Unlikely — Zone Mismatch
leucaena (zones 9-12) does not overlap with Massachusetts's zone range (5a-7b). Growing outdoors is unlikely without significant protection.
2 zones short — what would close it
Leucaena is hardy to zone 9, and the warmest ground in Massachusetts is zone 7 — 2 zones short. Planted in open ground it will not survive a Massachusetts winter. To grow it here, grow leucaena in an earth-sheltered greenhouse — its modeled 2.5-zone lift covers this gap.
An earth-sheltered greenhouse is the lift this needs. How a greenhouse changes what you can grow →
Zone math from 9-12 (plant) against 5-7 (Massachusetts). Lift modeled by crop_engine.GREENHOUSE_ZONE_MODIFIER_BY_SUBTYPE['earth_sheltered'] (+2.5 zones) via api/fast_sections.py Unlock Engine v2.
Leucaena in Massachusetts — the short answer
Leucaena in Massachusetts: hardy in zones 9–12, full sun, against a state median of ~206 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- 9-12
- Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
- Massachusetts zones
- 5a-7b
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Apr 4 - Apr 14 – Oct 24 - Nov 14
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 171 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — per-field provenance varies and is published with the dataset.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Massachusetts spans zones 5a-7b, 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 leucaena 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.
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Massachusetts is not one climate
Massachusetts’s winter-low ladder runs across 14 counties, from zone 5.5 in Berkshire County to zone 7.5 in Nantucket County. That is 20°F between the two counties’ average coldest night — the difference between leucaena overwintering in the ground and coming under cover.
The middle half of 14 counties runs 6–7 zones, with a median of 6.5 zones — a 2-zone span end to end.
Measured across 14 Massachusetts counties. USDA PHZM 2023, per county. Quartiles are order statistics — every figure shown is a value a real county recorded, not an interpolation. Your own site sits somewhere inside this range; a parcel report resolves where.
Where Leucaena Stands in Massachusetts
Leucaena is rated for zones 9–12 — a cold floor USDA puts at 20 to 30°F. No Massachusetts county sits inside it, so in open ground this is a grown-under-cover plant here rather than a bed plant — which is a statement about Massachusetts winters, not about leucaena.
Below the zone 9 floor
14 counties
- Berkshire County · zone 5b
- Franklin County · zone 6a
- Hampshire County · zone 6a
3 of 14 shown
Winter cold is the limit here — the same plant works in a container that comes under cover.
County hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023, per county. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so the floor above is the band the plant's rating denotes, not a single measured kill point. Slope, shelter and cold-air drainage routinely move a site half a zone either way from its county figure — which is the part only your address resolves.
Zone Comparison
Leucaena Needs
- USDA Zones: 9-12
- Frost-Free Days: 180+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 20 ft tall
- Drought tolerance: High
Massachusetts Has
- USDA Zones: 5a-7b
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 4 - Apr 14
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 24 - Nov 14
- Annual Rainfall: 42-50 inches
- Common Soils: Glacial till, Sandy loam, Rocky loam
Plant Zone Range (zones 9-12)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources — per-field provenance varies and is published with the dataset. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Leucaena in Massachusetts
The frost window
Across Massachusetts, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 4 and Apr 14, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 24 and Nov 14 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 193-day window you can count on — up to 224 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
Massachusetts runs as cold as USDA zone 5, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for leucaena, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether leucaena is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within Massachusetts; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Berkshire County, not the statewide average.
Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: Growable Ground Plant Database — frost-free days from FAO ECOCROP, days to harvest from university Extension production guides, and growing-degree-day and chill-hour minimums that are compilation estimates rather than published figures. 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 leucaena does not survive a Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts under protection.
Frost-free days
Leucaena wants 180+ frost-free days; a typical Massachusetts site sees ~206 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves a workable window — start indoors to bank time.
Chill hours
Leucaena has no winter-chill requirement — its listed minimum is 0 hours (Growable Ground Plant Database). Massachusetts typically banks ~2500 chill hours per winter (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so chill is not a constraint on this plant here — and not evidence in its favour either. Winter survival and season length are what decide it.
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
Leucaena tolerates a wide pH range (pH 5-8.5) — 3.5 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in Massachusetts. 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 and 7.7 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Massachusetts soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Massachusetts site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
Massachusetts's soils run mostly fine sandy loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. Leucaena needs about 59 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 leucaena performs.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH requirements: FAO ECOCROP and USDA PLANTS, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation. Drainage: FAO ECOCROP, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation. Massachusetts soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
What Else to Consider for Leucaena in Massachusetts
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Massachusetts growers also need to think about:
Short growing season (120-180 frost-free days) limits warm-season crops
Rocky glacial soils require amendment in many areas
Late spring frosts can damage early plantings through mid-May
Deer pressure is significant in suburban and rural areas
Growing leucaena here specifically
Massachusetts's soils run mostly fine sandy loam (Inceptisols), and whether that suits leucaena's pH 5.0–8.5 preference comes down to your exact parcel, not the statewide picture.
Pull your parcel's SSURGO map unit, test pH, and amend toward leucaena's 5.0–8.5 target before planting. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Massachusetts grower, not just leucaena — is covered on the Massachusetts growing guide.
Timing shifts within Massachusetts
Massachusetts isn't one climate. In Berkshire County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Apr 29 — roughly 19 days later than the recorded state median — so plant leucaena to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Leucaena needs about 180 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. 13 of Massachusetts’s 14 counties give it that outright. The tightest that does is Franklin County at 184 frost-free days — 4 to spare. Below that line you are transplanting or extending the season, not direct-sowing.
Across Massachusetts’s 14 counties the frost-free season runs from 171 days in Berkshire County to 246 days in Nantucket County — a spread of 75 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Massachusetts county sees 206 frost-free days, leaving leucaena about 26 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"). Leucaena's 180-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Leucaena draws honeybees and native bees (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, leucaena can only work that bloom inside Massachusetts's frost window — roughly 206 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 4 - Apr 14) and closing at the first (Oct 24 - Nov 14), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Good to Know Before You Plant Leucaena
Leucaena is listed as toxic to dogs, cats, horses (all) at a moderate level (Cornell). Most listed plants only cause brief upset — a raised bed or a fenced corner usually keeps curious pets clear. Parts of leucaena carry moderate for people, so know which parts are edible before harvest.
Massachusetts Cooperative Extension
For Massachusetts-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for leucaena, the canonical source is UMass Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Leucaena native to Massachusetts?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Leucaena as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Massachusetts's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Massachusetts natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Massachusetts 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 Leucaena in Massachusetts
When can I plant Leucaena in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 4 and Apr 14, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 24 and Nov 14 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for Leucaena, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in Massachusetts 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 Leucaena grown in across Massachusetts?
Massachusetts spans USDA hardiness zones 5a-7b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Leucaena carries a range of zones 9-12, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Massachusetts site have?
A typical Massachusetts site sees ~206 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Leucaena needs 180+ 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 Berkshire, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Leucaena native to Massachusetts?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Leucaena as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Massachusetts's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Massachusetts natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Leucaena in Massachusetts?
Leucaena tolerates pH 5-8.5 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That is a 3.5-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a Massachusetts site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Leucaena actually grow on my specific land in Massachusetts?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores leucaena 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 Massachusetts
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores leucaena against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Massachusetts leucaena averages can't show:
We read public map data around Massachusetts — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Massachusetts leucaena average
Explore More
Growing guides for leucaena
Explore Massachusetts county by county
Massachusetts carries 14 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for leucaena there:
Where else leucaena grows
Leucaena's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to Massachusetts in winter climate where it also has a page, plus the far ends of its range. Each one re-answers the question with that state's own record.
More to grow in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has a growing page for 893 plants — a rotating sample of the rest of the shelf.
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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