Conditional — Some Areas
string of pearls (zones 9-12) reaches only part of North Carolina (6a-9a): zone 9 are in range, so where you are in the state decides it.
One zone short — what would close it
String Of Pearls is hardy to zone 9, and the warmest ground in North Carolina is zone 8 — 1 zone short. Planted in open ground it will not survive a North Carolina winter. To grow it here, grow string of pearls in a container and move it under cover for the coldest weeks, or give it a greenhouse.
Season extension and overwintering under cover both work at this margin. How to buy the weeks →
Zone math from 9-12 (plant) against 6-8 (North Carolina). Lift modeled by crop_engine Sprint 20B effective_zone_modifier (+2 zones) via api/fast_sections.py Unlock Engine v2.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
North Carolina spans zones 6a-9a, 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 string of pearls against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
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Zone Comparison
String Of Pearls Needs
- USDA Zones: 9-12
- Sun: Part Sun
- Mature size: 6 in tall
- Drought tolerance: High
North Carolina Has
- USDA Zones: 6a-9a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 11 - Mar 24
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 10 - Nov 25
- Annual Rainfall: 40-60 inches
- Common Soils: Red clay (Piedmont), Sandy loam (Coastal), Mountain loam
Plant Zone Range (zones 9-12)
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 String Of Pearls in North Carolina
The frost window
Across North Carolina, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 11 and Mar 24, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 10 and Nov 25 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 231-day window you can count on — up to 259 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
North Carolina runs as cold as USDA zone 6, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for string of pearls, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether string of pearls is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within North Carolina; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Swain County, not the statewide average.
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.
Soil + Drainage Fit
String Of Pearls likes near-neutral soil (pH 5.5-7). That's the common-ground band across North Carolina's red clay (piedmont) and sandy loam (coastal) — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 6.5 and 7 — worth knowing before you decide whether a North Carolina soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your North Carolina site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
North Carolina's soils run mostly fine sandy loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. What matters for string of pearls is the horizon its roots actually work, not the surface. That map unit, not the state average, decides how string of pearls performs.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. North Carolina soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
String Of Pearls in North Carolina — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Conditional — Some Areas
- Plant Zones: 9-12 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 6a-9a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Mar 11 - Mar 24 to Nov 10 - Nov 25 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
What Else to Consider for String Of Pearls in North Carolina
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but North Carolina growers also need to think about:
Red Piedmont clay is hard to work and drains poorly
Humidity drives significant disease pressure
Hurricane risk on the coastal plain
Growing string of pearls here specifically
String Of Pearls needs pH 5.5–7.0; North Carolina's dominant fine sandy loam soils may or may not deliver that, so your parcel's SSURGO map unit is the real test.
Start with a soil test on your own ground and adjust pH and texture to fit string of pearls's 5.5–7.0 range. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every North Carolina grower, not just string of pearls — is covered on the North Carolina growing guide.
Timing shifts within North Carolina
North Carolina isn't one climate. In Swain County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Apr 27 — roughly 41 days later than the recorded state median — so plant string of pearls to your county's window, not the statewide date.
County last-freeze dates: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F freeze (earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost"). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Where in North Carolina String Of Pearls Is Zone-Hardy
String Of Pearls is rated for USDA zones 9–12. 1 of North Carolina’s 100 counties fall inside that band. The coldest that does is Dare County at zone 9a. 99 counties sit below the plant’s zone 9 floor, where an unprotected plant is relying on snow cover and a mild year. Where you are in North Carolina decides this one.
Across those 100 counties North Carolina’s winter-low ladder runs from zone 6b in Avery County to zone 9a in Dare County — 2.5 USDA zones of spread, which is 25°F between the two counties’ average coldest night of the year. That is why a statewide hardiness answer is where you start and not where you finish.
The planting window moves with it. Swain County holds its last hard freeze (28°F) until about Apr 27, while Dare County is clear by Feb 18 — 68 days apart. Set string of pearls out on your county’s date, not the state’s.
County hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023, per county. County last-freeze dates: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F killing freeze — earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost". String Of Pearls’s zone 9–12 band: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database. A parcel report resolves your address’s own zone and frost dates rather than its county’s.
Where in North Carolina Fits Best
Even within North Carolina's zones 6a-9a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for string of pearls (USDA PHZM 2023):
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
String Of Pearls draws honeybees (low value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, string of pearls can only work that bloom inside North Carolina's frost window — roughly 245 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Mar 11 - Mar 24) and closing at the first (Nov 10 - Nov 25), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Good to Know Before You Plant String Of Pearls
String Of Pearls is listed as toxic to dogs, cats (all) at a moderate level (ASPCA). Most listed plants only cause brief upset — a raised bed or a fenced corner usually keeps curious pets clear. Parts of string of pearls carry minor toxicity for people, so know which parts are edible before harvest.
North Carolina Cooperative Extension
For North Carolina-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for string of pearls, the canonical source is NC State Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is String Of Pearls native to North Carolina?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists String Of Pearls as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of North Carolina's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few North Carolina natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The North Carolina 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 String Of Pearls in North Carolina
When can I plant String Of Pearls in North Carolina?
North Carolina's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 11 and Mar 24, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 10 and Nov 25 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for String Of Pearls, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in North Carolina 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 String Of Pearls grown in across North Carolina?
North Carolina spans USDA hardiness zones 6a-9a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). String Of Pearls carries a range of zones 9-12, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical North Carolina site have?
A typical North Carolina site sees ~245 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). String Of Pearls 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. In cooler counties like Swain, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is String Of Pearls native to North Carolina?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists String Of Pearls as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of North Carolina's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few North Carolina natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for String Of Pearls in North Carolina?
String Of Pearls prefers pH 5.5-7 and well (dry spells) drainage (Growable Ground Plant Database). That sits in the common-ground band across North Carolina soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will String Of Pearls actually grow on my specific land in North Carolina?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores string of pearls 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 North Carolina
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores string of pearls against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that North Carolina string of pearls averages can't show:
We read public map data around North Carolina — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the North Carolina string of pearls average
Explore More
Growing guides for string of pearls
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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