Conditional — Some Areas
jojoba (zones 9-11) reaches only part of Alaska (1a-9a): zone 9 are in range, so where you are in the state decides it.
One zone short — what would close it
Jojoba is hardy to zone 9, and the warmest ground in Alaska is zone 8 — 1 zone short. Planted in open ground it will not survive a Alaska winter. To grow it here, grow jojoba 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 9-11 (plant) against 1-8 (Alaska). 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.
Alaska spans zones 1a-9a, 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 jojoba against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
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
Zone Comparison
Jojoba Needs
- USDA Zones: 9-11
- Frost-Free Days: 120+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 6 ft tall
- Drought tolerance: High
Alaska Has
- USDA Zones: 1a-9a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 16 - May 15
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Sep 24 - Oct 29
- Annual Rainfall: 10-160 inches
- Common Soils: Permafrost, Glacial silt, Volcanic ash
Plant Zone Range (zones 9-11)
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 Jojoba in Alaska
The frost window
Across Alaska, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 16 and May 15, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Sep 24 and Oct 29 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 132-day window you can count on — up to 196 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
Alaska runs as cold as USDA zone 1, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for jojoba, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether jojoba is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within Alaska; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — North Slope 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 jojoba survives winter in part of Alaska, not across all of it. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Jojoba wants 120+ frost-free days; a typical Alaska site sees ~147 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS station record, 1991-2020). That leaves a workable window — start indoors to bank time.
GDD and chill-hour figures are computed from PRISM 1991-2020 monthly climate normals; frost-free days from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS station record, 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
Jojoba tolerates a wide pH range (pH 5-8.2) — 3.2 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in Alaska. 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 6.5 and 7.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Alaska soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Alaska 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 16.6% of Alaska as poorly or somewhat-poorly drained, and the class flips parcel to parcel. Jojoba tolerates drought well, so wet feet — not dry spells — is its real risk here — 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. Alaska soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Jojoba in Alaska — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Conditional — Some Areas
- Plant Zones: 9-11 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 1a-9a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Apr 16 - May 15 to Sep 24 - Oct 29 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
What Else to Consider for Jojoba in Alaska
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Alaska growers also need to think about:
Extremely short growing season (70-110 frost-free days)
Permafrost prevents deep root growth in many areas
Limited soil development in glacial terrain
Growing jojoba here specifically
Jojoba likes pH 5.0–8.2 and takes cold to about 50°F, yet neither saves it from wet feet — SSURGO maps about 16.6% of Alaska poorly-drained, where its crown sit and rot.
Set jojoba high on bermed, grit-amended ground so winter and storm water drain away from the crown. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Alaska grower, not just jojoba — is covered on the Alaska growing guide.
Timing shifts within Alaska
Alaska isn't one climate. In North Slope County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Jun 7 — roughly 33 days later than the recorded state median — so plant jojoba to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Jojoba needs about 120 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. 21 of Alaska’s 28 counties give it that outright. The tightest that does is Northwest Arctic County at 127 frost-free days — 7 to spare. Below that line you are transplanting or extending the season, not direct-sowing.
Across Alaska’s 28 counties the frost-free season runs from 85 days in Southeast Fairbanks County to 240 days in Sitka County — a spread of 155 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Alaska county sees 147 frost-free days, leaving jojoba about 27 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"). Jojoba's 120-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Good to Know Before You Plant Jojoba
Jojoba is listed as toxic to dogs, cats (seeds) at a mild level (Cornell). Most listed plants only cause brief upset — a raised bed or a fenced corner usually keeps curious pets clear.
Alaska Cooperative Extension
For Alaska-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for jojoba, the canonical source is UAF Cooperative Extension Service. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Jojoba native to Alaska?
Jojoba is native to parts of the Lower 48, but the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) does not document a native range in Alaska. It can still earn a place in a Alaska garden — the zone comparison above tells you whether it will thrive.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Alaska 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 Jojoba in Alaska
When can I plant Jojoba in Alaska?
Alaska's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 16 and May 15, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Sep 24 and Oct 29 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for Jojoba, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in Alaska 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 Jojoba grown in across Alaska?
Alaska spans USDA hardiness zones 1a-9a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Jojoba carries a range of zones 9-11, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Alaska site have?
A typical Alaska site sees ~147 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS station record, 1991-2020). Jojoba needs 120+ 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 North Slope, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Jojoba native to Alaska?
Jojoba is native to parts of the Lower 48, but the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) does not document a native range in Alaska. It can still earn a place in a Alaska garden — the zone comparison above tells you whether it will thrive.
How should I amend the soil for Jojoba in Alaska?
Jojoba tolerates pH 5-8.2 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 Alaska site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Jojoba actually grow on my specific land in Alaska?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores jojoba 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 Alaska
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores jojoba against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Alaska jojoba averages can't show:
We read public map data around Alaska — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Alaska jojoba average
Explore More
Growing guides for jojoba
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
Last updated: