Generally — Most Areas
spicebush (zones 5-9) suits most of New Hampshire (3b-6b) — zones 5-6 are in range, and the rest of the state is the exception.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
New Hampshire spans zones 3b-6b, 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 spicebush against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
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Zone Comparison
Spicebush Needs
- USDA Zones: 5-9
- Frost-Free Days: 110+
- Sun: Part Sun
- Mature size: 12 ft tall
- Drought tolerance: Low
New Hampshire Has
- USDA Zones: 3b-6b
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 22 - May 4
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 10 - Oct 21
- Annual Rainfall: 36-50 inches
- Common Soils: Glacial till, Sandy loam, Rocky loam
Plant Zone Range (zones 5-9)
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 Spicebush in New Hampshire
The frost window
Across New Hampshire, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 22 and May 4, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 10 and Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 159-day window you can count on — up to 182 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.
Winter standing
New Hampshire runs as cold as USDA zone 3, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for spicebush, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether spicebush is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within New Hampshire; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.
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 spicebush survives winter in part of New Hampshire, not across all of it. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Spicebush wants 110+ frost-free days; a typical New Hampshire site sees ~171 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Chill hours
Spicebush requires ~500 chill hours (32-45°F dormancy window). New Hampshire typically banks ~2500 chill hours per winter (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), which keeps this plant on track.
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
Spicebush tolerates a wide pH range (pH 4.5-7.5) — 3 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in New Hampshire. 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 and 6.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a New Hampshire soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your New Hampshire 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. New Hampshire soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Spicebush in New Hampshire — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Generally — Most Areas
- Plant Zones: 5-9 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 3b-6b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Apr 22 - May 4 to Oct 10 - Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
What Else to Consider for Spicebush in New Hampshire
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but New Hampshire growers also need to think about:
Very short season in the White Mountains (80-100 frost-free days)
Rocky glacial soils throughout the state
Harsh winters with deep snow cover
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every New Hampshire grower, not just spicebush — is covered on the New Hampshire growing guide.
Timing shifts within New Hampshire
Spicebush needs about 110 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Coos County — New Hampshire’s shortest season at 145 frost-free days — clears that by 35 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in New Hampshire. 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"). Spicebush's 110-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Where in New Hampshire Fits Best
Even within New Hampshire's zones 3b-6b, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for spicebush (USDA PHZM 2023):
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Spicebush draws native bees (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, spicebush can only work that bloom inside New Hampshire's frost window — roughly 171 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 22 - May 4) and closing at the first (Oct 10 - Oct 21), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
New Hampshire Cooperative Extension
For New Hampshire-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for spicebush, the canonical source is UNH Cooperative Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Spicebush native to New Hampshire?
Yes — the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) documents Spicebush as native to New Hampshire. Planting it supports the pollinators and wildlife that evolved alongside it.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing Spicebush in New Hampshire
When can I plant Spicebush in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 22 and May 4, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 10 and Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for Spicebush, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in New Hampshire 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 Spicebush grown in across New Hampshire?
New Hampshire spans USDA hardiness zones 3b-6b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Spicebush carries a range of zones 5-9, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical New Hampshire site have?
A typical New Hampshire site sees ~171 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Spicebush needs 110+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Is Spicebush native to New Hampshire?
Yes — the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) documents Spicebush as native to New Hampshire. Planting it supports the pollinators and wildlife that evolved alongside it.
How should I amend the soil for Spicebush in New Hampshire?
Spicebush tolerates pH 4.5-7.5 and well (dry spells) drainage (Growable Ground Plant Database). That is a 3-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a New Hampshire site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Spicebush actually grow on my specific land in New Hampshire?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores spicebush 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 New Hampshire
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores spicebush against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that New Hampshire spicebush averages can't show:
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