Generally — Most Areas
wild bergamot (zones 4-10) partially overlaps with Maryland (5b-8a). It can grow in zones 5-8 within the state.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Maryland spans zones 5b-8a, 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 wild bergamot against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
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
Wild Bergamot Needs
- USDA Zones: 4-10
- Soil pH: 6.5 - 8.5
- Sun: Part Sun
- Frost-Free Days: 110+
Maryland Has
- USDA Zones: 5b-8a
- Last Frost: Mar 25 - May 5
- First Frost: Oct 5 - Nov 5
- Annual Rainfall: 36-48 inches
- Common Soils: Silt loam, Clay, Sandy loam (Eastern Shore)
Plant Zone Range (zones 4-10)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: USDA PLANTS Database / plant_species_v5.csv. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Wild Bergamot in Maryland
The frost window
Across Maryland, the last spring frost clears between Mar 25 and May 5, and the first fall frost lands between Oct 5 and Nov 5 (NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last frost to the earliest first frost, that's a 153-day window you can count on — up to 225 days on a mild site in a kind year.
Frost hardiness
Wild Bergamot is cold-hardy to -38°F (USDA PLANTS Database), so you can plant on the early side of Maryland's window — even a few weeks before the final frost date.
Establishment timing
As a long-lived plant, wild bergamot isn't racing the calendar to a harvest date. Plant it in spring once the last-frost window passes so roots settle in through the full season, or in early fall while the soil still holds summer warmth.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Garrett 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
Zone compatibility says you can survive winter here. Whether the growing season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Wild Bergamot wants 110+ frost-free days; a typical Maryland site sees ~190 (NOAA Climate Normals). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Wild Bergamot needs ~1000 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~3500 GDD (USDA NRCS county aggregates), so Maryland's typical season clears that easily.
Climate aggregates derive from USDA NRCS county-level hardiness data + Cornell CALS Extension GDD-by-region tables + MSU Extension chill-hours-by-zone (1991-2020 NOAA Climate Normals baseline).
Soil + Drainage Fit
Wild Bergamot likes near-neutral soil (pH 6.5-8.5). That's the common-ground band across Maryland's silt loam and clay — a soil test confirms it for your site.
Your land, not the state average
Maryland soil pH averages about 5.0–6.0, but SSURGO maps it swinging by full points parcel to parcel — your map unit, not the state number, decides whether wild bergamot needs lime or sulfur.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. Maryland soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Wild Bergamot in Maryland — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Generally — Most Areas
- Plant Zones: 4-10 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 5b-8a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: Mar 25 - May 5 to Oct 5 - Nov 5 (NOAA Climate Normals)
- Days to Maturity: 120 days
What Else to Consider
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Maryland growers also need to think about:
Heavy Piedmont clay drains poorly
A raised bed today, compost every fall — Piedmont clay becomes an asset once the drainage is yours.
Humidity and heat in summer promote disease
Morning watering at the base, room to breathe between plants, resistant varieties — the humid-summer basics, per your extension.
Deer pressure in suburban areas is extreme
A tall fence is the answer that holds; for everything outside it, lean toward the plants deer reliably skip.
Growing wild bergamot here specifically
Wild Bergamot needs near-neutral ground (pH 6.5–8.5); Maryland's dominant SSURGO pH sits near 5.5, acidic enough to stunt it without correction.
Add lime to bring your parcel up toward pH 6.5–8.5, then retest before setting wild bergamot out. How to handle it →
Timing shifts within Maryland
Maryland isn't one climate. In Garrett County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Apr 5 — roughly 28 days later than the recorded state median — so plant wild bergamot to your county's window, not the statewide date.
County last-freeze dates: NOAA/PRISM Climate Normals 1991-2020, 28°F threshold (earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost"). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Wild Bergamot draws pollinators (high value, USDA PLANTS Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops.
Recommended Wild Bergamot Varieties for Maryland
Maryland publishes no state variety trial for wild bergamot, so we won't invent a "best for Maryland" list. Choose types rated to your USDA hardiness zone (5b-8a), and confirm winter survival and drainage against your own parcel.
Maryland Cooperative Extension
For Maryland-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for wild bergamot, the canonical source is University of Maryland Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Wild Bergamot native to Maryland?
Yes — the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) documents Wild Bergamot as native to Maryland. Planting it supports the pollinators and wildlife that evolved alongside it.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing Wild Bergamot in Maryland
When can I plant Wild Bergamot in Maryland?
Maryland's last spring frost clears between Mar 25 and May 5, and the first fall frost lands between Oct 5 and Nov 5 (NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020). Wild Bergamot is a long-lived planting, so target spring just after your local last frost — or early fall while the soil holds warmth — and let it establish through the season.
What hardiness zone is Wild Bergamot grown in across Maryland?
Maryland spans USDA hardiness zones 5b-8a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Wild Bergamot carries a range of zones 4-10, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Maryland site have?
A typical Maryland site sees ~190 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020). Wild Bergamot needs 110+ 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 Garrett, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Wild Bergamot native to Maryland?
Yes — the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) documents Wild Bergamot as native to Maryland. Planting it supports the pollinators and wildlife that evolved alongside it.
How should I amend the soil for Wild Bergamot in Maryland?
Wild Bergamot prefers pH 6.5-8.5 (USDA PLANTS Database). That sits in the common-ground band across Maryland soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Wild Bergamot actually grow on my specific land in Maryland?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores wild bergamot 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 Maryland
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores wild bergamot against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
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 →