Thats a very nice map and is more correct than some I have seen.

Since when is any part of the DC area zone 6b? I don't like the outdated extremely conservative maps. Not every winter is a worse case scenario.

Jay

That map is NOT accurate. DC is a 7B and parts of it approach an 8a. VA Beach is a warm 8a, and parts are probably cold 8B. It is a neat concept though, but it appears to be far from accurate.

Actually it seems very accurate, it put me in zone 9b, which is true.

Thanks for posting the cool map. Actually had me in the same zone as most of the other recently updated maps. Although 7a seems a little chilly for my area that's where the so called experts usually classsify it.

It seems partially accurate. Accurate for some areas, and totally inaccurate for others.

Some areas are more accurate than others. Manhattan island is only a zone 6b and thats not accurate because most of the readings for the city takes place away from the concrete and water in Central park which has lots of shade and is pretty far north compared to most of manhattan. The heat island effect was not considered in the making of this map. Remember that the heat cities gave off saved a lot of trees in florida this past winter. Im listed pretty much on the borderline of a 6b/7a but I cant remember the last time temperatures went below 0F (probably at least 10 maybe 20 years ago). I think the NYC area safely sits in a zone 7.

The map is a very accurate in depicting the USDA zones, but the USDA zones are not up to date and not as accurate as they could be. Apparently there is an updated USDA zone map in the making. Anyone have any info on this??

Staten island is a 6b??. We are zone 7a. The arbor day zone look up is the most accurate

Hahahahaha i didnt read ANY posts and i looked at that map... def not accurate. Va Beach 7a? no way! haha we got out coldst worst winter in 12-15 years. some say since blizzard of 1980! and didnt get below 15* and it was quick and breif... it usually stays in the mid to upper 20s for the winters low. a 8b almost 9a... just very wet winters here making it hard to grow some palms... so ANYWAY map is def not accurate! seattle is way colder and only warm for like 2 months and they have it warmer that Va Beach haha! -Justin in VB (thanks for the laughs! nice map nice idea way inaccurate!)

For Lakeland, it is accurate as we are definitely a 9a, although some of the rural areas on the outskirts can act more like an 8b.

I like the idea of an interactive map.

Sorry Va Bch is a 7b on there but still a whole zone off at least. i accidentally left a cut leaf philodendron out all winter and the foilage died but plant came back and very large and nice. it was a smaller size in a pot also. theese are suppose to be hardy to upper 20s...

Well, for California the map is simply ridiculous beyond consideration... says I live in a zone 10b, which is an entire zone off (WISH I lived in zone 10b)... there are only isolated islands of such a zone in all of southern California. I looked about California and the entire state is about an entire zone off... not sure who did this, but they sure did not do their research for California... maybe it is better elsewhere about the country. But, for my part of the country, this map is worthless. Maybe it is a map of the future (30-100 years from now when global warming has really taken hold).

This is the older zone map. The updated zone maps extend the zones more properly and consider heat Island effects of cities like New York.

For example Brooklyn NY where I live has a zone 7a (and even 7b)winters consistently with rare record-breaking exceptions. However, the map has Brooklyn listed at 6b which is totally wrong. The last time we have a 6b temperature in Brooklyn was about 10 years ago.

These maps are just guidelines. Where i live it says zone 4b which is about right (MOST OF THE TIME)... The problem is when you go back and look at records for here. The coldest ever reading in town is -43F. That isn't any zone 4b if that would happen again! All kinds of records in the -30F's...

If you want to see what your all time record lows for any date are, the NWS has something called NOWData.. Its way cool and if you need help let me know. Its usually only a few cities/towns, but it gives a good idea of what you "COULD" expect any given winter.

And on that note, next winter is going to be record cold :)

Since when is any part of the DC area zone 6b? I don't like the outdated extremely conservative maps. Not every winter is a worse case scenario.
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I am inclined to agree lest I spend this weekend uprooting the scores of plants and trees in my yard.

DC is a sloid 7b, with many 8a microclimates inside of the beltway and along the Potomac.

I think many of us here can agree, that this map.. is crap. ;-)

I think most zone maps are. There only purpose is to give people a little idea of the climate we live in, but we all know what we can grow (and if our zone is too cold for a tropical looking plant we put it in the ground anyway!)