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2012 New USDA Zone Hardiness Map

October_Gardens

12 years ago

Good news for all Hydrangea owners. Warmer climate trends have led to the "shifting" of the plant hardiness zones a bit further north, so depending on where you live, you may or may not get an opportunity to see better results with your traditional macs and even your rembloomers, and some may begin cutting back or skipping winter protection altogether!

Just type your zip code into the box on the official gov't website:

http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/Default.aspx

For example, I was upgraded from 6A to 6B!

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Comments (9)

melaroma
12 years ago
That can't be right, I live in a zone 5 and according to the new USDA Map I am now in zone 7A. That is a big jump....
luis_pr
12 years ago
Wow, that is a big jump! Although mine looked unchanged, I wonder if there are problems in the Zip Code to USDA Zone conversion software.

Here is safety check suggestion.... try selecting your state using the "select your state" box; then visually locate your city or county in the map. Does the color assigned appears closer to what your current zone is? 5? or 6? If so, it may be a software error in the Zip Code translation Software and I would report it to them.
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The colors on this new map are very similar. The USDA should have used clearly different colors for the different zones, so there would be no confusion. I guess they wanted it to be color coordinated for eye appeal, which is silly, because I'm not planting the map. Anyway, I am looking at Tennessee right now. Franklin County is mostly zone 7a, but there is a long blotch of zone 7b running from the SW corner up towards the NE corner of the county. Shelby County is really hard to read. It is all zone 7b except for part of the extreme SW corner, which is zone 8a. That is the only zone 8a I see in the entire state of TN, and the city name "Memphis" is partially covering it. I have fairly young eyes, but if an older person (no disrespect intended) looked at this new map, I'm sure it could be very hard to tell these colors apart. Oh well, what do you expect? The Federal Government made it. lol
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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.
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alabamanicole, This map has nothing to do with when you plant your garden. This map is made for plant selection. It is telling you that you can grow plants that can take temperatures as low as 5-10 F. You are still in zone 7a for frost dates and when you can safely plant your garden. Hope this helps you and maybe keeps others from planting to soon thinking they are now in zone 7b for planting time. Later Dwight
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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!
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SYinUSA, GA zone 8
12 years ago
Zone maps always confuse me for my area. Every website I go to gives me a different zone, ranging from 7A to 5b! As a result, I try to pick plants that grow well within that range and preferably at least one zone hotter and colder. It's not easy!
melaroma
12 years ago
I just checked by selecting my state and checked the color and it does appear that I am now a zone 7A. It is Crazy but maybe my hydrangeas will do fine without the winter protection!

Anenemity, try calling your local nursery, they should be able to tell you exactly what zone you are in.
liza070831
12 years ago
I have gone from Z4 toZ5. I think this has been my zone right along judging by the z5/6 roses that have survived without protection. I have not protected my endless summer for two years now and last year I had the best bloom season ever. This year the old stalks are covered with buds.
October_Gardens
Original Author
12 years ago
Yep - if you have any doubts, the evidence should be right there in front of you. I've only noticed dieback down 4-6" Max on any stem from any height! Last year was 1 to 1.5 feet of dieback...
HIWTHI
12 years ago
link

Here is a link that might be useful: link
melaroma
12 years ago
That's true, I have noticed that most of my plants did not die back completely. My hydrangeas are getting a jump start so I wonder if we will have a lonnger blooming season this year. This is the 1st year that I haven't covered my ES and BBs due to not getting around to it in the fall and it looks like I "picked" a good year for not doing it. As a gardener I can't complain.
ditas
11 years ago
Thanks for this info!!!

Like you melaroma ~ ran out of time for the usual winter cover-ups for my H Divas but they were lightly burlap'd ~ just my 10 marginal bloomers (lacecaps). ES, F&E BB & T&S were left on their own to fend for themselves. Buds galore ... except for a few but I expect them to join the party soon!!!

Easy winter & early spring woke them up early ~ even the Hummers are visiting the few colorful dianthus & the humming bird cafes I hang early are getting visits from passing thru li'l jewels!!!

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