snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus), photographi

Can I Grow Snapdragon in Hawaii?

USDA Zones 8b-13a · Plant zone range Data pending

Yes — Strong Match

snapdragon is grown as an annual, so season length decides it here, not a winter zone — and Hawaii's typical season runs ~365 frost-free days against the ~80 snapdragon needs.

No season deadline here

The 1991-2020 record carries no killing freeze for Hawaii, so the season never closes on snapdragon — the roughly 80 days it needs can start in any month. What sets your timing here is heat and rainfall, not frost.

Want more weeks at either end of that window? How to buy the weeks →

80 days to maturity against Hawaii’s ~365-day season. NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS 1991-2020 (28°F killing freeze), state median across counties, via stateClimateData.ts.

Snapdragon in Hawaii — the short answer

Snapdragon in Hawaii: full sun, against a state median of ~365 frost-free days.

Hawaii zones
8b-13a
USDA PHZM 2023
Killing freeze
None on record
NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020
Shortest county season
365 days
NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS station record, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
Days to maturity
80 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.

Score your parcel · free to start

Your yard isn't the whole zone.

Snapdragon is grown as an annual, so your winter zone isn't the deciding factor — your frost-free window is. A typical Hawaii site runs ~365 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 snapdragon against your land's actual frost dates, sun, and soil.

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

Hawaii is not one climate

Hawaii’s winter-low ladder runs across 5 counties, from zone 9 in Hawaii County to zone 11.5 in Kalawao County. That is 25°F between the two counties’ average coldest night — the difference between snapdragon overwintering in the ground and coming under cover.

9 zonesHawaii County11.5 zonesKalawao County

The middle half of 5 counties runs 10–11.5 zones, with a median of 10 zones — a 2.5-zone span end to end.

Measured across 5 Hawaii counties. USDA PHZM 2023, per county. 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

Snapdragon Needs

  • USDA Zones: Data pending
  • Sun: Full SunWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
  • Mature size: 2.5 ft tallWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
  • Picking window: ~90 days of harvestWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
  • Drought tolerance: LowWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Hawaii Has

  • USDA Zones: 8b-13a
  • Hard Freeze (28°F): None on record — year-round season
  • Annual Rainfall: 10-400 inches
  • Common Soils: Volcanic, Laterite, Coral sand

Preferred Soil pH

3.5 (Acidic)7.0 (Neutral)9.0 (Alkaline)
Highlighted range: pH 6.2 – 7.0

We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

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 Snapdragon in Hawaii

The frost window

Hawaii has none — the 1991-2020 station record carries no 28°F killing freeze, so there is no last-frost date to plant after and no first-frost date to harvest before (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS station record). The growing season is year-round; what paces planting here is rainfall, heat and elevation, not the calendar.

Days to maturity vs. the window

At 80 days to maturity (Growable Ground Plant Database) and no frost to close the season, snapdragon fits about 4 plantings a year — so the real limit is what you can keep watered and harvested, not how many days are left.

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

Days to maturity

Snapdragon matures in ~80 days. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. A typical Hawaii site has ~365 frost-free days, so plenty of room for a second succession.

GDD and chill-hour figures are computed from PRISM 1991-2020 monthly climate normals; frost-free days from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS station record, 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

Snapdragon likes near-neutral soil (pH 6.2-7). That's the common-ground band across Hawaii's volcanic and laterite — a soil test confirms it for your site. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Hawaii site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, a raised bed lifts the roots above wet ground, or work in compost. pH range and drainage need: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Your land, not the state average

Hawaii's soils run mostly silty clay loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. What matters for snapdragon is the horizon its roots actually work, not the surface. That map unit, not the state average, decides how snapdragon 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. Hawaii soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.

What Else to Consider for Snapdragon in Hawaii

The zone range tells you where snapdragon is grown — but Hawaii growers also need to think about:

Extreme rainfall variation — desert on one side, rainforest on the other

Volcanic soil is nutrient-poor in young flows

Invasive species pressure is severe

Growing snapdragon here specifically

Hawaii's soils run mostly silty clay loam (Andisols), and whether that suits snapdragon's pH 6.2–7.0 preference comes down to your exact parcel, not the statewide picture.

Pull your parcel's SSURGO map unit, test pH, and amend toward snapdragon's 6.2–7.0 target before planting. How to handle it →

What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Hawaii grower, not just snapdragon — is covered on the Hawaii growing guide.

Timing shifts within Hawaii

Snapdragon needs about 80 days of frost-free season from planting to harvest. Even Hawaii County — Hawaii’s shortest season at 365 frost-free days — clears that by 285 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Hawaii. 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"). Snapdragon's 80-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (days to maturity). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.

Pollinator + Wildlife Value

Snapdragon draws native bees and hummingbirds (moderate value). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Snapdragon's flowers are not fenced in by a freeze date here: the 1991-2020 record resolves no 28°F killing frost anywhere in Hawaii, so what limits bloom is the plant's own cycle rather than the calendar. Pollinator value: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Good to Know Before You Plant Snapdragon

Listed as non-toxic to dogs and cats by a source we can't cite. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Recommended Snapdragon Varieties for Hawaii

Hawaii publishes no state variety trial for snapdragon, so we won't invent a "best for Hawaii" list. Choose types rated to your USDA hardiness zone (8b-13a), and confirm winter survival and drainage against your own parcel.

Hawaii Cooperative Extension

For Hawaii-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for snapdragon, the canonical source is UH Mānoa CTAHR Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.

Is Snapdragon native to Hawaii?

No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Snapdragon as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Hawaii's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Hawaii natives keeps local pollinators fed too.

Looking for plants that belong here? The Hawaii growing guide lists plants that USDA PLANTS records growing in Hawaii 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 Snapdragon in Hawaii

When can I plant Snapdragon in Hawaii?

Any month — Hawaii records no 28°F killing freeze in the 1991-2020 station record, so there is no last-frost date to wait for and the growing season is year-round (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS station record). Pace planting by rainfall, heat and elevation instead: the summit country does freeze, and no station up there carries a long enough record to date it.

What hardiness zone is Snapdragon grown in across Hawaii?

Hawaii spans USDA hardiness zones 8b-13a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Snapdragon carries a range of zones Data pending, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.

How many frost-free days does a typical Hawaii site have?

A typical Hawaii site sees ~365 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS station record, 1991-2020). Snapdragon 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 Snapdragon native to Hawaii?

No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Snapdragon as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Hawaii's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Hawaii natives keeps local pollinators fed too.

How should I amend the soil for Snapdragon in Hawaii?

Snapdragon prefers pH 6.2-7 and well (dry spells) drainage. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. That sits in the common-ground band across Hawaii soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.

Will Snapdragon actually grow on my specific land in Hawaii?

State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores snapdragon against your address's mapped soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.

Free to start

Check your specific parcel in Hawaii

State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores snapdragon against your land's mapped soil, modelled sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.

Three things about your lot that Hawaii snapdragon averages can't show:

Your soil pHYour frost-free days — Hawaii averages 365Your sun & shade

We read public map data around Hawaii — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources read at your address, not the Hawaii snapdragon average

Explore More

Explore Hawaii county by county

Hawaii carries 5 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for snapdragon there:

Where else snapdragon grows

Snapdragon's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to Hawaii 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 Hawaii

Hawaii has a growing page for 789 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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