Nutmeg is a tree that takes about one year to establish — a planting measured in decades, not seasons. It's hardy across USDA zones 11 through 12 and stands up to deer. Its summer flowers are a modest draw for native bees, even though the harvest is the prize. It roots deep, which helps it reach moisture in a dry spell and open up tight soil as it establishes.
Nutmeg — the short answer
Nutmeg: grown in zones 11–12, part sun, pH 5.5–7.5, ~1 yr to first harvest.
- USDA zones
- 11–12
- 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
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.5
- FAO ECOCROP
- Sun
- Part Sun
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- To First Harvest
- ~1 yr
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- Frost-kill temperature
- 32°F
- FAO ECOCROP
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Score Nutmeg on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether nutmeg actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score nutmeg against your land's real conditions.
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What Nutmeg is
Nutmeg grows as a perennial and reaches around 40 feet at maturity. It blooms in summer. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Nutmeg
Nutmeg grows in USDA zones 11 through 12 and takes about one year to begin bearing. Nutmeg does best in part sun — at least 4 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs around 5,500 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 365 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
11-12
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.5 - 7.5
FAO ECOCROP
Sun
Part Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost Kill Temperature
32°F
Where cold starts killing growing tissue. Not a winter-survival floor — a dormant perennial takes far colder, which its hardiness zone answers.
FAO ECOCROP
Minimum Growing Temperature
53.6°F
Below this it stops growing rather than dies — a pace limit, not a survival limit.
FAO ECOCROP
To First Harvest
~1 year
Growable Ground plant catalog
GDD Required
5500+
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
40 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
365+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Plant it right
Set nutmeg in part sun with well-drained soil. Many fruit trees need a second variety nearby to pollinate — check before you plant just one.
Match the soil
Nutmeg prefers pH 5.5 to 7.5 (FAO ECOCROP). 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.
Be patient, then harvest
Nutmeg takes about one year to its first meaningful harvest. Prune annually while it establishes, and the tree will then crop for years.
Where Nutmeg thrives
Nutmeg is hardy across USDA zones 11 through 12. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 11–12 spans average winter lows from 40°F to 60°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers none outright but splits 3 down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 11–12·Where Nutmeg growsOpen map →
Where Nutmeg stands, state by state
Nutmeg is rated for zones 11–12 — a cold floor USDA puts at 40 to 50°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 0 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 3 more, and 48 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
The line runs through
3 states
- California · zones 4b-11a
- Florida · zones 8b-12a
- Hawaii · zones 8b-13a
Nutmeg’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around Nutmeg
Growing guides for nutmeg
In rotation planning, nutmeg counts as a Other — beds recover best when other crops don’t follow each other in the same spot year over year. (Growable Ground derivation — crop-rotation group from botanical family)
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — nutmeg is toxic to dogs and cats (moderate severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Nutmeg offers low value to bees and other pollinators.
Before you harvest nutmeg, 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 nutmeg 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.
Your land is one point inside Nutmeg's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Nutmeg will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether nutmeg 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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How we know this about Nutmeg
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•USDA PHZM•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Nutmeg in my zone?
Nutmeg grows in USDA hardiness zones 11 through 12 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
How long until Nutmeg bears fruit?
Nutmeg typically takes about one year after planting to bear its first real crop, then produces for years. Soil, climate, and rootstock all shift the timeline.
When should you plant Nutmeg?
Set nutmeg out in early spring or fall while it's dormant, so the roots establish before the heat of summer. Your local last-frost date — which a Growable Ground report pulls for your exact address — sets the precise window.
How much sun does Nutmeg need?
Nutmeg does well in partial sun — around 4 hours of direct sun, and it takes some afternoon shade in stride. That flexibility makes it a good match for a bed the house or a nearby tree shades for part of the day. A Growable Ground report maps how the sun actually falls on your land, hour by hour, so you can set it where the light lines up.
What soil does Nutmeg need?
Nutmeg prefers soil pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (FAO ECOCROP). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Nutmeg attract pollinators?
Yes — nutmeg's flowers are a modest nectar source for native bees.
Is Nutmeg safe for pets?
Nutmeg is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with moderate severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)