Yes — Strong Match
viola is grown as an annual, so season length decides it here, not a winter zone — and Ohio's typical season runs ~208 frost-free days against the ~70 viola needs.
Sow by about Aug 26
Viola is grown as an annual, so what decides it here is season length, not a winter zone. It needs about 70 days from sowing to finish and a typical Ohio season runs ~208 frost-free days, leaving 138 days of slack. That is room to sow as late as about Aug 26 and still finish before the usual first freeze (Nov 4).
Want more weeks at either end of that window? How to buy the weeks →
70 days to maturity against Ohio’s ~208-day season. NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS 1991-2020 (28°F killing freeze), state median across counties, via stateClimateData.ts.
Viola in Ohio — the short answer
Viola in Ohio: part sun, against a state median of ~208 frost-free days.
- 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
- 70 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.
Viola is grown as an annual, so your winter zone isn't the deciding factor — your frost-free window is. A typical Ohio site runs ~208 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 viola 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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Ohio is not one climate
A single Ohio answer averages 88 counties whose growing seasons are 57 days apart — from 182 frost-free days in Columbiana County to 239 in Cuyahoga County. Which end of that your land sits nearer changes what viola can finish before the first hard freeze.
The middle half of 88 counties runs 201–214 days, with a median of 208 days — a 57-day span end to end.
Measured across 88 Ohio counties. NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze. 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.
Zone Comparison
Viola Needs
- USDA Zones: Data pending
- Sun: Part Sun
- Mature size: 9 in tall
- Picking window: ~90 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: Low
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
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 Viola 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.
Frost hardiness
Viola takes cold down to about 15°F before a freeze kills it (FAO ECOCROP), so you can plant on the early side of Ohio's window — even a few weeks before the final hard freeze. That is the point where cold damages growing tissue, not a winter-survival floor — an established perennial comes through far colder while dormant, which is what its hardiness zone tells you.
When to start the seed
Those dates are when viola goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 10 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.
Days to maturity vs. the window
At 70 days to maturity (Growable Ground Plant Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 131 days to spare even in Ohio's tightest freeze scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Geauga County, not the statewide average.
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
Days to maturity
Viola matures in ~70 days (Growable Ground Plant Database). A typical Ohio site has ~208 frost-free days, so plenty of room for a second succession.
Growing degree days
Viola needs ~600 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
Viola likes near-neutral soil (pH 5.4-6.5). 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 5.4 and 5.8 — 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.
Your land, not the state average
SSURGO maps about 28.6% of Ohio as poorly or somewhat-poorly drained, and the class flips parcel to parcel. Viola has low drought tolerance, so it is the fast-draining end that will cost you — your soil map unit, not the state average, is the real answer.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
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 Viola 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
Growing viola here specifically
Viola likes pH 5.4–6.5 and its growing tissue burns around 15°F (FAO ECOCROP), yet neither saves it from wet feet — SSURGO maps about 28.6% of Ohio poorly-drained, where its roots sit and rot.
Set viola high on bermed, grit-amended ground so winter and storm water drain away from the roots. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Ohio grower, not just viola — is covered on the Ohio growing guide.
Timing shifts within Ohio
Ohio isn't one climate. In Geauga County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Apr 22 — roughly 13 days later than the recorded state median — so plant viola to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Viola needs about 70 days of frost-free season from planting to harvest. Even Columbiana County — Ohio’s shortest season at 182 frost-free days — clears that by 112 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"). Viola's 70-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (days to maturity). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Viola draws honeybees and native bees (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, viola 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.
Recommended Viola Varieties for Ohio
Ohio publishes no state variety trial for viola, so we won't invent a "best for Ohio" list. Choose types rated to your USDA hardiness zone (5b-7a), and confirm winter survival and drainage against your own parcel.
Ohio Cooperative Extension
For Ohio-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for viola, the canonical source is Ohio State University Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Viola native to Ohio?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Viola 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 Viola in Ohio
When can I plant Viola 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). Viola takes cold to about 15°F before a freeze kills it (FAO ECOCROP — the point where cold damages growing tissue, not a winter-survival floor), so plant on the early side of that window — even ahead of the final hard freeze.
Can Viola mature before first frost in Ohio?
Yes — Viola matures in 70 days (Growable Ground Plant Database), and Ohio's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 201 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 131 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 Viola grown in across Ohio?
Ohio spans USDA hardiness zones 5b-7a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Viola carries a range of zones Data pending, 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). Viola 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 Geauga, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Viola native to Ohio?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Viola 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 Viola in Ohio?
Viola prefers pH 5.4-6.5 and well (dry spells) drainage (Growable Ground Plant Database). 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 Viola actually grow on my specific land in Ohio?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores viola 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 viola against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Ohio viola 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 viola average
Explore More
Growing guides for viola
Explore Ohio county by county
Ohio carries 88 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for viola there:
Where else viola grows
Viola'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.
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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