Wild Quinine is a perennial grown for its blooms, which open in summer and return year after year. It's hardy across USDA zones 4 through 8, shrugs off deer and shrugs off dry spells. Its summer flowers are a moderate draw for native bees.
Zones
4-8
pH Range
5.5-8.5
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
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Score Wild Quinine on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether wild quinine actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score wild quinine against your land's real conditions.
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What Wild Quinine is
Wild Quinine grows as a perennial and reaches around four feet at maturity. It blooms in summer. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Wild Quinine
Wild Quinine grows in USDA zones 4 through 8. Wild Quinine does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 8.5, on well-drained to fast-draining ground. It needs a growing season of at least 90 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
4-8
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.5 - 8.5
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
well (dry spells), excessive (dry/moderately dry)
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost Tolerance
46.4°F
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
4 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
90+
plant_species_v5.csv
Start the season right
Plant wild quinine in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Wild Quinine prefers pH 5.5 to 8.5 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Cut wild quinine blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — wild quinine isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Wild Quinine offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Wild Quinine thrives
Wild Quinine is hardy across USDA zones 4 through 8. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 4–8·Where Wild Quinine growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Wild Quinine can grow in these states:
See if Wild Quinine will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether wild quinine actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Wild Quinine in my zone?
Wild Quinine grows in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 8 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Wild Quinine?
Most growers plant wild quinine after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 90-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Wild Quinine need?
Wild Quinine needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Wild Quinine need?
Wild Quinine prefers soil pH 5.5 to 8.5, on well-drained to fast-draining ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Wild Quinine attract pollinators?
Yes — wild quinine's flowers are a solid nectar source for native bees (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Wild Quinine safe for pets?
Wild Quinine is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.