When to plant Evergreen shrub (B&B/potted, e.g. arborvitae, boxwood)
Computed from land-grant Extension planting-window rules (cited below), localized to real ZIP-level median frost dates, not a single national guess. These are national-generic rules by hardiness class; individual state Extension offices layer their own regional adjustment on top (earlier in the Deep South, later in the Upper Midwest). Enter your ZIP for your own dates, or read the four representative locations below.
Planting windows and crop timing here are computed from USDA/NOAA climate data and the university extension sources cited below, not a site visit or soil test. Treat this as a starting point: local conditions vary, and a local nursery or extension office can advise on your exact site. See our full Disclaimer.
Representative timing, by climate band
When to plant Evergreen shrub (B&B/potted, e.g. arborvitae, boxwood) in four US climates
Each column is the most nursery-dense location in our directory within that USDA zone band, computed from that location's own real median frost dates, not a made-up example.
| Stage |
Zones 1-5 (cold winters)
Fort Plain, NY |
Zones 6-7 (temperate)
McMinnville, TN |
Zones 8-9 (warm)
Apopka, FL |
Zones 10-13 (hot, frost rare or absent)
Loxahatchee, FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start seed indoors | Not available | Not available | Not available | – |
| Direct-sow outside | Not available | Not available | Not available | – |
| Transplant outside | Not available | Not available | Not available | – |
| Fall planting | Not available | Not available | Not available | – |
| Expected harvest | Not available | Not available | Not available | – |
Zones 10-13 (hot, frost rare or absent) (Loxahatchee, FL): Frost is rare here (about 359 frost-free days a year); most years see little or no hard freeze. This is a hardy crop. In climates like this one, hardy and semi-hardy crops typically go in during the cooler months (fall through late winter), not on a frost-relative schedule.
Evergreen shrubs, arborvitae or boxwood being the common examples, plant on a season-and-dormancy rule with two good windows, not one. Iowa State University Extension says container-grown shrubs generally plant well from early spring through early summer, mid-March to early June, and evergreens specifically also do well from mid-August through September (How to Plant Shrubs).
Both Iowa State and University of Minnesota Extension warn against pushing that second window too late. Iowa State notes evergreens planted in late October or November may not have enough time to establish before winter, risking winter desiccation injury, and Minnesota's general rule is not to plant evergreens later than October so the roots get a real chance to establish (Planting and transplanting trees and shrubs). The rule from both: spring or late-summer-to-early-fall planting, and stop before October runs out.
Evergreen shrubs are sold balled-and-burlapped or in containers, per both sources; bare-root isn't the normal form for this group the way it is for roses or fruit trees.
Frost hardiness
Hardy. Tolerates hard frost. Can go in the ground before the last frost date.
Sourcing notes
Season/dormancy rule, not frost-week rule. ISU: container-grown shrubs generally plant well early spring through early summer (mid-March-early June); evergreens specifically also plant well mid-August through September, but "evergreens planted in late October or November may not have enough time to become established before winter" (desiccation/winter-injury risk). UMN (B&B/container stock, general): "Do not plant evergreens later than October so the roots will have a chance to become established." Net rule: spring OR late-summer/early-fall planting for evergreens; avoid planting after October.
Related crops
Growing zones for this crop
Nurseries near these locations
Sources
- Iowa State University Extension - Yard and Garden, How to Plant Shrubs (accessed 2026-08-04)
- University of Minnesota Extension, Planting and transplanting trees and shrubs (accessed 2026-08-04)