Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Almond 'Mission' (Prunus dulcis 'Mission')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Mission almond, Ne Plus Ultra almond.

More about almond 'mission'

About Almond 'Mission'

Prunus dulcis 'Mission' · also called Mission almond, Ne Plus Ultra almond · edible

'Mission' (also called Ne Plus Ultra-type) is a hardy, late-blooming, hard-shell almond widely used as a pollinator for 'Nonpareil'. Its small, plump kernels have a strong, full almond flavour. Self-sterile and reliably productive, it tolerates a touch more cold and frost than early varieties, but still needs full sun, free-draining soil, and warm summers.

Cold limit: USDA 6-9 (later bloom gives some frost edge) · RHS H4 (-15 to 40°C)

Watch for — Frost at bloom: Though later-flowering than early almonds, hard late frosts can still injure blossoms. A sheltered, frost-draining site reduces losses.

What almond 'mission''s hardiness rating actually means

Yes — almond 'mission' is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H4 and USDA 6-9 (later bloom gives some frost edge), it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H4 means: Hardy in an average winter across much of the temperate world. On the US scale that maps to USDA 6-9 (later bloom gives some frost edge) — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −10 to −5 °C. Almond 'Mission' is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for almond 'mission' as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −10 to −5 °C once established.
Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root.
First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.

Can almond 'mission' go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 6-9 (later bloom gives some frost edge) and it overwinters with little or no help.
It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy.
The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when almond 'mission' can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H4 figure above.

Almond 'Mission' hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is almond 'mission' cold hardy?

Yes — almond 'mission' is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H4 and USDA 6-9 (later bloom gives some frost edge), it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. Almond 'Mission' is hardy across USDA 6-9 (later bloom gives some frost edge); it belongs in the ground or a frost-proof container, not on a windowsill, and many types actively need a cold winter to perform.

What is the minimum temperature almond 'mission' can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −10 to −5 °C. Almond 'Mission' is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is almond 'mission'?

Almond 'Mission' is rated USDA 6-9 (later bloom gives some frost edge) and RHS H4 — Hardy in an average winter across much of the temperate world.

Can almond 'mission' survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 6-9 (later bloom gives some frost edge) and it overwinters with little or no help. It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy. The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

What happens to almond 'mission' below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −10 to −5 °C once established. Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root. First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.