Yes — Strong Match
portulaca (zones 2-11) covers every zone Vermont contains (4a-6a), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Portulaca is grown as an annual, so your winter zone isn't the deciding factor — your frost-free window is. A typical Vermont site runs ~163 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 portulaca against your land's actual frost dates, sun, and soil.
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Zone Comparison
Portulaca Needs
- USDA Zones: 2-11
- Frost-Free Days: 21+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 6 in tall
- Picking window: ~90 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: High
Vermont Has
- USDA Zones: 4a-6a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 27 - May 5
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 10 - Oct 17
- Annual Rainfall: 34-44 inches
- Common Soils: Glacial till, Clay, Silt loam
Plant Zone Range (zones 2-11)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: USDA PLANTS Database / Growable Ground plant catalog. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Portulaca in Vermont
The frost window
Across Vermont, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 27 and May 5, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 10 and Oct 17 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 158-day window you can count on — up to 173 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
Portulaca is frost-tender — its listed minimum temperature is 44.6°F (USDA PLANTS Database) — 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.
When to start the seed
Those dates are when portulaca goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 6 weeks ahead, so counting back from Vermont's late-side last freeze of May 5 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 60 days to maturity (USDA PLANTS Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 98 days to spare even in Vermont's tightest freeze 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
The zone check says portulaca survives winter here. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Portulaca wants 21+ frost-free days; a typical Vermont site sees ~163 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Portulaca needs ~900 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~1746 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Vermont'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
Portulaca tolerates a wide pH range (pH 4.3-8.3) — 4 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in Vermont. 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 5.5 and 7 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Vermont soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Vermont 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. Vermont soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Portulaca in Vermont — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Yes — Strong Match
- Plant Zones: 2-11 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 4a-6a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Apr 27 - May 5 to Oct 10 - Oct 17 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
- Days to Maturity: 60 days
What Else to Consider for Portulaca in Vermont
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Vermont growers also need to think about:
Short growing season (100-130 frost-free days)
Rocky soils throughout the Green Mountains
Heavy clay in the Champlain Valley
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Vermont grower, not just portulaca — is covered on the Vermont growing guide.
Timing shifts within Vermont
Portulaca needs about 21 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Essex County — Vermont’s shortest season at 146 frost-free days — clears that by 125 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Vermont. What varies is your own parcel.
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"). Portulaca's 21-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Where in Vermont Fits Best
Even within Vermont's zones 4a-6a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for portulaca (USDA PHZM 2023):
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Portulaca draws honeybees and native bees (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, portulaca can only work that bloom inside Vermont's frost window — roughly 163 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 27 - May 5) and closing at the first (Oct 10 - Oct 17), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Vermont Cooperative Extension
For Vermont-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for portulaca, the canonical source is UVM Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Portulaca native to Vermont?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Portulaca as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Vermont's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Vermont natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Vermont 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 Portulaca in Vermont
When can I plant Portulaca in Vermont?
Vermont's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 27 and May 5, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 10 and Oct 17 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Portulaca is frost-tender — its listed minimum temperature is 44.6°F (USDA PLANTS Database) — so wait two to three weeks past your site's last hard freeze, when light frost has also stopped, before planting out.
Can Portulaca mature before first frost in Vermont?
Yes — Portulaca matures in 60 days (USDA PLANTS Database), and Vermont's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 158 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 98 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 Portulaca grown in across Vermont?
Vermont spans USDA hardiness zones 4a-6a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Portulaca 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 Vermont site have?
A typical Vermont site sees ~163 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Portulaca needs 21+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Is Portulaca native to Vermont?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Portulaca as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Vermont's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Vermont natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Portulaca in Vermont?
Portulaca tolerates pH 4.3-8.3 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That is a 4-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a Vermont site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Portulaca actually grow on my specific land in Vermont?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores portulaca 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 Vermont
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores portulaca against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Vermont portulaca averages can't show:
We read public map data around Vermont — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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