Yes — Strong Match
nicotiana is grown in zones 2-11, which covers every zone Montana contains (3a-6b). Whether the season is long enough is the question that remains.
Nicotiana in Montana — the short answer
Nicotiana in Montana: grown in zones 2–11, part sun, against a state median of ~151 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- Grown as an annual — see the growing season
- Growing season, not a hardiness zone
- Montana zones
- 3a-6b
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- May 2 - May 13 – Sep 28 - Oct 7
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 59 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
- Days to maturity
- 70 days
- Growable Ground Plant Database
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.
Nicotiana is grown as an annual, so your winter zone isn't the deciding factor — your frost-free window is. A typical Montana site runs ~151 frost-free days, but that is a state median, not your yard: slope, trees, and low spots move the last-frost date across a single parcel. Enter your address and we'll score nicotiana against your land's actual frost dates, sun, and soil.
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Montana is not one climate
A single Montana answer averages 56 counties whose growing seasons are 111 days apart — from 59 frost-free days in Deer Lodge County to 170 in Petroleum County. Which end of that your land sits nearer changes what nicotiana can finish before the first hard freeze.
The middle half of 56 counties runs 137–158 days, with a median of 150 days — a 111-day span end to end.
Measured across 56 Montana counties. NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze. 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 in Montana Fits Best
Even within Montana's zones 3a-6b, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for nicotiana (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
Nicotiana Needs
- USDA Zones: 2-11
- Frost-Free Days: 60+
- Sun: Part SunWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Mature size: 4 ft tallWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Picking window: ~90 days of harvestWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Drought tolerance: MediumWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Montana Has
- USDA Zones: 3a-6b
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): May 2 - May 13
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Sep 28 - Oct 7
- Annual Rainfall: 10-20 inches
- Common Soils: Sandy loam, Clay, Glacial till
Plant Zone Range (zones 2-11)
Preferred Soil pH
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
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 Nicotiana in Montana
The frost window
Across Montana, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between May 2 and May 13, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Sep 28 and Oct 7 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 138-day window you can count on — up to 158 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
Nicotiana is frost-tender — its killing temperature is 32°F — 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. That is the point where cold damages growing tissue, not a winter-survival floor — an established perennial comes through far colder while dormant, which is what its hardiness zone tells you. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
When to start the seed
Those dates are when nicotiana goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 8 weeks ahead, so counting back from Montana's late-side last freeze of May 13 is what fixes your sowing date — and a yard that clears frost earlier than the state's late date starts earlier still.
Days to maturity vs. the window
At 70 days to maturity (Growable Ground Plant Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 68 days to spare even in Montana's tightest freeze scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.
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
Nicotiana is grown in zones 2–11, which covers every zone Montana contains (3a-6b). It is grown as a summer crop, so season length decides it here. Montana's typical season runs ~151 frost-free days against the ~60 nicotiana needs.
Frost-free days
Nicotiana wants 60+ frost-free days; a typical Montana site sees ~151 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Nicotiana needs ~1300 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. The state median runs ~1769 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Montana's typical season clears that easily.
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
Nicotiana likes near-neutral soil (pH 5.5-7.5). That's the common-ground band across Montana's sandy loam and clay — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 6 and 6.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Montana soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Montana site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, a raised bed lifts the roots above wet ground, or work in compost. pH range, preferred pH and drainage need: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
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. Montana soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
What Else to Consider for Nicotiana in Montana
The zone range tells you where nicotiana is grown — but Montana growers also need to think about:
Very short growing season (60-100 frost-free days)
Low rainfall requires irrigation in most areas
Extreme winter cold (-40F possible)
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Montana grower, not just nicotiana — is covered on the Montana growing guide.
Timing shifts within Montana
Nicotiana needs about 60 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. 55 of Montana’s 56 counties give it that outright. The tightest that does is Gallatin County at 114 frost-free days — 54 to spare. Below that line you are transplanting or extending the season, not direct-sowing.
Across Montana’s 56 counties the frost-free season runs from 59 days in Deer Lodge County to 170 days in Petroleum County — a spread of 111 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Montana county sees 151 frost-free days, leaving nicotiana about 91 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"). Nicotiana's 60-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
Nicotiana draws moths, hummingbirds, and butterflies (high value). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, nicotiana can only work that bloom inside Montana's frost window — roughly 151 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (May 2 - May 13) and closing at the first (Sep 28 - Oct 7), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Pollinator value: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Montana Cooperative Extension
For Montana-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for nicotiana, the canonical source is Montana State University Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Nicotiana native to Montana?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Nicotiana as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Montana's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Montana natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Montana growing guide lists plants that USDA PLANTS records growing in Montana and that Kew and NatureServe Explorer both list in its native range, leaving out any that NatureServe flags as exotic there or that our audit holds.
State records: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution data (presence, not state-level nativity), accessed 2026-10-19.
Common Questions About Growing Nicotiana in Montana
When can I plant Nicotiana in Montana?
Montana's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between May 2 and May 13, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Sep 28 and Oct 7 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Time outdoor planting to after the last hard freeze for your specific site — a further two to three weeks for anything tender — and count back from those dates for transplant scheduling.
Can Nicotiana mature before first frost in Montana?
Yes — Nicotiana matures in 70 days (Growable Ground Plant Database), and Montana's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 138 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 68 days of margin. Plant once the last hard freeze has passed — two to three weeks later for anything tender — and it ripens ahead of the first fall freeze.
What hardiness zone is Nicotiana grown in across Montana?
Montana spans USDA hardiness zones 3a-6b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Nicotiana carries a range of zones 2-11, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Montana site have?
A typical Montana site sees ~151 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Nicotiana 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 Nicotiana native to Montana?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Nicotiana as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Montana's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Montana natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Nicotiana in Montana?
Nicotiana prefers pH 5.5-7.5 and well (dry spells) drainage. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. That sits in the common-ground band across Montana soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Nicotiana actually grow on my specific land in Montana?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores nicotiana against your address's mapped soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.
Check your specific parcel in Montana
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores nicotiana against your land's mapped soil, modelled sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Montana nicotiana averages can't show:
We read public map data around Montana — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Montana nicotiana average
Explore More
Growing guides for nicotiana
Explore Montana county by county
Montana carries 56 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for nicotiana there:
Where else nicotiana grows
Nicotiana's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to Montana 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 Montana
Montana has a growing page for 748 plants — a rotating sample of the rest of the shelf.
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