Unlikely — Zone Mismatch
sisal hemp (zones 10-11) does not overlap with District of Columbia's zone range (7b-8a). Growing outdoors is unlikely without significant protection.
One zone short — what would close it
Sisal Hemp is hardy to zone 10, and the warmest ground in District Of Columbia is zone 8 — 1 zone short. Planted in open ground it will not survive a District Of Columbia winter. To grow it here, grow sisal hemp in a hoop house or unheated greenhouse — its modeled 1.5-zone lift covers this gap.
A hoop house or unheated greenhouse is the lift this needs. How a greenhouse changes what you can grow →
Zone math from 10-11 (plant) against 7-8 (District of Columbia). Lift modeled by crop_engine.GREENHOUSE_ZONE_MODIFIER_BY_SUBTYPE['hoop_house'] (+1.5 zones) via api/fast_sections.py Unlock Engine v2.
Sisal Hemp in District of Columbia — the short answer
Sisal Hemp in District of Columbia: hardy in zones 10–11, full sun, against a state median of ~254 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- 10-11
- Hardy to zone 9b: Tropical Plants Database (Useful Tropical Plants) lists -5 °C, converted to zone 9b, checked Oct 2026. The source rates it slightly hardier than our range. Ceiling: not verified.
- District of Columbia zones
- 7b-8a
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Mar 15 – Nov 24
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Typical season
- ~254 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020
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.
District of Columbia spans zones 7b-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 sisal hemp against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.
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
Where Sisal Hemp Stands in District of Columbia
Sisal Hemp is rated for zones 10–11 — a cold floor USDA puts at 30 to 40°F. No District of Columbia county sits inside it, so in open ground this is a grown-under-cover plant here rather than a bed plant — which is a statement about District of Columbia winters, not about sisal hemp.
Below the zone 10 floor
1 county
- District of Columbia County · zone 8a
Winter cold is the limit here — the same plant works in a container that comes under cover.
County hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023, per county. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so the floor above is the band the plant's rating denotes, not a single measured kill point. Slope, shelter and cold-air drainage routinely move a site half a zone either way from its county figure — which is the part only your address resolves.
Zone Comparison
Sisal Hemp Needs
- USDA Zones: 10-11
- Frost-Free Days: 150+
- Sun: Full SunWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
District of Columbia Has
- USDA Zones: 7b-8a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 15
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 24
- Annual Rainfall: 39-43 inches
- Common Soils: Urban fill, Silt loam, Clay 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 Sisal Hemp in District of Columbia
The frost window
Across District of Columbia, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 15 and Mar 15, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 24 and Nov 24 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 254-day window you can count on — up to 254 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 hardiness
Sisal Hemp takes cold down to about 23°F before a freeze kills it (FAO ECOCROP), so you can plant on the early side of District of Columbia's window — even a few weeks before the final hard freeze. 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.
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
The zone check says sisal hemp does not survive a District of Columbia winter in the ground. The season figures below measure a different question — whether it could finish a season here at all — and they only bear on District of Columbia under protection.
Frost-free days
Sisal Hemp wants 150+ frost-free days; a typical District of Columbia site sees ~254 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
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
Sisal Hemp likes near-neutral soil (pH 5.5-8). That's the common-ground band across District of Columbia's urban fill and silt loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 6 and 7.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a District of Columbia soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your District of Columbia site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, a raised bed lifts the roots above wet ground, or work in compost. Drainage need: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Your land, not the state average
District Of Columbia's soils run mostly silt loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. Sisal Hemp needs about 19 inches of workable depth, so it is that horizon — not the surface — you are testing for. That map unit, not the state average, decides how sisal hemp performs.
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. District of Columbia soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
What Else to Consider for Sisal Hemp in District of Columbia
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but District of Columbia growers also need to think about:
Dense urban siting means small lots, compacted fill soils, and limited sun
Summer heat and humidity promote fungal diseases
The urban heat-island effect pushes summer temperatures above surrounding suburbs
Growing sisal hemp here specifically
District Of Columbia's soils run mostly silt loam (Ultisols), and whether that suits sisal hemp's pH 5.5–8.0 preference comes down to your exact parcel, not the statewide picture.
Pull your parcel's SSURGO map unit, test pH, and amend toward sisal hemp's 5.5–8.0 target before planting. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every District of Columbia grower, not just sisal hemp — is covered on the District of Columbia growing guide.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Sisal Hemp draws native bees and moths (moderate value). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, sisal hemp can only work that bloom inside District of Columbia's frost window — roughly 254 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Mar 15) and closing at the first (Nov 24), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Pollinator value: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Good to Know Before You Plant Sisal Hemp
Sisal Hemp is listed as toxic to dogs, cats (sap) at a mild level. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. Most listed plants only cause brief upset — a raised bed or a fenced corner usually keeps curious pets clear. Worth knowing for placement: in District of Columbia this is a one-season plant and the first hard freeze (Nov 24) takes it down, so the exposure above is a summer-long one rather than something standing in the bed all year.
District of Columbia Cooperative Extension
For District of Columbia-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for sisal hemp, the canonical source is UDC Center for Urban Agriculture. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Sisal Hemp native to District of Columbia?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Sisal Hemp as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of District of Columbia's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few District of Columbia natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The District of Columbia growing guide lists plants that USDA PLANTS records growing in District of Columbia 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 Sisal Hemp in District of Columbia
When can I plant Sisal Hemp in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 15 and Mar 15, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 24 and Nov 24 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Sisal Hemp takes cold to about 23°F before a freeze kills it (FAO ECOCROP — the point where cold damages growing tissue, not a winter-survival floor), so plant on the early side of that window — even ahead of the final hard freeze.
What hardiness zone is Sisal Hemp grown in across District of Columbia?
District of Columbia spans USDA hardiness zones 7b-8a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Sisal Hemp is listed for zones 10-11, which do not overlap them, so there is no zone in District of Columbia where this page can call outdoor growing reliable. A parcel report resolves your own address's zone.
How many frost-free days does a typical District of Columbia site have?
A typical District of Columbia site sees ~254 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Sisal Hemp needs 150+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Is Sisal Hemp native to District of Columbia?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Sisal Hemp as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of District of Columbia's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few District of Columbia natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Sisal Hemp in District of Columbia?
Sisal Hemp prefers pH 5.5-8 and well (dry spells) drainage. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. That sits in the common-ground band across District of Columbia soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Sisal Hemp actually grow on my specific land in District of Columbia?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores sisal hemp 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 District of Columbia
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores sisal hemp against your land's mapped soil, modelled sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that District of Columbia sisal hemp averages can't show:
We read public map data around District of Columbia — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the District of Columbia sisal hemp average
Explore More
Growing guides for sisal hemp
Explore District of Columbia county by county
District of Columbia carries 1 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for sisal hemp there:
Where else sisal hemp grows
Sisal Hemp's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia
District of Columbia has a growing page for 1,010 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
Last updated: