Yes — Strong Match
sorghum-sudan (zones 5-11) covers every zone Kansas contains (5b-7a), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.
Sorghum Sudan in Kansas — the short answer
Sorghum Sudan in Kansas: hardy in zones 5–11, full sun, against a state median of ~208 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- 5-11
- Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
- Kansas zones
- 5b-7a
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Apr 1 - Apr 12 – Oct 25 - Nov 3
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 177 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
- Days to maturity
- 60 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.
Sorghum Sudan is grown as an annual, so your winter zone isn't the deciding factor — your frost-free window is. A typical Kansas site runs ~208 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 sorghum sudan against your land's actual frost dates, sun, and soil.
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Kansas is not one climate
A single Kansas answer averages 105 counties whose growing seasons are 54 days apart — from 177 frost-free days in Greeley County to 231 in Crawford County. Which end of that your land sits nearer changes what sorghum sudan can finish before the first hard freeze.
The middle half of 105 counties runs 197–216 days, with a median of 208 days — a 54-day span end to end.
Measured across 105 Kansas 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.
Where in Kansas Fits Best
Even within Kansas's zones 5b-7a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for sorghum sudan (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
Sorghum Sudan Needs
- USDA Zones: 5-11
- Frost-Free Days: 90+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 8 ft tall
- Picking window: ~30 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: High
Kansas Has
- USDA Zones: 5b-7a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 1 - Apr 12
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 25 - Nov 3
- Annual Rainfall: 16-42 inches
- Common Soils: Prairie loam, Silt loam, Clay
Plant Zone Range (zones 5-11)
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 Sorghum Sudan in Kansas
The frost window
Across Kansas, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 1 and Apr 12, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 25 and Nov 3 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 196-day window you can count on — up to 216 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
Sorghum Sudan is direct-sown where it grows rather than started under cover, so there is no seed-tray head start to bank — Kansas's dates above are the whole calendar for it. That makes the last-freeze date the binding constraint, and a warmer pocket of your own yard is worth more to this crop than it is to a transplanted one.
Days to maturity vs. the window
At 60 days to maturity (Growable Ground Plant Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 136 days to spare even in Kansas's tightest freeze scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Greeley 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
The zone check says sorghum sudan survives winter here. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Sorghum Sudan wants 90+ frost-free days; a typical Kansas site sees ~208 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Sorghum Sudan needs ~2000 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~3821 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Kansas'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
Sorghum Sudan tolerates a wide pH range (pH 5-8.2) — 3.2 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in Kansas. 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 Kansas soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Kansas site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
Kansas's soils run mostly silt loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. Sorghum Sudan needs about 59 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 sorghum sudan 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. Kansas soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
What Else to Consider for Sorghum Sudan in Kansas
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Kansas growers also need to think about:
Low rainfall in western KS requires irrigation
Extreme wind and hail during severe storm season
Hot dry summers with 100F+ days
Growing sorghum sudan here specifically
Sorghum Sudan sends deep roots and rates to zones 5–11, but much of Kansas sits on slow-draining, restrictive ground (SSURGO hydrologic group D) that forks and stunts them.
Loosen a deep, stone-free bed for sorghum sudan and break any compacted or hardpan layer before planting. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Kansas grower, not just sorghum sudan — is covered on the Kansas growing guide.
Timing shifts within Kansas
Kansas isn't one climate. In Greeley County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Apr 23 — roughly 18 days later than the recorded state median — so plant sorghum sudan to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Sorghum Sudan needs about 90 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Greeley County — Kansas’s shortest season at 177 frost-free days — clears that by 87 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Kansas. 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"). Sorghum Sudan's 90-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Good to Know Before You Plant Sorghum Sudan
Sorghum Sudan is listed as toxic to dogs, cats, horses (young leaves) at a moderate level (Cornell). Most listed plants only cause brief upset — a raised bed or a fenced corner usually keeps curious pets clear. Worth knowing for placement: in Kansas this is a one-season plant and the first hard freeze (Oct 25 - Nov 3) takes it down, so the exposure above is a summer-long one rather than something standing in the bed all year.
Kansas Cooperative Extension
For Kansas-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for sorghum sudan, the canonical source is K-State Research and Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Sorghum Sudan native to Kansas?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Sorghum Sudan as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Kansas's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Kansas natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Kansas 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 Sorghum Sudan in Kansas
When can I plant Sorghum Sudan in Kansas?
Kansas's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 1 and Apr 12, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 25 and Nov 3 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Time outdoor planting to after the last hard freeze for your specific site — a further two to three weeks for anything tender — and count back from those dates for transplant scheduling.
Can Sorghum Sudan mature before first frost in Kansas?
Yes — Sorghum Sudan matures in 60 days (Growable Ground Plant Database), and Kansas's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 196 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 136 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 Sorghum Sudan grown in across Kansas?
Kansas spans USDA hardiness zones 5b-7a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Sorghum Sudan carries a range of zones 5-11, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Kansas site have?
A typical Kansas site sees ~208 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Sorghum Sudan needs 90+ 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 Greeley, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Sorghum Sudan native to Kansas?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Sorghum Sudan as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Kansas's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Kansas natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Sorghum Sudan in Kansas?
Sorghum Sudan tolerates pH 5-8.2 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That is a 3.2-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a Kansas site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Sorghum Sudan actually grow on my specific land in Kansas?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores sorghum sudan 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 Kansas
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores sorghum sudan against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Kansas sorghum sudan averages can't show:
We read public map data around Kansas — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Kansas sorghum sudan average
Explore More
Growing guides for sorghum sudan
Explore Kansas county by county
Kansas carries 105 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for sorghum sudan there:
Where else sorghum sudan grows
Sorghum Sudan's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to Kansas 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 Kansas
Kansas has a growing page for 893 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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