Can I Grow Katsura Tree in New Jersey?

USDA Zones 6a-8a · Plant zone range 4-8

Yes — Strong Match

katsura tree (zones 4-8) covers every zone New Jersey contains (6a-8a), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.

Score your parcel · free

Your yard isn't the whole zone.

New Jersey spans zones 6a-8a, 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 katsura tree 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

Katsura Tree Needs

  • USDA Zones: 4-8
  • Frost-Free Days: 150+
  • Sun: Part Sun
  • Mature size: 50 ft tall
  • Drought tolerance: Low

New Jersey Has

  • USDA Zones: 6a-8a
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 26 - Apr 4
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 5 - Nov 17
  • Annual Rainfall: 40-50 inches
  • Common Soils: Sandy loam (Pine Barrens), Silt loam, Clay

Plant Zone Range (zones 4-8)

4a
8b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Preferred Soil pH

3.5 (Acidic)7.0 (Neutral)9.0 (Alkaline)
Highlighted range: pH 5.08.0

Plant data: USDA PLANTS Database / Growable Ground plant catalog. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.

When to Plant Katsura Tree in New Jersey

The frost window

Across New Jersey, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 26 and Apr 4, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 5 and Nov 17 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 215-day window you can count on — up to 236 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

New Jersey runs as cold as USDA zone 6, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for katsura tree, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether katsura tree is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within New Jersey; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.

Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Morris 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 katsura tree survives winter here. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.

Frost-free days

Katsura Tree wants 150+ frost-free days; a typical New Jersey site sees ~222 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.

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

Katsura Tree tolerates a wide pH range (pH 5-8) — 3 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in New Jersey. 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 New Jersey soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your New Jersey site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.

Your land, not the state average

New Jersey's soils run mostly sandy loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. What matters for katsura tree is the horizon its roots actually work, not the surface. That map unit, not the state average, decides how katsura tree performs.

Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.

Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. New Jersey soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.

Katsura Tree in New Jersey — Quick Answer

  • Verdict: Yes — Strong Match
  • Plant Zones: 4-8 (USDA PLANTS Database)
  • State Zones: 6a-8a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
  • Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Mar 26 - Apr 4 to Nov 5 - Nov 17 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)

What Else to Consider for Katsura Tree in New Jersey

Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but New Jersey growers also need to think about:

Sandy Pine Barrens soils are nutrient-poor

Urban heat island effects in northern NJ

Deer browse is extreme in suburban areas

Growing katsura tree here specifically

Katsura Tree wants pH 5.0–8.0 and rates to USDA zones 4–8, but New Jersey's soils are dominantly sandy loam — the fit is decided by your parcel's own map unit, not the state average.

Match katsura tree to your parcel's SSURGO map unit — test pH and texture, and amend toward its 5.0–8.0 range. How to handle it →

What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every New Jersey grower, not just katsura tree — is covered on the New Jersey growing guide.

Timing shifts within New Jersey

New Jersey isn't one climate. In Morris County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Apr 11 — roughly 11 days later than the recorded state median — so plant katsura tree to your county's window, not the statewide date.

Katsura Tree needs about 150 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Sussex County — New Jersey’s shortest season at 196 frost-free days — clears that by 46 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in New Jersey. 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"). Katsura Tree's 150-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.

Where in New Jersey Fits Best

Even within New Jersey's zones 6a-8a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for katsura tree (USDA PHZM 2023):

New Jersey Cooperative Extension

For New Jersey-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for katsura tree, the canonical source is Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.

Is Katsura Tree native to New Jersey?

No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Katsura Tree as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of New Jersey's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few New Jersey natives keeps local pollinators fed too.

Looking for plants that belong here? The New Jersey 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 Katsura Tree in New Jersey

When can I plant Katsura Tree in New Jersey?

New Jersey's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 26 and Apr 4, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 5 and Nov 17 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for Katsura Tree, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in New Jersey 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 Katsura Tree grown in across New Jersey?

New Jersey spans USDA hardiness zones 6a-8a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Katsura Tree carries a range of zones 4-8, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.

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

A typical New Jersey site sees ~222 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Katsura Tree needs 150+ 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 Morris, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.

Is Katsura Tree native to New Jersey?

No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Katsura Tree as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of New Jersey's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few New Jersey natives keeps local pollinators fed too.

How should I amend the soil for Katsura Tree in New Jersey?

Katsura Tree tolerates pH 5-8 and well (dry spells) drainage (Growable Ground Plant Database). That is a 3-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a New Jersey site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.

Will Katsura Tree actually grow on my specific land in New Jersey?

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

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in New Jersey

State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores katsura tree against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.

Three things about your lot that New Jersey katsura tree averages can't show:

Your soil pHYour frost-free days — New Jersey averages 222Your sun & shade

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

25+ data sources read at your address, not the New Jersey katsura tree average

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: