Hasn't the Arbor Society been using this "new" map for a couple of years now? I went from 6b to 7a--though this winter has been more like an 8b. The grass isn't always greener though--we have seen a big increase in damage due to---drought, heat, freakish snow, wind, and flooding. Probably will also have to deal with more insect pests and weeds. We are living in interesting times!

The Arbor zone map is a little bit different from this one. I think I was a zone 7a with the Arbor zone Map. I think the Arbor zone map is a little bit more accurate for my area since I do consider myself more of a zoen 7a than a zone 7b.

Its true though, the amount of snow, heat, and even drought that we have had in the past few years can be just as damaging as cold. A lot of the trees here look very unproportional because of the heavy snow we had last winter and the majority of winters in the past decade have had snowfall WELL above average. But the coldest temperatures of the past 10-15 winters have not been too bad.
This winter has been the mildest in a long time. Still a bit more of it left, but so far, so good!
-Alex

This is cool!

This new map puts me into 7b also. I am however right on the border with 7a. With my house facing Blue Ridge parkway, its just a matter of time before another ice storm!

Im also right on the border of 7a, probably a mile away at the most! But still great to be a 7b. Its an interesting map.

Anyone know if the warmer USDA zones will mean more subtropical plants arriving at the box stores? Im not sure if it works like that, but if it does, then there might be a nicer selection at places like Home Depot this spring!

-Alex

Our Lowes aready carries sylvester and euro palms. I think things would have to change to a full zone 8 to start seeing new palms. I would love to see some potted sabal palms. Or minors like brazorias and louisianas. I really don't want to have to protect a palm!

I've been listing my zone in the zone box on this forum as zone 6b for years, but now I finally have a zone map that backs it up, not just wishful thinking on my part. For those of you that don't know, I'm just south of Detroit, along the water. This map reaffirms that there is zone 6b in Michigan, which seems weird to say, and years ago, no one from Michigan would have ever believed that a 6b in Michigan would ever exist. But with warmer temperatures, even the Great Lakes haven't been able to freeze, and open waters only keep us warmer and help to buffer arctic blasts of super cold weather. Like a cycle that only seems to get warmer. The last several years, we've had zone 7a winters because of a night or two in the low to mid single digits. So I think this map, at least of my area, is very accurate. Kind of makes me feel better about trying more needle palms and sabal minors, unprotected.

huh i dropped from 9a to 8b

Chadec, thats a nice selection! I've seen the blue Euro palms for sale here, but not green. I dont think I've seen any Phoenix for sale here other than pygmy palms. Maybe they will be more available soon!

Islandbreeze, Looks like you were right because there is now a very clear 6b in MI! Its a pretty dramatic change considering that there was not one 6b in Michigan before.

Eric, It seems like a lot of people in milder climates went down a zone.
Many parts of Florida went down half a zone and even Norfolk (which was previously a zone 8b) is now considered a zone 8a. Personally, I really think that Virginia Beach is a zone 8b. Butias and Sabals do well with no protection and you dont see that in a zone 8a.
Dont worry about it though. It doesnt matter what zone your in, it matters what can actually survive your winters and the zone map is not a perfect indicator in telling you what can survive your winters, its just a little guidance.

I still cant believe in a zone 7b now. Its going to take some getting used to haha.
-Alex

Arbor day map has me right on the border of 6B/7A. Traditionally I have been a 6B. The 2012 USDA map hasn't changed that, but we've not had below zero here for several years, and even those years were no more than one or two nights, so that barely counts as 'typical'. Any zone can get a night or two colder than the maps suggest. Miami might get a night below 30, once in a blue moon, but that doesn't mean it should be in zone 9. Same goes for here. I would say from experience that 7A is more my zone. Of course this year, so far, it's been between 8B and 9A. Only a couple of nights in the teens so far! And looking into the extended forecast, it's continuing into February. Fine with me. Snow, which I hate to shovel, is, after all, a four-letter word!

Very nice share! Thanks.

I agree with what you said Alex,about Atlanta metro being a zone 8a.If you look at the map of GA.it shows everything north and west of the chattahoochee river a zone 7b.

I know this is not where the zone 7b ends.Zone 7b ends at the very far north GA.mountains.Like around Blairsville,GA.It's the highest point in GA.

Another thing about this map shows zone 7b dips down past Atlanta and Birmingham right on and around the state line.Which makes no since.

Rome,GA. which is northwest of Atlanta normally stays warmer in winter and summer than Atlanta.Heck they normally stay warmer than me,and I live about 50 to 60 miles south of there.

Take this zone map as a general guide at best.That's just my opinion.
Randy

Bill, 6b isnt too bad, the data they collected included the major freezes of the 1980's so that probably lowered your zone from a 7a to a 6b. But winters like this year is what kind of evens things out a little bit since it has been a very mild winter! We got down to 13F here which actually is considered a pretty normal lowest temperature for the average mild winter, but the duration of warm weather this winter is something I haven't seen here in many years.
I think that if you get colder than your zone more than 2 times in a decade, then you shouldn't be classified in that zone. After looking at NYC records, its clear that it does actually fit that definition as a zone 7b which I thought was suprising.
And as for Miami, the city center definitely wont go below 35F so its a solid 10b. The more rural areas outside the city did get a freeze during that bitter 2010 cold spell, but the coastal areas of Miami only went down to the mid 30s. Florida seems like it got a bit colder with this new zone map, one of a few places that showed cooling with this zone map. But the major cities of Southeast Florida (Fort Lauderdale down to Miami and points south) is all a zone 10b now and in the 1990 map, only Miami was in a small pocket of zone 10b.

No Problem Joey!

Randy, I always thought that the USDA zone map should be taken as just a guide. It gives people a good idea of what kind of climate they have, and I think the zone maps are really intended for those gardeners that dont really know a lot about their climate. Gardeners like all of us are aware that the zones dont tell even half the story. Minimal temperatures during the winter are probably the most important factor for most plant's survival, especially in temperate climates, but its not the only factor. And once you get past zone 9a, I think that the duration of heat and freezes is a lot more important than minimal temperatures. Its the same reason why a zone 10b in Miami can grow a ton more tropicals than a zone 11 in Malibu! And a zone 7b in New York and a zone 7b in North Carolina are 2 totally different climates. You wont see live oaks and spanish moss lining streets here in NYC, but you might see something like that in a zone 7b in the southern states.
And It seems to me like some areas are a bit more detailed than others with this map. I see a lot of detail from this map in my area, but Northern Florida and Georgia dont have as much detail it seems. For example, I would definitely consider Savannah Georgia and all of Coastal Georgia a zone 9a, but on this map about half of Georgia's coastline including Savannah is only a zone 8b. And I think that some of the more rural parts of Northern Florida are a bit too warm on this map.

-Alex

My area looks about right, z9b. But yeah these zones are just helpful guides.They really arn't very effective, especially over here in the west. Too many factors affect the survivability of a given plant. But as far as a simple zone classification to give you an idea of what may be possible in your area on most winters, they do narrow things down.

The best indication of what can grow in your area is your own observations and experiences. Probably the most useful tool or system they could try would be more of a list contructed by reports in a given location near you of what plants have been known to grow in or near that area. Along with a discription of how easy or hard they are and damage reports. If its a special case, note that it survives do to a special micro-climate. I seen something like this on Daves garden. So it can be done up to a point.

- US_Marine

7A then, 7A now. Nothing new to see here.

I agree that the zone maps are only a guide. And if you can grow something, regardless what zone it's supposed to be in, then that's the test. And, fortunately, the plants can't read the maps, so if they can grow where you plant 'em, then they will. Makes gardening more interesting, too, when you try something even though the maps and books say it won't work, and it does! Example: Every source I've seen says Clerodendron trichotomum is a zone 7 plant. I've had it growing here in zone 6 for almost 25 years. It took a hard hit in January 2004, but that was a very unusual cold spell for us, and even some 40+ year old plants that have always been considered rock hardy here, had damage. One of my Rhododendrons, over 40 years old, had almost half of the growth fried. It's fine now of course. Same for my Camellia "April Blush". Killed down to one-inch-thick wood but recovered and after 2 years it was back to the way it was. So the maps are a guide, but don't let it stop you from trying what you want. Who hasn't killed a few plants along the way? Not intentionally of course, but it's part of the gardening experience.

Known we were a 6b for a couple of years just from keeping track of the temps. What a great winter it's been! More like a Tennessee winter. I'm SE corner of Ann Arbor, also very close to the lake. Now I have an official zone map to back it up. It's about time! I'm going to print it and stick it right in front of the old zone map in my copy of Francko's 'Palms won't grow here and other myths.'
While I wait patiently to uncover my own palm babies!