Generally — Most Areas
winter savory (zones 5-8) suits most of Wisconsin (3b-6a) — zones 5-6 are in range, and the rest of the state is the exception.
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Zone Comparison
Winter Savory Needs
- USDA Zones: 5-8
- Frost-Free Days: 210+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 1 ft tall
- Picking window: ~90 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: High
Wisconsin Has
- USDA Zones: 3b-6a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 17 - May 2
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 9 - Oct 21
- Annual Rainfall: 28-34 inches
- Common Soils: Silt loam, Clay loam, Sandy outwash
Plant Zone Range (zones 5-8)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: USDA PLANTS Database / Growable Ground plant catalog. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Winter Savory in Wisconsin
The frost window
Across Wisconsin, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 17 and May 2, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 9 and Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 160-day window you can count on — up to 187 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 winter savory goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 8 weeks ahead, so counting back from Wisconsin's late-side last freeze of May 2 is what fixes your sowing date — and a yard that clears frost earlier than the state's late date starts earlier still.
Winter standing
Winter Savory overwinters from USDA zone 5 and warmer (NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder), and Wisconsin runs as cold as zone 3, so it does not survive winter in the ground here. It is a woody plant rather than a crop you resow each spring, so neither a fall establishment date nor a harvest countdown describes it in Wisconsin — which is why this page gives neither. What it needs here is a way through winter, not a planting date.
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
The zone check says winter savory survives winter in part of Wisconsin, not across all of it. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Winter Savory wants 210+ frost-free days; a typical Wisconsin site sees ~173 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020) — 37 days short of what it needs. A typical Wisconsin season does not carry this crop to harvest outdoors, and a gap that size is not one an earlier sowing date or a faster cultivar closes; growing it here means growing it under cover.
Growing degree days
Winter Savory needs ~900 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~2102 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Wisconsin'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
Winter Savory likes near-neutral soil (pH 6-7.5). That's the common-ground band across Wisconsin's silt loam and clay loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 6.5 and 7 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Wisconsin soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Wisconsin site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. Wisconsin soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Winter Savory in Wisconsin — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Generally — Most Areas
- Plant Zones: 5-8 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 3b-6a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Apr 17 - May 2 to Oct 9 - Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
- Days to Maturity: 80 days
What Else to Consider for Winter Savory in Wisconsin
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Wisconsin growers also need to think about:
Cold winters (-30F in northern WI)
Short growing season (110-140 frost-free days)
Sandy central soils drain too quickly
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Wisconsin grower, not just winter savory — is covered on the Wisconsin growing guide.
Timing shifts within Wisconsin
Winter Savory needs about 210 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. 3 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties give it that outright. The tightest that does is Sheboygan County at 210 frost-free days — 0 to spare. Below that line you are transplanting or extending the season, not direct-sowing.
Across Wisconsin’s 72 counties the frost-free season runs from 140 days in Florence County to 217 days in Milwaukee County — a spread of 77 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Wisconsin county sees 173 frost-free days, which is 37 days short of what winter savory needs — so on a typical Wisconsin parcel this is a transplant-or-protect crop, not a direct-sow one.
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"). Winter Savory's 210-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Where in Wisconsin Fits Best
Even within Wisconsin's zones 3b-6a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for winter savory (USDA PHZM 2023):
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Winter Savory draws honeybees and native bees (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, winter savory can only work that bloom inside Wisconsin's frost window — roughly 173 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 17 - May 2) and closing at the first (Oct 9 - Oct 21), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Wisconsin Cooperative Extension
For Wisconsin-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for winter savory, the canonical source is UW–Madison Division of Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Winter Savory native to Wisconsin?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Winter Savory as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Wisconsin's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Wisconsin natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Wisconsin 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 Winter Savory in Wisconsin
When can I plant Winter Savory in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 17 and May 2, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 9 and Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Winter Savory overwinters only from USDA zone 5 and warmer, and Wisconsin runs as cold as zone 3, so it does not survive winter in the ground here — the question for Wisconsin growers is how to carry it through winter under cover, not which week to plant it.
What hardiness zone is Winter Savory grown in across Wisconsin?
Wisconsin spans USDA hardiness zones 3b-6a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Winter Savory carries a range of zones 5-8, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Wisconsin site have?
A typical Wisconsin site sees ~173 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Winter Savory needs 210+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Is Winter Savory native to Wisconsin?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Winter Savory as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Wisconsin's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Wisconsin natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Winter Savory in Wisconsin?
Winter Savory prefers pH 6-7.5 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That sits in the common-ground band across Wisconsin soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Winter Savory actually grow on my specific land in Wisconsin?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores winter savory 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 Wisconsin
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores winter savory against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Wisconsin winter savory averages can't show:
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Growing guides for winter savory
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