Unlikely — Zone Mismatch
subterranean clover (zones 6-10) does not overlap with Minnesota's zone range (3a-5a). Growing outdoors is unlikely without significant protection.
One zone short — what would close it
Subterranean Clover is hardy to zone 6, and the warmest ground in Minnesota is zone 5 — 1 zone short. Planted in open ground it will not survive a Minnesota winter. To grow it here, grow subterranean clover 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 6-10 (plant) against 3-5 (Minnesota). 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.
Subterranean Clover is grown as an annual, so your winter zone isn't the deciding factor — your frost-free window is. A typical Minnesota site runs ~174 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 subterranean clover 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.
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Zone Comparison
Subterranean Clover Needs
- USDA Zones: 6-10
- Frost-Free Days: 120+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 6 in tall
- Drought tolerance: Medium
Minnesota Has
- USDA Zones: 3a-5a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 19 - Apr 30
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 10 - Oct 17
- Annual Rainfall: 19-34 inches
- Common Soils: Prairie loam, Clay, Sandy outwash
Plant Zone Range (zones 6-10)
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 Subterranean Clover in Minnesota
The frost window
Across Minnesota, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 19 and Apr 30, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 10 and Oct 17 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 163-day window you can count on — up to 181 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
Subterranean Clover is direct-sown where it grows rather than started under cover, so there is no seed-tray head start to bank — Minnesota'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 90 days to maturity (USDA PLANTS Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 73 days to spare even in Minnesota's tightest freeze scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Lake 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.
Growing Season Fit
The zone check says subterranean clover does not survive a Minnesota winter in the ground. The season figures below measure a different question — whether it could finish a season here at all — and they only bear on Minnesota under protection.
Frost-free days
Subterranean Clover wants 120+ frost-free days; a typical Minnesota site sees ~174 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves a workable window — start indoors to bank time.
Growing degree days
Subterranean Clover needs ~800 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~1920 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Minnesota'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
Subterranean Clover tolerates a wide pH range (pH 5-8) — 3 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in Minnesota. 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 5.5 and 6.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Minnesota soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Minnesota site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
Minnesota's soils run mostly loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. What matters for subterranean clover is the horizon its roots actually work, not the surface. That map unit, not the state average, decides how subterranean clover performs.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. Minnesota soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Subterranean Clover in Minnesota — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Unlikely — Zone Mismatch
- Plant Zones: 6-10 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 3a-5a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Apr 19 - Apr 30 to Oct 10 - Oct 17 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
- Days to Maturity: 90 days
What Else to Consider for Subterranean Clover in Minnesota
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Minnesota growers also need to think about:
Extreme cold (zone 3a: -40F) limits many species
Short growing season (100-140 frost-free days)
Heavy clay soils in the Red River Valley
Growing subterranean clover here specifically
Subterranean Clover needs pH 5.0–8.0; Minnesota's dominant 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 subterranean clover's 5.0–8.0 range. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Minnesota grower, not just subterranean clover — is covered on the Minnesota growing guide.
Timing shifts within Minnesota
Minnesota isn't one climate. In Lake County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about May 14 — roughly 23 days later than the recorded state median — so plant subterranean clover to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Subterranean Clover needs about 120 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Lake County — Minnesota’s shortest season at 137 frost-free days — clears that by 17 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Minnesota. What varies is your own parcel.
Across Minnesota’s 87 counties the frost-free season runs from 137 days in Lake County to 199 days in Ramsey County — a spread of 62 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Minnesota county sees 174 frost-free days, leaving subterranean clover about 54 days of slack on a typical parcel — room for a second sowing where the season runs long.
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"). Subterranean Clover's 120-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Subterranean Clover draws honeybees, native bees, and butterflies (high value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, subterranean clover can only work that bloom inside Minnesota's frost window — roughly 174 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 19 - Apr 30) and closing at the first (Oct 10 - Oct 17), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Minnesota Cooperative Extension
For Minnesota-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for subterranean clover, the canonical source is University of Minnesota Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Subterranean Clover native to Minnesota?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Subterranean Clover as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Minnesota's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Minnesota natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Minnesota 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 Subterranean Clover in Minnesota
When can I plant Subterranean Clover in Minnesota?
Minnesota's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 19 and Apr 30, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 10 and Oct 17 (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 Subterranean Clover mature before first frost in Minnesota?
Yes — Subterranean Clover matures in 90 days (USDA PLANTS Database), and Minnesota's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 163 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 73 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 Subterranean Clover grown in across Minnesota?
Minnesota spans USDA hardiness zones 3a-5a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Subterranean Clover carries a range of zones 6-10, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Minnesota site have?
A typical Minnesota site sees ~174 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Subterranean Clover needs 120+ 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 Lake, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Subterranean Clover native to Minnesota?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Subterranean Clover as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Minnesota's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Minnesota natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Subterranean Clover in Minnesota?
Subterranean Clover tolerates pH 5-8 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 Minnesota site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Subterranean Clover actually grow on my specific land in Minnesota?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores subterranean clover 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 Minnesota
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores subterranean clover against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Minnesota subterranean clover averages can't show:
We read public map data around Minnesota — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Minnesota subterranean clover average
Explore More
Growing guides for subterranean clover
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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