Unlikely — Zone Mismatch
lemongrass (zones 10-11) does not overlap with Washington's zone range (4a-9b). Growing outdoors is unlikely without significant protection.
One zone short — what would close it
Lemongrass is hardy to zone 10, and the warmest ground in Washington is zone 9 — 1 zone short. Planted in open ground it will not survive a Washington winter. To grow it here, grow lemongrass 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 10-11 (plant) against 5-9 (Washington). 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.
Washington spans zones 4a-9b, 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
Washington Has
- USDA Zones: 4a-9b
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 16 - Apr 15
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 24 - Nov 18
- Annual Rainfall: 6-90 inches
- Common Soils: Volcanic ash, Silt loam (Palouse), Sandy loam
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 Washington
The frost window
Across Washington, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 16 and Apr 15, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 24 and Nov 18 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 192-day window you can count on — up to 247 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 Washington's late-side last freeze of Apr 15 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 Washington 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.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Whatcom 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 lemongrass does not survive a Washington winter in the ground. The season figures below measure a different question — whether it could finish a season here at all — and they only bear on Washington under protection.
Frost-free days
Lemongrass wants 120+ frost-free days; a typical Washington site sees ~208 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Lemongrass needs ~3000 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~1740 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Washington'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 Washington. 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 Washington soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Washington site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
Washington's soils run mostly silt loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. Lemongrass needs about 19 inches of workable depth, so it is that horizon — not the surface — you are testing for. That map unit, not the state average, decides how lemongrass performs.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. Washington soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Lemongrass in Washington — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Unlikely — Zone Mismatch
- Plant Zones: 10-11 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 4a-9b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Mar 16 - Apr 15 to Oct 24 - Nov 18 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
- Days to Maturity: 100 days
What Else to Consider for Lemongrass in Washington
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Washington growers also need to think about:
Extreme rain divide: 90+ inches west, 6 inches east of Cascades
East side requires irrigation — no rain from June through September
Slug and root rot pressure on the wet west side
Short seasons at elevation in the Cascades and northeast corners
Growing lemongrass here specifically
Washington's soils run mostly silt loam (Mollisols), and whether that suits lemongrass's pH 4.3–7.3 preference comes down to your exact parcel, not the statewide picture.
Pull your parcel's SSURGO map unit, test pH, and amend toward lemongrass's 4.3–7.3 target before planting. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Washington grower, not just lemongrass — is covered on the Washington growing guide.
Timing shifts within Washington
Washington isn't one climate. In Whatcom County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about May 29 — roughly 54 days later than the recorded state median — so plant lemongrass to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Lemongrass needs about 120 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Whatcom County — Washington’s shortest season at 131 frost-free days — clears that by 11 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Washington. What varies is your own parcel.
Across Washington’s 39 counties the frost-free season runs from 131 days in Whatcom County to 300 days in San Juan County — a spread of 169 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Washington county sees 208 frost-free days, leaving lemongrass about 88 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.
Recommended Lemongrass Varieties for Washington
Washington publishes no state variety trial for lemongrass, so we won't invent a "best for Washington" list. Choose types rated to your USDA hardiness zone (4a-9b), and confirm winter survival and drainage against your own parcel.
Washington Cooperative Extension
For Washington-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for lemongrass, the canonical source is WSU Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Lemongrass native to Washington?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Lemongrass as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Washington's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Washington natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Washington 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 Washington
When can I plant Lemongrass in Washington?
Washington's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 16 and Apr 15, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 24 and Nov 18 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Lemongrass overwinters only from USDA zone 8 and warmer, and Washington 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 Washington?
Washington spans USDA hardiness zones 4a-9b (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 Washington site have?
A typical Washington site sees ~208 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. In cooler counties like Whatcom, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Lemongrass native to Washington?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Lemongrass as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Washington's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Washington natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Lemongrass in Washington?
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 Washington site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Lemongrass actually grow on my specific land in Washington?
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 Washington
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 Washington lemongrass averages can't show:
We read public map data around Washington — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Washington lemongrass average
Explore More
Growing guides for lemongrass
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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