Motherwort is a perennial medicinal herb, long valued for its traditional uses. It's hardy across USDA zones 3 through 8 and stands up to deer. Its summer flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees and native bees.
Zones
3-8
pH Range
5.5-8
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
90
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What Motherwort is
Motherwort grows as a perennial and reaches around three feet at maturity. It blooms pink in summer. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Motherwort
Motherwort grows in USDA zones 3 through 8 and is ready to harvest about 90 days after planting. Motherwort does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 8, on well-drained ground. It needs around 1,000 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 90 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
3-8
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.5 - 8
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Days to Maturity
90 days
Growable Ground plant catalog
GDD Required
1000+
Growing degree-days of accumulated warmth it needs to mature — humid summers reach this faster than cool coastal ones.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
3 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
90+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant motherwort in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun. It grows in the cool halves of the year, so sow it in spring or late summer rather than waiting for midsummer heat.
Match the soil
Motherwort prefers pH 5.5 to 8 (Growable Ground Plant Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Harvest the part you grow motherwort for — flower, leaf, or root — at its seasonal peak.
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — motherwort is toxic to dogs and cats (mild severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: Cornell Poisonous Plants Database.)
Motherwort offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Pollinator Partnership.)
Before you harvest motherwort, know your soil
Anything you grow to eat takes up what's in the ground it grows in, so it's worth knowing what's documented near you before you plant motherwort for food. Our free screen reads 9 federal source types across roughly 1.8M indexed sites and shows which sit near your address and which way they drain. It's a screening estimate from public records and proximity — not a soil test — so a nearby record means a soil test is worth it, not that your soil is unsafe.
Where Motherwort thrives
Motherwort is hardy across USDA zones 3 through 8. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 3–8·Where Motherwort growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Motherwort can grow in these states:
See if Motherwort will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether motherwort actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
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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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Motherwort in my zone?
Motherwort grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
How long does Motherwort take to grow?
Motherwort is ready to harvest about 90 days after planting (University Extension production guides). Your local frost dates and soil temperature move that window earlier or later.
When should you plant Motherwort?
Motherwort is a cool-season crop, so it goes in during the cool halves of the year — early spring, and again in late summer for a fall planting — rather than at the height of summer heat. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Motherwort need?
Motherwort needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Motherwort need?
Motherwort prefers soil pH 5.5 to 8, on well-drained ground (Growable Ground Plant Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Motherwort attract pollinators?
Yes — motherwort's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees and native bees. (Source: Pollinator Partnership.)
Is Motherwort safe for pets?
Motherwort is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with mild severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: Cornell Poisonous Plants Database.)