Conditional — Some Areas
lima bean (zones 3-11) has limited zone overlap with Missouri (5b-7a). Only zones 5-7 in the state are suitable.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Missouri spans zones 5b-7a, but your yard has its own microclimate — slope, trees, and low spots shift frost and sun across a single parcel. Enter your address and we'll score lima bean against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.
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Zone Comparison
Lima Bean Needs
- USDA Zones: 3-11
- Soil pH: 4.5 - 8.4
- Sun: Full Sun
- Drainage: well (dry spells)
- Frost-Free Days: 60+
Missouri Has
- USDA Zones: 5b-7a
- Last Frost: Apr 5 - Apr 25
- First Frost: Oct 5 - Oct 30
- Annual Rainfall: 34-50 inches
- Common Soils: Silt loam, Clay loam, Loess
Plant Zone Range (zones 3-11)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: USDA PLANTS Database / plant_species_v5.csv. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Lima Bean in Missouri
The frost window
Across Missouri, the last spring frost clears between Apr 5 and Apr 25, and the first fall frost lands between Oct 5 and Oct 30 (NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last frost to the earliest first frost, that's a 163-day window you can count on — up to 208 days on a mild site in a kind year.
Frost tenderness
Lima Bean is frost-tender — its listed minimum temperature is 55.4°F (USDA PLANTS Database) — so set plants out after the last frost has cleared your local site, not the state's earliest date.
Days to maturity vs. the window
At 75 days to maturity (USDA PLANTS Database), a planting right after last frost ripens with 88 days to spare even in Missouri's tightest frost scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.
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
Zone compatibility says you can survive winter here. Whether the growing season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Lima Bean wants 60+ frost-free days; a typical Missouri site sees ~190 (NOAA Climate Normals). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Lima Bean needs ~1800 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~3850 GDD (USDA NRCS county aggregates), so Missouri's typical season clears that easily.
Climate aggregates derive from USDA NRCS county-level hardiness data + Cornell CALS Extension GDD-by-region tables + MSU Extension chill-hours-by-zone (1991-2020 NOAA Climate Normals baseline).
Soil + Drainage Fit
Lima Bean likes near-neutral soil (pH 4.5-8.4). That's the common-ground band across Missouri's silt loam and clay loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Missouri 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. Missouri soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Lima Bean in Missouri — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Conditional — Some Areas
- Plant Zones: 3-11 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 5b-7a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: Apr 5 - Apr 25 to Oct 5 - Oct 30 (NOAA Climate Normals)
- Days to Maturity: 75 days
What Else to Consider
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Missouri growers also need to think about:
Highly variable weather with late frosts and early heat
Let your local frost normals call the plantings — Missouri springs punish the calendar-planters and reward the patient.
Heavy clay soils in many regions
Raised beds solve clay drainage the first weekend — and yearly compost turns the ground under them into loam.
Ozark soils are thin and rocky
One soil test shows what thin Ozark ground actually holds — then build up with compost or beds where the depth runs out.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Lima Bean draws pollinators (moderate value, USDA PLANTS Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops.
Missouri Cooperative Extension
For Missouri-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for lima bean, the canonical source is MU Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Lima Bean native to Missouri?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Lima Bean as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Missouri's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Missouri natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Missouri 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 Lima Bean in Missouri
When can I plant Lima Bean in Missouri?
Missouri's last spring frost clears between Apr 5 and Apr 25, and the first fall frost lands between Oct 5 and Oct 30 (NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020). Lima Bean is frost-tender — its listed minimum temperature is 55.4°F (USDA PLANTS Database) — so wait until the last frost has cleared your specific site before planting out.
Can Lima Bean mature before first frost in Missouri?
Yes — Lima Bean matures in 75 days (USDA PLANTS Database), and Missouri's dependable frost-free window runs 163 days (NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020), leaving 88 days of margin. Plant just after last frost and it ripens ahead of the first fall frost.
What hardiness zone is Lima Bean grown in across Missouri?
Missouri spans USDA hardiness zones 5b-7a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Lima Bean carries a range of zones 3-11, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Missouri site have?
A typical Missouri site sees ~190 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020). Lima Bean needs 60+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Is Lima Bean native to Missouri?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Lima Bean as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Missouri's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Missouri natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Lima Bean in Missouri?
Lima Bean prefers pH 4.5-8.4 and well (dry spells) drainage (USDA PLANTS Database). That sits in the common-ground band across Missouri soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Lima Bean actually grow on my specific land in Missouri?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores lima bean 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 Missouri
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores lima bean against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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