What Zone Does Candycane Sorrel Thrive In?

U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zones

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture has created a map of North America that divides the continent into growing zones, numbered from 1 to 11, with Zone 1 being the coldest zone located in Alaska and northern Canada and Zone 11 the warmest, located southern Florida and southern Central America.

Hardiness Zones for Candycane Sorrel

• Not surprisingly, given where it originated, candy cane sorrel needs a warm climate in order to thrive. It does well in USDA Hardiness Zones 7, 8 and 9. Candycane sorrel is hardy when winter temperatures do not go below 0 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Hardiness zones 7 to 9 go from one coast to the next in a shallow concave curve. Roughly, these zones start in the Mid-Atlantic states on the East Coast, dip down into Oklahoma and Texas, and meander in a discontinuous band up through California and the Northwest states. Consult a USDA Hardiness Zone map to get a good idea if candycane sorrel would thrive where you live.

Growing Candycane Sorrel

• Candycane sorrel grows from bulbs that should be planted in the fall. This specimen requires full sun to partial shade. Planting the bulbs in groups results in a striking early spring to early summer display. The stems grow 6 inches to 12 inches tall. Once established, the plant spreads as the tubers or bulbs multiply, and can be divided.

A New Plant

• Several bulb providers sell candycane sorrel, but it is not yet a common specimen in the U.S., at time of writing. In fact, it is not even listed in the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service's Plants Database. Therefore, little information is available.