confused..a newbie question.

16 years ago

I seem to be confused about zones..

I understand about climates and microclimates and I used the zone finder offered here and it told me I was a 7..on another site, another USDA (or whatever the certification is) tells me I'm a 6..a 3rd told me I was a 6B.

The three went by my zip code..02667

But, my question is..If a plant doesn't give a range it just says "zone 5", just a single number, what does that meant..

Ie: zone 5..does that mean that 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are the good zones..??? or that only zone 5 is good? Kind of a simple question but just coming across it now with a plant that just says zone 5..

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Comments (8)

triciae
16 years ago
malorn,

Zoning can be confusing. You are correct though in figuring it out that if a plant is labeled as "Zone 5"...it's hardy in all zones up to & including Zone 5. Most tags will say something like, "Zone 4-8". But, as you've just discovered it's not as uniform as we'd like.

Also, those ratings do not take into account heat tolerance...only cold hardiness. For instance, hostas perform beautifully in the northern tier of states & some can even handle considerable sun but in the south they are not the workhorses we enjoy because of heat, humidity, & more intense sun. Some nurseries provide heat tolerance information..I think White Flower Farms does.

Recently, the zoning maps have changed. The southern coastal regions of New England have been bumped to Zone 7 from Zone 6. Some of interior New England has gone from a Zone 5 to a Zone 6. It's a global warming thing. As with many other things in life, change comes hard. Many on the New England Forum are sticking with their old zones. I live on the SE Connecticut shore just feet from the water which moderates my climate so I'm experimenting with zone pushing (inexpensive plants).

The Zone 6(b) notation came about as an attempt to further define different areas...for instance, there are cold Zone 5's & warmer Zone 5's; hence, Zone 5(a) & Zone 5(b). So, what you're seeing is that you are somewhere between a Zone 6 & a Zone 7.

The zone maps are based on 7 out of 10 winters being within the zonal range for your particular location. They are not cast in stone. They are imperfect but do provide a reliable "guide". This past winter was weird. I'm a Zone 7 yet lost a perennial rated for Zone 4! There's a lot more to hardiness than minimum temperatures such as wind, snow cover, ice, & timing/duration of weather patterns.

As you continue to garden on your site you'll learn it's particular characteristics through trial & error. Use the zonal information as a guide. For instance, for more expensive plants, trees rated for up to Zone 5 in your area should be reliably hardy with a little room for variance from one winter to another. For perennials that are less expensive, planting for Zone 6 or even Zone 7 gives you more variety & offers a reasonable degree of risk.

Hope this helps.

Tricia
york_rose
16 years ago
Usually if there's only one zone number it's likely to mean that the plant will survive winters in "zone X" or warmer. Warmer zones have higher numbers, not lower ones. Key West is in zone 10 or 11.
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giboosi_alttara
16 years ago
zone 5 would mean the plant should perform well in zone 5, 6, 7, etc. It goes up, not down. Higher numbers = warmer areas.
malorn
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks so much..I think I've got it..so the zone 5 plant should do OK...well, for a normal person..I've had some awful luck lately!
york_rose
16 years ago
(Don't feel bad. I appear to have lost my six year old, 7'-10' York rose that should be hardy through zone 5 or zone 4, but got killed by our super mild Dec. - Jan., super cold Feb..........)

:-((((((((((((
triciae
16 years ago
Wow, I can't believe I typed that! Thanks guys for correcting me...so much for my Master Gardener's certificate????

All I can offer as explanation is that I'm taking some pretty powerful pain meds right now. Good thing I didn't drive yesterday, !

Tricia
rockman50
16 years ago
Just one word of caution about our New England "zone 7". Our zone 7 does NOT resemble a real "southern" zone 7 in terms of plant hardiness. Similarly, zone 6 up on the coast of Maine is not the same as my zone 6 down here on the south coast of Massachusetts. So, avoid planting shrubs and trees with a zone 7 designation, unless you enjoy zone pushing, don't mind going the extra mile to offer winter protection to some plants, and don't mind spending $$$ when some things die. My location is also listed as zone 7 now but I stick with the old zone designation (6b) because it is more conservative, and I believe, a more accurate representation of my coastal climate. I don't want to confuse you, but as other posts have indicated, the zone number only refers to the lowest temperature typically reached in winter. But other factors are very important such as snow cover, wind, and most importantly, duration and frequency of very cold temperatures.
york_rose
16 years ago
rockmant50's advice is well taken! I believe you can find zone 9 in both coastal Washington state and also Florida.

THE SUMMERS COULD NOT BE MORE DIFFERENT AND STILL BE IN THE SAME ZONE!

confused..a newbie question.

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triciae

york_rose

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confused..a newbie question.

Comments (8)

triciae

york_rose

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