skip to main content

Georgia Gardener

Nahunta, Georgia - what USDA hardiness zone?

13 years ago

Could someone help with finding out what USDA hardiness zone Nahunta, Georgia is in? Some sources show a borderline 8A and 8B, but other sources show USDA zone 9A and some 8B. One source shows even zone 9B. I'm talking within town limits. Thank you in advance for your help.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

georgia-rose
13 years ago
According to the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map, it is in Zone 8. Since Brantley County is located in the southernmost part of Zone 8, you could surmise that would be Zone 8b.

One daughter lives near Brunswick and we have always considered that to be in Zone 8b.

See link below for monthly Temperature averages. Click on the boxes under Temperatures for Record Highs & Lows.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nahunta, GA Monthly Temperature & Rainfall Averages
brandon7 TN_zone7
13 years ago
While the exact number may be interesting trivia, do be aware that things have changed significantly since the USDA map was made (actually, less for your area than most of us) and that microclimate effect must be considered when determining what plant may work for your yard. From a macro perspective, it does look like the general Nahunta area is in the 8b range.

Also, don't be confused with the chart georgia-rose linked to. Hardiness zones are based on average annual minimum temperatures, not the average temperature of the coldest month.
Related Discussions
New USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map Released
Q
Comments (13)
It surprises me how many people still don't understand the idea behind a climate zone map, including those who should know better. We had an article in our local paper today about the new USDA map (which puts most of Ohio in zone 6). They interviewed a manager at our largest (and best) nursery in central Ohio (which was previously placed on the border between zones 5 and 6 and is now all zone 6). He said he was continuing to tell customers that we are in zone 5, because we're still going to have extreme winters or severe storms from time to time. That's not the point of climate zones, which are determined by the average winter low temperature. If zone 6 gardeners see an wintertime low on average of -5F but are faced every decade or so by a drop to -20F, they are still in zone 6, not the border between zones 4 and 5. A severe cold snap might damage or kill susceptible plants (depending on site, drainage and snow cover) but it doesn't make sense to garden with these extremes in mind. Of course you could play it safe and only use plants that are semi-guaranteed to be rock-hardy in your area, but you'll miss out on a lot of great things. If (for example in my area) you get years of enjoyment from a Nandina or crepe myrtle but it eventually succumbs to a hard winter, you're still ahead of the game.
...See More
New USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
Q
Comments (18)
Albuquerque is zone 7A, but the same zones out west, particularly in the southwest, are just not the same as here in New England. For one thing, they get more sunshine hours because they are further south, and many more days of sunshine, because they don't get the storm systems and clouds very often the way we do. And finally, they get many milder breaks between the cold weather periods, again presumably because they are further south (means more hours of sunlight) and get so many more days of sunshine anyway. That means that it gets drier, and also the ground seldom freezes, and even if it does, it's not for long. St. George, UT and Cape Cod, MA are both zone 7A. I've been to St. George, and there are palm trees all over town. And not just the hardy ones like Windmill palms, which are zone 7 anyway, but even the Washingtonias. But I am sure that there is no way you will see them all over the Cape! It's the same zone, but a totally different climate. That's why I say zones are a guide, but ultimately it's up to each of us to try (or not try) to grow whatever we want, within reason. So no coconuts in Providence, but I do have camellias and Clerodendron. Not supposed to grow here, but the plants apparently haven't been told that, so they are fine!
...See More
New USDA Hardiness Zone Map
Q
Comments (32)
That looks like a great weather station! It will be interesting to see how much variability there is just across a few city blocks. A higher elevation will probably suggest that you'll see warmer nighttime temperatures on average for sure. As far as rainfall goes, I've read studies that put up to 15 research quality rain gauges right next to each other and they still had wildly different measurements. The deviations you see from your neighbors should probably be random with zero bias. If there is always a bias in one direction (higher or lower), then it might be related to what type of rain gauge you have. Automatic rain gauges, even calibrated ones, tend to underestimate rainfall accumulations particularly for heavy rain. Even with our Davis station, my husband has to increase the rainfall anywhere from 10-25% to match what we get in our manual gauges. I'm not sure what corrections the Oklahoma Mesonet folks make to their stations' rainfall totals. Anyway, the underestimation is a typical problem related to how most automated gauges are designed and is easy enough to account for when you're comparing your data to other stations. If they always seem to have higher amounts, then they either have a different type of gauge or have a COCORAHS or other manual gauge that they're adjusting to. With as many weather weenies that we have in Norman, that wouldn't surprise me at all. :p Heather
...See More
USDA Hardiness Zone system -- isn't there something better?
Q
Comments (15)
Thanks, everyone for your interesting additions to this thread. Desertlvr, your response includes another perfect example of how the zone system is just too general. It consistently shows valleys as being in warmer zones than surrounding uplands, something all of us here in NM know is not always true. For example, most zone maps show the espanola valley of Northern NM in Zone 7, and surrounding higher elevations in zone 6, but every time I watch the weather report, the nighttime lows for the former location are colder than for Santa Fe, for example, nearly 2000 feet higher. Obviously this particular valley is a major cold air drainage, and although daytime highs are often a few degrees warmer than the higher terrain, nights are in fact colder, especially so under clear skies (which always produce the coldest temps here). I guess more than anything this post has reinforced my confidence in establishing my own zone designations for a given area, and for continuing to experiment with plants that are not typically grown in the broader area due to zone generalizations. A few examples of these that have already survived a few winters: Ferocactus wiszlizenii (spelling) Yucca whipplei Echinocereus engelmannii Echinocereus stramineus Agave deserti Currently trying: (with protection) Agave americana Pomegranate Fig Asian Persimmon Windmill Palm
...See More
neonrider
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you for the info. Please check this link:

http://www.arborday.org/media/mapchanges.cfm

As you can see, Arborday shows that Zone 9A has now moved to Georgia and South Carolina. This is why I was wondering whether Nahunta is still in zone 8B or already in zone 9A? ;-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Click Here
georgia-rose
13 years ago
FWIW, the Arborday.org Zone map/information is not recognized as valid by the USDA.
Arborday is using a revision developed by the American Horticultural Society, under contract with USDA.

USDA determined that the results contained many invalid assumptions and errors and was not accepted.
The AHS was supposed to rework their study, but many years have elapsed and to date, that has not been accomplished.
neonrider
Original Author
13 years ago
Yet why USDA does not update its own maps or make them more refined with more detail showing. I was in Bluffton, SC and it has adult old palm trees growing that would not survive in a USDA zone 8B. It must be 9A or even higher. I think it's time for USDA to review its 20 year old hardiness zone maps. Do you think it makes sense if USDA after rejecting Arborday maps review their own maps? The only reason why USDA won't I think is the artificial cloud cover they are creating and thus cooling the climate down and back to the old hardiness zones. Like this winter they created a freak snow storm in southern SC by spraying clouds, an ugly mist in the sky which lower temperatures so much that it started snowing and my palms died that would usually survive in this area. I also spent 50% more on a heating bill last winter. So I think this could be the reason why USDA won;t review their :hardiness map" because they are not sure themselves where the climate will be with all the artificial cloud cover making going on in the sky. And only a very busy person can not notice what's happening up in there. I will go South FL to make sure my palms survive. I hope no snow in SFL next winter.... ;-)

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Southwest Gardener's October Checklist

Softer light and milder weather make desert gardens a real joy this month, but watch the water and don't forget to plan

GARDENING GUIDES 12 Japanese Maples for a Sunny Garden

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

The right maple in the right place shines in hot summer sun

GARDENING GUIDES Top 12 Summer-Blooming Perennials for Deer-Resistant Drama

Can you have garden color, fragrance and exciting foliage with hungry deer afoot? These beauties say yes

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Comptonia Peregrina

By Curtis Adams

Though not a fern, sweet fern sure smells sweet and thrives in tough spots where many shrubs and ferns cannot

GARDENING GUIDES 8 Plants for a Deliciously Fragrant Fall Garden

Scent the autumn air with the perfume of caramel corn, honey and spices by adding these intoxicating plants to your landscape

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Showers Bring Zephyranthes Flowers

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Plant zephyrlily bulbs now for lovely blooms amid grassy foliage in summer and fall

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Needle Palm Brings Unique Texture to the Southern Woodland Garden

By Falon Mihalic

This sprawling, resilient palm can be used in many ways

TREES 11 Japanese Maples for Breathtaking Color and Form

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

With such a wide range to choose from, there’s a beautiful Japanese maple to suit almost any setting

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Passiflora Incarnata

By Ginny Stibolt

Enjoy the amazing flowers and edible fruit of U.S. native Passiflora incarnata (also known as maypop) — the butterflies sure do

FALL GARDENING 6 Splendid Blue-Flowering Bulbs

By Therese Ciesinski

How do you blue? With colors from sky to cobalt, these bulbs will greet you merrily in a spring garden

Sponsored

WhislerHome Improvement

9 Reviews

Franklin County's Committed Home Improvement Professionals