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| | A '''hardiness zone''' is a geographically-defined zone in which a specific category of [[plant]] life is capable of growing, as defined by [[temperature]] hardiness, or ability to withstand the minimum temperatures of the zone. The zones were first developed by the [[United States Department of Agriculture]] (USDA), and have subsequently been adopted elsewhere. They are categorized according to the mean of the lowest temperature recorded each winter, termed the "average annual minimum temperature". Thus if five successive winters reach respective minima of −14 °C, −12 °C, −8 °C, −16 °C, and −13 °C, the mean coldest temperature is −12.6 °C, placing the site in zone 7. | | A '''hardiness zone''' is a geographically-defined zone in which a specific category of [[plant]] life is capable of growing, as defined by [[temperature]] hardiness, or ability to withstand the minimum temperatures of the zone. The zones were first developed by the [[United States Department of Agriculture]] (USDA), and have subsequently been adopted elsewhere. They are categorized according to the mean of the lowest temperature recorded each winter, termed the "average annual minimum temperature". Thus if five successive winters reach respective minima of −14 °C, −12 °C, −8 °C, −16 °C, and −13 °C, the mean coldest temperature is −12.6 °C, placing the site in zone 7. |
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| − | uYVY1q <a href="http://phzcwczhxqrv.com/">phzcwczhxqrv</a>, [url=http://ewqkznrwitba.com/]ewqkznrwitba[/url], [link=http://lbtawcagpbey.com/]lbtawcagpbey[/link], http://uetyifpnfgjd.com/
| + | ==USDA Zones== |
| | | | |
| − | ==United Kingdom and Ireland Hardiness Zones== | + | {| border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="700" |
| | + | | style="background: #FFFFFF; color:#663300;" align="center" height="17" | '''Zone''' |
| | + | | style=" color:#800000" align="center" | '''Celsius [°C]''' |
| | + | | style=" color:#800000" align="center" | '''Fahrenheit [°F]''' |
| | + | | style=" color:#800000" align="center" | '''Example Cities''' |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #FA965A" align="center"| 0 |
| | + | | align="center" | Below -50 C |
| | + | | align="center" | Below -60 F |
| | + | | Verkhoyansk, Russia |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #FA965A" align="center"| 1 |
| | + | | align="center" | -45 to -50 C |
| | + | | align="center" | -50 to -60 F |
| | + | | Fairbanks, Alaska; Yakutsk, Russia |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #8CA0D2" align="center"| 2a |
| | + | | align="center" | -43 to -45 C |
| | + | | align="center" | -50 to -45 F |
| | + | | Prudhoe Bay, Alaska; Irkutsk, Russia |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #4678C8" align="center"| 2b |
| | + | | align="center" | -40 to -43 C |
| | + | | align="center" | -45 to -40 F |
| | + | | Novosibirsk, Russia; Pinecreek, Minnesota |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #F5962D" align="center"| 3a |
| | + | | align="center" | -37 to -40 C |
| | + | | align="center" | -40 to -35 F |
| | + | | Omsk, Russia; St. Michael, Alaska |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #E65A0A" align="center"| 3b |
| | + | | align="center" | -34 to -37 C |
| | + | | align="center" | -35 to -30 F |
| | + | | Yekatarinburg, Russia; Tomahawk, Wisconsin |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #A09BC3" align="center"| 4a |
| | + | | align="center" | -32 to -34 C |
| | + | | align="center" | -30 to -25 F |
| | + | | Kazan, Russia; Minneapolis/St.Paul, Minnesota |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #505596" align="center"| 4b |
| | + | | align="center" | -29 to -32 C |
| | + | | align="center" | -25 to -20 F |
| | + | | Moscow, Russia; Northwood, Iowa |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #B9C8A0" align="center"| 5a |
| | + | | align="center" | -26 to -29 C |
| | + | | align="center" | -20 to -15 F |
| | + | | St Peterburg, Russia; Des Moines, Iowa |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #55781E" align="center"| 5b |
| | + | | align="center" | -23 to -26 C |
| | + | | align="center" | -15 to -10 F |
| | + | | Helsinki, Finland; Columbia, Missouri |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #FADC78" align="center"| 6a |
| | + | | align="center" | -20 to -23 C |
| | + | | align="center" | -10 to -5 F |
| | + | | Stockholm, Sweden; St. Louis, Missouri |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #F5D21E" align="center"| 6b |
| | + | | align="center" | -18 to -20 C |
| | + | | align="center" | -5 to 0 F |
| | + | | Berlin, Germany; Branson, Missouri; Beijing, China |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #FAAAA0" align="center"| 7a |
| | + | | align="center" | -15 to -18 C |
| | + | | align="center" | 0 to 5 F |
| | + | | København, Denmark; South Boston, Virginia; Xi'an, China |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #F06E5A" align="center"| 7b |
| | + | | align="center" | -12 to -15 C |
| | + | | align="center" | 5 to 10 F |
| | + | | Amsterdam, Netherlands; Griffin, Georgia |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #B49646" align="center"| 8a |
| | + | | align="center" | -9 to -12 C |
| | + | | align="center" | 10 to 15 F |
| | + | | Paris, France; Dallas, Texas |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #8C6419" align="center"| 8b |
| | + | | align="center" | -7 to -9 C |
| | + | | align="center" | 15 to 20 F |
| | + | | Istanbul, Turkey; Gainesville, Florida; Tokyo, Japan |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #E6AF7D" align="center"| 9a |
| | + | | align="center" | -4 to -7 C |
| | + | | align="center" | 20 to 25 F |
| | + | | London, England; St. Augustine, Florida; Shanghai, China |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #DC9650" align="center"| 9b |
| | + | | align="center" | -1 to -4 C |
| | + | | align="center" | 25 to 30 F |
| | + | | Rome, Italy; Brownsville, Texas; Osaka, Japan |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #E1B4A5" align="center"| 10a |
| | + | | align="center" | 2 to -1 C |
| | + | | align="center" | 30 to 35 F |
| | + | | Lisbon, Portugal; Victorville, California; Melbourne, Australia |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #DC8C64" align="center"| 10b |
| | + | | align="center" | 4 to 2 C |
| | + | | align="center" | 35 to 40 F |
| | + | | Auckland, New Zealand; Coral Gables, Florida; Guangzhou (Canton), China |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #E15000" align="center"| 11 |
| | + | | align="center" | above 4 C |
| | + | | align="center" | above 40 F |
| | + | | Santa Cruz, Tenerife; Mazatlan, Mexico; Brisbane, Australia |
| | + | |----- |
| | + | | style="background: #F65A0A" align="center"| 12 |
| | + | | align="center" | above 10 C |
| | + | | align="center" | above 50 F |
| | + | | |
| | + | |} |
| | + | |
| | + | ==Benefits and criticisms== |
| | + | The hardiness zones are effective in that, for many situations, extremes of winter cold are a major determining factor in whether a plant species can be cultivated outdoors at a particular location. However, it does have a number of drawbacks, most significantly in not incorporating summer heat levels into the zone determination. Thus sites which may have the same mean winter minima, but markedly different summer temperatures, will still be accorded the same hardiness zone. An extreme example is the [[Shetland Islands]] and southern [[Alabama]], which are both on the boundary of zones 8 and 9 and share the same winter minima, but very little else in their climates; in summer, the [[continental climate]] of Alabama is about 20 degrees [[Celsius]] hotter than the [[oceanic climate]] of Shetland, and there are very few plants that can be grown at both locations. Due to its maritime climate, the UK is in AHS Heat Zone 2 (having 1 to 8 days hotter than 30 degrees [[Celsius]]), whereas Alabama is in Zones 7 to 9 (61 to 150 days hotter than 30 degrees [[Celsius]]). |
| | + | |
| | + | Another problem is that the hardiness zones do not take into account the reliability of the snow cover. Snow acts as an insulator against extreme cold temperatures, protecting the root system of hibernating plants. If the snow cover is reliable (then present during the coldest days), the actual temperature to which the roots are exposed is not as low as the hardiness zone number would indicate. As an example, [[Quebec city|Quebec City]] in [[Canada]] is located in zone 4 but can rely on an important snow cover every year, making it possible to cultivate plants normally rated for zones 5 or 6, whereas in [[Montreal]], located in zone 5, it is sometimes difficult to cultivate plants adapted to the zone because of the unreliable snow cover. |
| | + | |
| | + | Other factors that affect plant survival but are not considered in hardiness zones are: soil moisture, humidity, the number of days of frost, and the risk of a rare catastrophic cold snap. Some risk evaluation – the probability of getting a particularly severe low temperature – often would be more useful than just the average conditions. |
| | + | |
| | + | Lastly, many plants will survive in a locality but won't flower if the daylength is inappropriate or if they require vernalisation (a particular duration of low temperature). The low temperature statistic is only appropriate for woody perennial species, and even then its use is limited. With annuals the time of planting can often be adjusted to allow growth beyond their normal geographical range. |
| | + | |
| | + | An alternative system for describing plant hardiness is to use indicator plants (the USDA also publishes a list of these to go with their map). Common plants with known limits to their range are used. For example, many people will know whether lemons will grow in their locality. If you then say Geraldton Wax will grow more or less where lemons will grow you have defined the range of Geraldton Wax with some accuracy (whether or not it will flower is another problem). Unfortunately no two plant species have exactly the same requirements and there are even within-species differences. 'Meyer' lemons, for example, are more cold tolerant than 'Eureka'. You can really only define core areas and they are often fairly arbitrary. |
| | + | |
| | + | ==Europe hardiness zones== |
| | + | *[http://www.seedrack.com/eurozones.html USDA zones applied to Europe] |
| | + | |
| | + | ===United Kingdom and Ireland Hardiness Zones=== |
| | [[Image:UK zonemap.png|thumb|UK hardiness zones]] | | [[Image:UK zonemap.png|thumb|UK hardiness zones]] |
| | Due to the moderating effect of the [[Gulf Stream]] on the [[Ireland|Irish]] and [[United Kingdom|UK]]'s [[temperate]] [[maritime climate]], the UK, and Ireland even more so, have rather milder winters than their northerly position suggests. | | Due to the moderating effect of the [[Gulf Stream]] on the [[Ireland|Irish]] and [[United Kingdom|UK]]'s [[temperate]] [[maritime climate]], the UK, and Ireland even more so, have rather milder winters than their northerly position suggests. |
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| | The USDA first issued its standardized hardiness-zone map in 1960, and revised it in 1965. A new map was issued in 1990, based on U.S. and Canadian data from 1974 through 1986 (and 1971-1984 for Mexico). While the 1990-issue map utilized approximately double the number of stations, it also divided the temperature-zones into five-degree a/b zones for greater accuracy. This revised map showed many areas to be suddenly colder than the 1960 map, due largely to a number of severely colder winters in the central and eastern U.S. in the 1974-1986 data-gathering period as opposed to the mid-20th-century data-sampling period used in the 1960 map. | | The USDA first issued its standardized hardiness-zone map in 1960, and revised it in 1965. A new map was issued in 1990, based on U.S. and Canadian data from 1974 through 1986 (and 1971-1984 for Mexico). While the 1990-issue map utilized approximately double the number of stations, it also divided the temperature-zones into five-degree a/b zones for greater accuracy. This revised map showed many areas to be suddenly colder than the 1960 map, due largely to a number of severely colder winters in the central and eastern U.S. in the 1974-1986 data-gathering period as opposed to the mid-20th-century data-sampling period used in the 1960 map. |
| | | | |
| − | The 1990 map shows 10 different zones, each of which represents an area of winter hardiness for the plants of agriculture and our natural landscape. This was revised to introduce zone 11, representing areas that have average annual minimum temperatures above 40°F (4.4°C) and that are therefore essentially frost-free. | + | The 1990 map shows 10 different zones, each of which represents an area of winter hardiness for the plants of agriculture and our natural landscape. This was revised to introduce zone 11, representing areas that have average annual minimum temperatures above 4°C and that are therefore essentially frost-free. |
| | + | |
| | + | *[http://nlwis-snite1.agr.gc.ca/plant00/index.phtml Canada USDA zone map] |
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| | ===Updates=== | | ===Updates=== |
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| | Once the Foundation analyzed the new data, hardiness zones were revised, generally reflecting warmer recent temperatures in many parts of the country. The Arbor Day Foundation used the updated versions of the same sources of data as had been utilized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the creation of its hardiness zone maps. The 2004 map appears to validate the data used in the 2003 draft completed by the AHS. Like the AHS map, it also did away with the more detailed a/b half-zone delineations. http://www.arborday.org/media/zones.cfm | | Once the Foundation analyzed the new data, hardiness zones were revised, generally reflecting warmer recent temperatures in many parts of the country. The Arbor Day Foundation used the updated versions of the same sources of data as had been utilized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the creation of its hardiness zone maps. The 2004 map appears to validate the data used in the 2003 draft completed by the AHS. Like the AHS map, it also did away with the more detailed a/b half-zone delineations. http://www.arborday.org/media/zones.cfm |
| − |
| |
| − | ===U.S. Cities===
| |
| − | Here are the USDA plant hardiness zones for major U.S. cities (based on the draft 2003 map):
| |
| − | {| cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0"
| |
| − | |- bgcolor="#cccccc"
| |
| − | !width="200"|City
| |
| − | !width="60"|Zone
| |
| − | !width="200"|City
| |
| − | !width="60"|Zone
| |
| − | |- bgcolor="efefef"
| |
| − | | [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]] || '''7''' || [[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma]] || '''7'''
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | [[Anchorage, Alaska]] || '''4''' || [[Omaha, Nebraska]] || '''5'''
| |
| − | |- bgcolor="efefef"
| |
| − | | [[Atlanta, Georgia]] || '''7-8''' || [[Orlando, Florida]] || '''9-10'''
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | [[Baltimore, Maryland]] || '''7-8''' || [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]] || '''7'''
| |
| − | |- bgcolor="efefef"
| |
| − | | [[Boston, Massachusetts]] || '''6-7''' || [[Phoenix, Arizona]] || '''9'''
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | [[Burlington, Vermont]] || '''4''' || [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]] || '''6'''
| |
| − | |- bgcolor="efefef"
| |
| − | | [[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]] || '''5-6''' || [[Portland, Maine]] || '''5-6'''
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | [[Cincinnati, Ohio]] || '''7''' || [[Portland, Oregon]] || '''9'''
| |
| − | |- bgcolor="efefef"
| |
| − | | [[Dallas, Texas]] || '''8''' || [[Raleigh, North Carolina]] || '''8'''
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | [[Denver, Colorado]] || '''5-6'''|| [[St. Louis, Missouri]] || '''6'''
| |
| − | |- bgcolor="efefef"
| |
| − | | [[Detroit, Michigan]] || '''5-6'''|| [[Salt Lake City, Utah]] || '''7'''
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | [[Honolulu, Hawaii]] || '''11''' || [[San Antonio, Texas]] || '''9'''
| |
| − | |- bgcolor="efefef"
| |
| − | | [[Houston, Texas]] || '''9''' || [[San Diego, California]] || '''10'''
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | [[Las Vegas, Nevada]] || '''9''' || [[San Francisco, California]] || '''10'''
| |
| − | |- bgcolor="efefef"
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| − | | [[Los Angeles, California]] || '''10''' || [[Seattle, Washington]] || '''8'''
| |
| − | |-
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| − | | [[Memphis, Tennessee]] || '''8'''|| [[Tampa, Florida]] || '''10'''
| |
| − | |- bgcolor="efefef"
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| − | | [[Miami, Florida]] || '''11''' || [[Tucson, Arizona]] || '''8''' ||
| |
| − | |-
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| − | | [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]] || '''5''' || [[Tulsa, Oklahoma]] || '''7'''
| |
| − | |- bgcolor="efefef"
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| − | | [[Nashville, Tennessee]] || '''7'''|| [[Washington, D.C.]] || '''7-8'''
| |
| − | |-
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| − | | [[New Orleans, Louisiana]] || '''9''' || [[Wichita, Kansas]] || '''6'''
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| − | |- bgcolor="efefef"
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| − | | [[New York City|New York, New York]] || '''7''' || [[Wilmington, Delaware]] || '''7-8'''
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| − | |-
| |
| − | |}
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| | | | |
| | ==Sunset Hardiness Zones== | | ==Sunset Hardiness Zones== |
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| | There are problems with this classifications of this type: the spread of weather stations is insufficient to give clear zones and too many places with different climates are lumped together. Only 738 Australian stations have records of more than ten years (one station per 98,491 hectares), though more populated areas have relatively fewer hectares per station. Local factors such as aspect, altitude, proximity to the sea also complicate the matter. For example, Mt. Isa has three climatic stations with more than a ten year record. One is in Zone 4a, one in Zone 4b and the other is in Zone 5a. Likewise, Sydney residents can choose between Zones 3a and 4b. Most other cities have similar problems. Different locations in the same city are suitable for different plants, making it hard to draw a meaningful map. There may even be a case for publishing a list of weather stations and their zone classification to allow best use of local conditions. | | There are problems with this classifications of this type: the spread of weather stations is insufficient to give clear zones and too many places with different climates are lumped together. Only 738 Australian stations have records of more than ten years (one station per 98,491 hectares), though more populated areas have relatively fewer hectares per station. Local factors such as aspect, altitude, proximity to the sea also complicate the matter. For example, Mt. Isa has three climatic stations with more than a ten year record. One is in Zone 4a, one in Zone 4b and the other is in Zone 5a. Likewise, Sydney residents can choose between Zones 3a and 4b. Most other cities have similar problems. Different locations in the same city are suitable for different plants, making it hard to draw a meaningful map. There may even be a case for publishing a list of weather stations and their zone classification to allow best use of local conditions. |
| | + | |
| | + | *[http://www.seedrack.com/ozzones.html USDA zones applied to Australia] |
| | | | |
| | ==See also== | | ==See also== |