (FAO ECOCROP). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band. It fixes its own nitrogen, so skip the high-nitrogen feed and instead dust the seed with a matching rhizobium inoculant at sowing.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Turn it in before it seeds
Cut hetero down or turn it into the soil before it sets seed, while the growth is still green — that's when it returns the most to the ground.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — hetero isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Hetero offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators.
Where Hetero thrives
Hetero is hardy across USDA zones 10 through 13. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 10–13·Where Hetero growsOpen map →
Continental US shown — Alaska and US Pacific territories sit outside the federal map's polygon dataset.
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Hetero can grow in these states:
See if Hetero will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether hetero actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Hetero in my zone?
Hetero grows in USDA hardiness zones 10 through 13 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Hetero?
Most growers plant hetero after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 120-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Hetero need?
Hetero needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Hetero need?
Hetero prefers soil pH 4.5 to 7, on well-drained ground (FAO ECOCROP). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Hetero attract pollinators?
Yes — hetero's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies.
Is Hetero safe for pets?
Hetero is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data. Always supervise pets around new plantings. (Source: ASPCA.)