Conditional — Some Areas
string of pearls (zones 9-12) reaches only part of South Carolina (7a-9b): zone 9 are in range, so where you are in the state decides it.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
South Carolina spans zones 7a-9b, 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
South Carolina Has
- USDA Zones: 7a-9b
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Feb 27 - Mar 12
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 23 - Dec 1
- Annual Rainfall: 45-55 inches
- Common Soils: Red clay (Piedmont), Sandy loam (Coastal), Alluvial
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 South Carolina
The frost window
Across South Carolina, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Feb 27 and Mar 12, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 23 and Dec 1 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 256-day window you can count on — up to 277 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
South Carolina runs as cold as USDA zone 7, 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 South Carolina; 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.
Soil + Drainage Fit
String Of Pearls likes near-neutral soil (pH 5.5-7). That's the common-ground band across South 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 South Carolina soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your South Carolina 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. South Carolina soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
String Of Pearls in South Carolina — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Conditional — Some Areas
- Plant Zones: 9-12 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 7a-9b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Feb 27 - Mar 12 to Nov 23 - Dec 1 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
What Else to Consider for String Of Pearls in South Carolina
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but South Carolina growers also need to think about:
Red Piedmont clay requires amendment for drainage
High heat and humidity promote diseases
Hurricane risk along the coast
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every South Carolina grower, not just string of pearls — is covered on the South Carolina growing guide.
Where in South Carolina String Of Pearls Is Zone-Hardy
String Of Pearls is rated for USDA zones 9–12. 3 of South Carolina’s 46 counties fall inside that band. The coldest that does is Beaufort County at zone 9a. 43 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 South Carolina decides this one.
Across those 46 counties South Carolina’s winter-low ladder runs from zone 8a in Abbeville County to zone 9a in Jasper County — 1 USDA zone of spread, which is 10°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. Chester County holds its last hard freeze (28°F) until about Mar 22, while Charleston County is clear by Feb 1 — 49 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 South Carolina Fits Best
Even within South Carolina's zones 7a-9b, 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 South Carolina's frost window — roughly 265 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Feb 27 - Mar 12) and closing at the first (Nov 23 - Dec 1), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
South Carolina Cooperative Extension
For South Carolina-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for string of pearls, the canonical source is Clemson Cooperative Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is String Of Pearls native to South 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 South Carolina's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few South Carolina natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The South 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 South Carolina
When can I plant String Of Pearls in South Carolina?
South Carolina's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Feb 27 and Mar 12, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 23 and Dec 1 (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 South 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 South Carolina?
South Carolina spans USDA hardiness zones 7a-9b (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 South Carolina site have?
A typical South Carolina site sees ~265 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.
Is String Of Pearls native to South 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 South Carolina's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few South Carolina natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for String Of Pearls in South 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 South 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 South 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 South 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 South Carolina string of pearls averages can't show:
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