Generally — Most Areas
roselle (zones 8-11) suits most of Delaware (7a-8a) — zone 8 are in range, and the rest of the state is the exception.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Delaware spans zones 7a-8a, but your yard has its own microclimate — slope, trees, and low spots shift frost and sun across a single parcel. Enter your address and we'll score roselle against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.
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Zone Comparison
Roselle Needs
- USDA Zones: 8-11
- Sun: Part Sun
- Mature size: 6 ft tall
- Picking window: ~45 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: Medium
Delaware Has
- USDA Zones: 7a-8a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 23 - Mar 23
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 17 - Nov 19
- Annual Rainfall: 42-48 inches
- Common Soils: Sandy loam, Silt loam, Tidal marsh
Plant Zone Range (zones 8-11)
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 Roselle in Delaware
The frost window
Across Delaware, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 23 and Mar 23, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 17 and Nov 19 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 239-day window you can count on — up to 241 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
Roselle is frost-tender — its listed minimum temperature is 50°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 roselle goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 4 weeks ahead, so counting back from Delaware's late-side last freeze of Mar 23 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 150 days to maturity (USDA PLANTS Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 89 days to spare even in Delaware'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 roselle survives winter in part of Delaware, not across all of it. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Days to maturity
Roselle matures in ~150 days (Growable Ground Plant Database). A typical Delaware site has ~241 frost-free days, so plenty of room for a second succession.
Growing degree days
Roselle needs ~3000 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~3732 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Delaware'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
Roselle tolerates a wide pH range (pH 4.5-8.5) — 4 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in Delaware. 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 7.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Delaware soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Delaware 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. Delaware soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Roselle in Delaware — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Generally — Most Areas
- Plant Zones: 8-11 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 7a-8a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Mar 23 - Mar 23 to Nov 17 - Nov 19 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
- Days to Maturity: 150 days
What Else to Consider for Roselle in Delaware
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Delaware growers also need to think about:
Sandy soils in southern DE drain too quickly
Salt spray damage near the coast
Rising water tables in low-lying areas
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Delaware grower, not just roselle — is covered on the Delaware growing guide.
Timing shifts within Delaware
Roselle needs about 150 days of frost-free season from planting to harvest. Even Sussex County — Delaware’s shortest season at 238 frost-free days — clears that by 88 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Delaware. 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"). Roselle's 150-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (days to maturity). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Roselle draws honeybees and native bees (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, roselle can only work that bloom inside Delaware's frost window — roughly 241 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Mar 23 - Mar 23) and closing at the first (Nov 17 - Nov 19), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Delaware Cooperative Extension
For Delaware-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for roselle, the canonical source is University of Delaware Cooperative Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Roselle native to Delaware?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Roselle as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Delaware's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Delaware natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Delaware 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 Roselle in Delaware
When can I plant Roselle in Delaware?
Delaware's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 23 and Mar 23, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 17 and Nov 19 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Roselle is frost-tender — its listed minimum temperature is 50°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 Roselle mature before first frost in Delaware?
Yes — Roselle matures in 150 days (USDA PLANTS Database), and Delaware's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 239 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 89 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 Roselle grown in across Delaware?
Delaware spans USDA hardiness zones 7a-8a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Roselle carries a range of zones 8-11, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Delaware site have?
A typical Delaware site sees ~241 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Roselle should be matched against that window, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Is Roselle native to Delaware?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Roselle as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Delaware's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Delaware natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Roselle in Delaware?
Roselle tolerates pH 4.5-8.5 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 Delaware site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Roselle actually grow on my specific land in Delaware?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores roselle 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 Delaware
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores roselle against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Delaware roselle averages can't show:
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