Yes — Strong Match
purple basil is grown as an annual, so season length decides it here, not a winter zone — and Ohio's typical season runs ~208 frost-free days against the ~80 purple basil needs.
Sow by about Aug 26
Purple Basil is grown as an annual, so what decides it here is season length, not a winter zone. It needs about 80 frost-free days and a typical Ohio season runs ~208 frost-free days, leaving 128 days of slack. That is room to sow as late as about Aug 26 and still finish before the usual first freeze (Nov 4).
Want more weeks at either end of that window? How to buy the weeks →
80 frost-free days required against Ohio’s ~208-day season. NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS 1991-2020 (28°F killing freeze), state median across counties, via stateClimateData.ts.
Purple Basil in Ohio — the short answer
Purple Basil in Ohio: hardy in zones 10–11, full sun, against a state median of ~208 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- 10-11
- Not verified
- Ohio zones
- 5b-7a
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Apr 5 - Apr 13 – Oct 31 - Nov 6
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 182 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.
Ohio spans zones 5b-7a, but your yard sits in exactly one — and slope, tree cover, and cold-air pockets nudge it further. Enter your address and we'll score purple basil against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
No card required · your parcel report in seconds — read in full free for your first 14 days
Ohio is not one climate
A single Ohio answer averages 88 counties whose growing seasons are 57 days apart — from 182 frost-free days in Columbiana County to 239 in Cuyahoga County. Which end of that your land sits nearer changes what purple basil can finish before the first hard freeze.
The middle half of 88 counties runs 201–214 days, with a median of 208 days — a 57-day span end to end.
Measured across 88 Ohio 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.
Zone Comparison
Purple Basil Needs
- USDA Zones: 10-11
- Frost-Free Days: 80+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 1.5 ft tall
- Picking window: ~90 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: Low
Ohio Has
- USDA Zones: 5b-7a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 5 - Apr 13
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 31 - Nov 6
- Annual Rainfall: 34-42 inches
- Common Soils: Glacial till, Clay loam, Silt loam
Plant Zone Range (zones 10-11)
Preferred Soil pH
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 Purple Basil in Ohio
The frost window
Across Ohio, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 5 and Apr 13, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 31 and Nov 6 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 201-day window you can count on — up to 215 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.
When to start the seed
Those dates are when purple basil goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 6 weeks ahead, so counting back from Ohio's late-side last freeze of Apr 13 is what fixes your sowing date — and a yard that clears frost earlier than the state's late date starts earlier still.
Winter standing
Ohio runs as cold as USDA zone 5, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for purple basil, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether purple basil is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within Ohio; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Geauga County, not the statewide average.
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
Frost-free days
Purple Basil wants 80+ frost-free days; a typical Ohio site sees ~208 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Purple Basil needs ~1500 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~2921 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Ohio'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
Purple Basil tolerates a wide pH range (pH 4.3-8.2) — 3.9 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in Ohio. 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 6 and 7 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Ohio soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Ohio site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
SSURGO maps about 28.6% of Ohio as poorly or somewhat-poorly drained, and the class flips parcel to parcel. Purple Basil has low drought tolerance, so it is the fast-draining end that will cost you — your soil map unit, not the state average, is the real answer.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
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. Ohio soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Before you plant purple basil for food
Anything you grow to eat takes up what is in the ground it grows in, so what is on record near you is worth knowing before purple basil goes in. What follows is Ohio’s documented federal record at state scale — a screening signal, not a soil test, and not a statement about any one lot.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Ohio — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Ohio — 49,306 documented sites across 8 of the 8 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 669 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
Ohio carries one of the heavier federal records we track — and that's not a verdict on your yard. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis: nothing here says any particular parcel is affected. It does earn one concrete step — before food beds go in the ground, a professional soil test tells you exactly what you're working with, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well almost anywhere in the meantime.
Sources Checked
across Ohio
Severity Distribution
across Ohio
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Ohio, two things run higher than the national average across Ohio — Toxics Release Inventory (4,234 sites) and Superfund (669 sites). That's not a problem with your land — it's information about it.
Toxics Release Inventory: TRI facilities report annual chemical releases to air, water, and land.
Superfund: Superfund sites represent the most severe contamination in the federal system.
Check prevailing wind direction — downwind parcels face higher exposure than upwind or crosswind locations.
Commission professional soil testing before any food production (test for heavy metals, VOCs, and SVOCs).
Sources: EPA, USGS — 1.8M documented sites tracked nationwide across 8 federal source types.
What Else to Consider for Purple Basil in Ohio
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Ohio growers also need to think about:
Heavy clay soils across much of northern Ohio require amendment for drainage
Variable spring weather with late frost risk through mid-May
Japanese beetles and tomato hornworms are common garden pests
Wet springs can delay planting and promote root rot
Growing purple basil here specifically
Purple Basil roots run shallow and prefer pH 4.3–8.2, but drainage comes first here: SSURGO maps about 28.6% of Ohio as poorly or somewhat-poorly drained, and wet ground rots its crown before pH ever matters.
Plant purple basil on a raised, gravel-amended berm so water drains fast and the crown stays dry. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Ohio grower, not just purple basil — is covered on the Ohio growing guide.
Timing shifts within Ohio
Ohio isn't one climate. In Geauga County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Apr 22 — roughly 13 days later than the recorded state median — so plant purple basil to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Purple Basil needs about 80 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Columbiana County — Ohio’s shortest season at 182 frost-free days — clears that by 102 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Ohio. 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"). Purple Basil's 80-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
Purple Basil draws honeybees and native bees (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, purple basil can only work that bloom inside Ohio's frost window — roughly 208 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 5 - Apr 13) and closing at the first (Oct 31 - Nov 6), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Recommended Purple Basil Varieties for Ohio
Ohio publishes no state variety trial for purple basil, so we won't invent a "best for Ohio" list. Choose types rated to your USDA hardiness zone (5b-7a), and confirm winter survival and drainage against your own parcel.
Ohio Cooperative Extension
For Ohio-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for purple basil, the canonical source is Ohio State University Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Purple Basil native to Ohio?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Purple Basil as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Ohio's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Ohio natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Ohio 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 Purple Basil in Ohio
When can I plant Purple Basil in Ohio?
Ohio's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 5 and Apr 13, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 31 and Nov 6 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for Purple Basil, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in Ohio and publishes no fall establishment date for it — check its hardiness range against your own zone before treating it as a permanent planting.
What hardiness zone is Purple Basil grown in across Ohio?
Ohio spans USDA hardiness zones 5b-7a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Purple Basil carries a range of zones 10-11, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Ohio site have?
A typical Ohio site sees ~208 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Purple Basil needs 80+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date. In cooler counties like Geauga, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Purple Basil native to Ohio?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Purple Basil as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Ohio's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Ohio natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Purple Basil in Ohio?
Purple Basil tolerates pH 4.3-8.2 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That is a 3.9-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a Ohio site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Purple Basil actually grow on my specific land in Ohio?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores purple basil 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 Ohio
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores purple basil against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Ohio purple basil averages can't show:
We read public map data around Ohio — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Ohio purple basil average
Explore More
Growing guides for purple basil
Explore Ohio county by county
Ohio carries 88 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for purple basil there:
Where else purple basil grows
Purple Basil's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to Ohio 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 Ohio
Ohio has a growing page for 889 plants — a rotating sample of the rest of the shelf.
Analysis by the Growable Ground research team, grounded in USDA PLANTS, USDA NRCS SSURGO, NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020), and named Cooperative Extension sources. How we know →
Cite this dataset
Kirchick, M. (2026). Growable Ground Plant Database [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21435643
Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. DOI 10.5281/zenodo.21435643
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