Conditional — Some Areas
lemongrass (zones 10-11) reaches only part of Nevada (4a-10a): zone 10 are in range, so where you are in the state decides it.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Nevada spans zones 4a-10a, 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 lemongrass against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
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Zone Comparison
Lemongrass Needs
- USDA Zones: 10-11
- Frost-Free Days: 120+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 4 ft tall
- Picking window: ~120 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: Low
Nevada Has
- USDA Zones: 4a-10a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 28 - May 20
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 9 - Oct 21
- Annual Rainfall: 4-12 inches
- Common Soils: Desert sand, Caliche, Alkaline clay
Plant Zone Range (zones 10-11)
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 Lemongrass in Nevada
The frost window
Across Nevada, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 28 and May 20, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 9 and Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 142-day window you can count on — up to 176 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.
Frost tenderness
Lemongrass is frost-tender — its listed minimum temperature is 64.4°F (USDA PLANTS Database) — so set plants out two to three weeks PAST your local last hard freeze, not on it and not on the state's earliest date. The 28°F marker above is when killing freezes stop, not when light frost does.
When to start the seed
Those dates are when lemongrass goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 10 weeks ahead, so counting back from Nevada's late-side last freeze of May 20 is what fixes your sowing date — and a yard that clears frost earlier than the state's late date starts earlier still.
Grown as an annual here
Lemongrass is a true perennial in its home range — it overwinters from USDA zone 8 and warmer (NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder) — but Nevada runs as cold as zone 4, so it is killed back each winter and replanted each spring. Treat it on the season schedule above, not as a permanent planting: there is no fall establishment window for it here.
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 lemongrass survives winter in part of Nevada, not across all of it. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Lemongrass wants 120+ frost-free days; a typical Nevada site sees ~163 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves a workable window — start indoors to bank time.
Growing degree days
Lemongrass needs ~3000 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~1725 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Nevada's typical season runs short on heat — pick a south-facing site and consider season extension.
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
Lemongrass tolerates a wide pH range (pH 4.3-7.3) — 3 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in Nevada. 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 and 5.8 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Nevada soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Nevada site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. Nevada soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Lemongrass in Nevada — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Conditional — Some Areas
- Plant Zones: 10-11 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 4a-10a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Apr 28 - May 20 to Oct 9 - Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
- Days to Maturity: 100 days
What Else to Consider for Lemongrass in Nevada
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Nevada growers also need to think about:
Extremely low rainfall (driest US state)
Alkaline soils (pH 8-9) limit many species
Extreme summer heat in southern valleys
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Nevada grower, not just lemongrass — is covered on the Nevada growing guide.
Timing shifts within Nevada
Lemongrass needs about 120 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. 16 of Nevada’s 17 counties give it that outright. The tightest that does is Nye County at 128 frost-free days — 8 to spare. Below that line you are transplanting or extending the season, not direct-sowing.
Across Nevada’s 17 counties the frost-free season runs from 110 days in Elko County to 321 days in Clark County — a spread of 211 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Nevada county sees 163 frost-free days, leaving lemongrass about 43 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"). Lemongrass's 120-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Nevada Cooperative Extension
For Nevada-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for lemongrass, the canonical source is University of Nevada, Reno Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Lemongrass native to Nevada?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Lemongrass as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Nevada's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Nevada natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Nevada 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 Lemongrass in Nevada
When can I plant Lemongrass in Nevada?
Nevada's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 28 and May 20, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 9 and Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Lemongrass overwinters only from USDA zone 8 and warmer, and Nevada runs as cold as zone 4, so it is grown as an annual here — plant it after the last hard freeze, two to three weeks later for tender stock, and expect to replant next spring rather than establishing it for the long term.
What hardiness zone is Lemongrass grown in across Nevada?
Nevada spans USDA hardiness zones 4a-10a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Lemongrass 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 Nevada site have?
A typical Nevada site sees ~163 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Lemongrass needs 120+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Is Lemongrass native to Nevada?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Lemongrass as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Nevada's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Nevada natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Lemongrass in Nevada?
Lemongrass tolerates pH 4.3-7.3 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That is a 3-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a Nevada site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Lemongrass actually grow on my specific land in Nevada?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores lemongrass 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 Nevada
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores lemongrass against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Nevada lemongrass averages can't show:
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