Yes — Strong Match
virgin's bower (zones 3-8) covers every zone Ohio contains (5b-7a), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.
Virgins Bower in Ohio — the short answer
Virgins Bower in Ohio: hardy in zones 3–8, part sun.
- Plant zones
- 3-8
- Not verified — NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox lists zones 6a–8b
- Ohio zones
- 5b-7a
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Apr 5 - Apr 13 – Oct 31 - Nov 6
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Typical season
- ~208 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020
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 virgins bower against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
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Zone Comparison
Virgins Bower Needs
- USDA Zones: 3-8
- Sun: Part SunWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Mature size: 20 ft tallWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Drought tolerance: MediumWe haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
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 3-8)
Preferred Soil pH
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
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 Virgins Bower 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.
Winter standing
Ohio runs as cold as USDA zone 5, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for virgins bower, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether virgins bower is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within Ohio; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.
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 virgins bower survives winter here. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Growing degree days
Virgins Bower needs ~1200 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. 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
Virgins Bower 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, a raised bed lifts the roots above wet ground, or work in compost. pH range, preferred pH and drainage need: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
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 Virgins Bower 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 virgins bower — is covered on the Ohio growing guide.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Virgins Bower draws honeybees, native bees, and butterflies (moderate value). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, virgins bower 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. Pollinator value: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Ohio Cooperative Extension
For Ohio-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for virgins bower, the canonical source is Ohio State University Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Virgins Bower native to Ohio?
Yes — the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-10-19) records Virgins Bower in Ohio, and Kew's Plants of the World Online (WCVP) lists Ohio in its native range. Planting it supports the pollinators and wildlife that evolved alongside it.
State records: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution data (presence, not state-level nativity), accessed 2026-10-19.
Native-range status: Kew, Plants of the World Online — World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), release 2026-06-04, licensed CC BY 3.0. powo.science.kew.org
Common Questions About Growing Virgins Bower in Ohio
When can I plant Virgins Bower 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). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for Virgins Bower, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in Ohio 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 Virgins Bower grown in across Ohio?
Ohio spans USDA hardiness zones 5b-7a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Virgins Bower carries a range of zones 3-8, 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). Virgins Bower needs 100+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Is Virgins Bower native to Ohio?
Yes — the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-10-19) records Virgins Bower in Ohio, and Kew's Plants of the World Online (WCVP) lists Ohio in its native range. Planting it supports the pollinators and wildlife that evolved alongside it.
How should I amend the soil for Virgins Bower in Ohio?
Virgins Bower prefers pH 5.5-7.5 and well (dry spells) drainage. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. 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 Virgins Bower actually grow on my specific land in Ohio?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores virgins bower against your address's mapped 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 virgins bower against your land's mapped soil, modelled sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Ohio virgins bower 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 virgins bower average
Explore More
Growing guides for virgins bower
Where else virgins bower grows
Virgins Bower'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 889 plants — a rotating sample of the rest of the shelf.
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