Yes — Strong Match
vinca (zones 2-11) covers every zone Ohio contains (5b-7a), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.
Vinca in Ohio — the short answer
Vinca in Ohio: hardy in zones 2–11, full sun, against a state median of ~208 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- 2-11
- 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
- Ohio zones
- 5b-7a
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Apr 5 - Apr 13 – Oct 31 - Nov 6
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 182 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
- Days to maturity
- 75 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.
Ohio spans zones 5b-7a, 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 vinca against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
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Ohio is not one climate
Ohio’s winter-low ladder runs across 88 counties, from zone 6 in Allen County to zone 7 in Scioto County. That is 10°F between the two counties’ average coldest night — the difference between vinca overwintering in the ground and coming under cover.
The middle half of 88 counties runs 6–6.5 zones, with a median of 6.5 zones — a 1-zone span end to end.
Measured across 88 Ohio counties. USDA PHZM 2023, per county. 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 Ohio Fits Best
Even within Ohio's zones 5b-7a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for vinca (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
Vinca Needs
- USDA Zones: 2-11
- Frost-Free Days: 180+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 6 in tall
- Picking window: ~150 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: Medium
Ohio Has
- USDA Zones: 5b-7a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 5 - Apr 13
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 31 - Nov 6
- Annual Rainfall: 34-42 inches
- Common Soils: Glacial till, Clay loam, Silt loam
Plant Zone Range (zones 2-11)
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 Vinca in Ohio
The frost window
Across Ohio, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 5 and Apr 13, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 31 and Nov 6 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 201-day window you can count on — up to 215 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
Those dates are when vinca goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 12 weeks ahead, so counting back from Ohio's late-side last freeze of Apr 13 is what fixes your sowing date — and a yard that clears frost earlier than the state's late date starts earlier still.
Grown as an annual here
Vinca is a true perennial in its home range — it overwinters from USDA zone 10 and warmer (NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder) — but Ohio runs as cold as zone 5, so it is killed back each winter and replanted each spring. Treat it on the season schedule above, not as a permanent planting: there is no fall establishment window for it here.
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 vinca survives winter here. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Vinca wants 180+ frost-free days; a typical Ohio site sees ~208 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves a workable window — start indoors to bank time.
Growing degree days
Vinca needs ~1200 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~2921 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Ohio'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
Vinca likes near-neutral soil (pH 5.5-7.5). That's the common-ground band across Ohio's glacial till and clay loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 6 and 7 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Ohio soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Ohio site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
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. Ohio soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
What Else to Consider for Vinca in Ohio
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Ohio growers also need to think about:
Heavy clay soils across much of northern Ohio require amendment for drainage
Variable spring weather with late frost risk through mid-May
Japanese beetles and tomato hornworms are common garden pests
Wet springs can delay planting and promote root rot
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Ohio grower, not just vinca — is covered on the Ohio growing guide.
Timing shifts within Ohio
Vinca needs about 180 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Columbiana County — Ohio’s shortest season at 182 frost-free days — clears that by 2 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Ohio. 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"). Vinca's 180-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
Vinca draws butterflies and moths (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, vinca can only work that bloom inside Ohio's frost window — roughly 208 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 5 - Apr 13) and closing at the first (Oct 31 - Nov 6), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Ohio Cooperative Extension
For Ohio-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for vinca, the canonical source is Ohio State University Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Vinca native to Ohio?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Vinca as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Ohio's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Ohio natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Ohio 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 Vinca in Ohio
When can I plant Vinca in Ohio?
Ohio's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 5 and Apr 13, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 31 and Nov 6 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Vinca overwinters only from USDA zone 10 and warmer, and Ohio runs as cold as zone 5, so it is grown as an annual here — plant it after the last hard freeze, two to three weeks later for tender stock, and expect to replant next spring rather than establishing it for the long term.
What hardiness zone is Vinca grown in across Ohio?
Ohio spans USDA hardiness zones 5b-7a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Vinca carries a range of zones 2-11, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Ohio site have?
A typical Ohio site sees ~208 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Vinca needs 180+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Is Vinca native to Ohio?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Vinca as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Ohio's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Ohio natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Vinca in Ohio?
Vinca prefers pH 5.5-7.5 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That sits in the common-ground band across Ohio soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Vinca actually grow on my specific land in Ohio?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores vinca 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 Ohio
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores vinca against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Ohio vinca averages can't show:
We read public map data around Ohio — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Ohio vinca average
Explore More
Growing guides for vinca
Explore Ohio county by county
Ohio carries 88 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for vinca there:
Where else vinca grows
Vinca's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to Ohio 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 Ohio
Ohio has a growing page for 893 plants — a rotating sample of the rest of the shelf.
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