Cold hardiness

Future

2050

2100

These values are location-based: this location's current hardiness is the baseline, and the 2050 value is a projected future climate for this same location.

Now

Zone 6b

USDA

Published baseline for this location from 1991-2020.

Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer

Well-suited

2050

Zone 7a

Plotwright

Projected zone for this same location in 2050 (2041-2070) using SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry).

Well-suited

In plain terms: This location is in Zone 6b today. Its hardiness profile is cold winters, and coldest nights are typically around -3°F. By 2050, the projected hardiness zone is Zone 7a based on SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry). That is a +0.5-zone shift from Zone 6b to Zone 7a by 2050.

✓

Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.

Heat tolerance

Future

2050

2100

Heat tolerance values are location-based too: heat days today are observed at this site, and the 2050 value projects this same location under a future climate.

Loading AHS heat-zone data for this location...

Where this plant fits

Suitable across 45 ecoregions — 45 climate-resilient through 2070. Best matches first.

Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests

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Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests

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Arizona Mountains forests

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Atlantic coastal pine barrens

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Blue Mountains forests

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California coastal sage and chaparral

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Canadian Aspen forests and parklands

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Central Pacific Northwest coastal forests

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Central Tallgrass prairie

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Central-Southern Cascades Forests

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What it needs

Conditions

Light

Full sun

Water

Moderate water

Spacing

12"

Habit

Sprawling-to-climbing tender annual; dwarf-bushy or trailing/vining by type

Care tips

•

Skip the fertilizer — rich soil gives you lush leaves and few flowers; poor-to-average soil gives you blooms.

•

Sow directly near the last frost date in full sun; cool-summer gardens get the best, longest flowering.

•

In hot-summer regions give a little afternoon shade and steady-but-moderate water to carry plants through heat stress.

Lifecycle

Planting

Sow seed directly in the garden near the last spring frost date, or start in pots about 4-6 weeks before last frost. Grow in poor to average, slightly acidic, well-drained soil in full sun. Avoid fertilization — it increases foliage at the expense of flowers (Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder).

Transplanting

Nasturtiums resent root disturbance; if started in pots, transplant carefully while young and avoid breaking up the root ball.

Early growth

Easy-to-grow and tolerant of a certain amount of neglect. Keep moisture moderate; plants have some tolerance for dry soils. Skip fertilizer to favor blooms over leaves.

Maturity

Best performance occurs in cool-summer areas. In hot-summer areas some afternoon shade is appreciated, as plants are stressed by prolonged high temperatures. Dwarf-bushy types stay compact; climbing types should be trained on a trellis or fence.

Propagation

Propagate by seed or by cuttings. Plants will self-seed in the garden (Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder).

Pollination

Self-fertile

The long-spurred, funnel-shaped flowers hold nectar at the tip of the spur and attract hummingbirds and butterflies as well as long-tongued bees (Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder lists the flowers as attracting hummingbirds and butterflies). Garden nasturtiums set seed reliably and self-seed in the garden without a separate pollenizer.

Plants don't grow alone

Nectar forage

Bird

Ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder lists Tropaeolum majus flowers as attracting hummingbirds — the long nectar spur on each funnel-shaped bloom rewards long-tongued nectar feeders.

Nectar forage

Bee

European honeybee (Apis mellifera)

The showy, fragrant, nectar-spurred flowers draw bees alongside the hummingbirds and butterflies the Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder documents; honey bees are a likely visitor where present, though the deep spur favors longer-tongued pollinators.

For people

Edible

Except for the roots, all plant parts — leaves, buds, flowers, pods, and seeds — are edible, with a peppery flavor, and may be used in salads (Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder). The immature green seed pods are sometimes pickled as a caper substitute.

Edible parts

leaves, buds, flowers, pods, seeds

Native range

AHS heat range

1-9

Climate notes

•

Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder lists Tropaeolum majus as an annual for USDA zones 2 to 11, full sun, medium water, blooming May to September in red, orange, yellow, or cream.

•

Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder notes best performance in cool-summer areas; in hot-summer areas some afternoon shade is appreciated because plants are stressed by prolonged stretches of high temperatures. Plants have some tolerance for dry soils and tolerate deer.

•

Grown as a frost-tender annual everywhere in this range: the zone span reflects its use as a warm-season annual rather than winter hardiness, since it is killed by frost and completes its cycle in a single growing season.

In the designer

Growth over time

12-120" tall · 12-36" spread

An annual — direct-sown plants reach full sprawling or climbing size and flower the same season.

Design roles: Edible · Pollinator · Container

Seasonal interest

Spring

Summer

Fall

Winter

Filled = the plant has seasonal interest · ▾ now = your current season

Nasturtium

At a glance

Related products

Why it matters

Cold hardiness

Heat tolerance

Where this plant fits

What it needs

Lifecycle

Pollination

Plants don't grow alone

For people

Native range

Climate notes

In the designer

Seasonal interest

Sources & citations