When to plant sunflower in Mississippi

Mississippi spans USDA zones 7b–9a, so the right time to plant sunflower shifts by weeks across the state. The window to sow seed directly outdoors runs from about February 12 in Biloxi to April 3 in Oxford — below are local dates for 42 cities, each computed from its own frost dates.

In Jacksonthe sunflower direct sow window (March 6–March 27) has passed for this year.

City	Zone	Last frost	First frost	Direct sow
Jackson	8b	March 6	November 19	March 6 – March 27
Gulfport	9a	February 23	December 3	February 23 – March 16
Southaven	8a	March 16	November 16	March 16 – April 6
Biloxi	9a	February 12	December 14	February 12 – March 5
Hattiesburg	8b	March 7	November 23	March 7 – March 28
Olive Branch	8a	March 26	November 6	March 26 – April 16
Tupelo	8a	March 21	November 10	March 21 – April 11
Meridian	8b	March 16	November 12	March 16 – April 6

Sunflower in Mississippi: FAQ

When can I plant sunflower in Mississippi?

Across Mississippi, the time to direct-sow sunflower spans roughly February 12 in Biloxi to April 3 in Oxford, each following that city's local frost dates.

Does the sunflower planting date vary across Mississippi?

Yes. Mississippi publishes 42 cities with their own frost dates, so the right sunflower planting window shifts by weeks between the warmest and coldest parts of the state — use your city's page for the exact dates.

How long does sunflower take to grow in Mississippi?

Sunflower takes about 70–100 days to reach harvest once planted — check that this fits inside your city's frost-free season on its place page.

Planting reminders

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Sunflower planting guide →All Mississippi cities →Mississippi planting calendar →