Answering the question, How do I go about finding my hardiness zone? is as easy as locating where you live on the map. You can plant mint, avocado, olive, kiwi, citrus fruits, basil, thyme and chives, for example. Planting in Zone 5 will require winter-hardy plants that can survive -20F, says Bailey, so the same wintry plants and veggies, as long as the climate is warm enough. Because of this, the zones listed in the Canadian and US maps are not on the same scale, so keep that in mind before following one or theother! Your entire yard could be somewhat warmer or cooler than the surrounding area because it is sheltered or exposed. 30F to 35F. Certain areas of your yard could be hot spots and might be able to tolerate one zone higher. Annuals and Perennials vary depending on where you live. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! 35F to 40F. But state, regional, and national images of the map can be downloaded and printed in a variety of sizes and resolutions. Custom programming and server maintenance by Reinvented Inc. Click here to see Canadian planting zone maps, 10 Tips for Preparing Your Garden for Winter, 20 Easy Perennial Flowers for Beginners to Plant. They may bewarmer or cooler than the surrounding zone. For example, if you plan to put dahlias outdoors after the last frost, but want an early start on them, you can count backward from that last date. (The United States falls within Zones 2 through 10). Growing herbs in Zone 11 is tricky and most wont produce seeds due to the heat. Temperatures below 50F (10C) may cause the plants to die though, and temperatures that are higher than 90F (32C) may also be too hot for the plants to grow well. Obviously, not every perennial, shrub, or tree grows and thrives in every climate. The .gov means its official. It is important to understand what the growing zones for Florida are and which zone you live in because this will help you have a successful garden. Are the temperatures in each zone ambient or with wind chill factored in? NRC also produces a mapthat shows plant hardiness zones for Canada based on the USDA extreme minimum temperature approach. With no frost days throughout the year, Zone 11 is one of the warmest in terms of hardiness zones and you can plant more fruits, like tropical fruits. Your best bet is to plant during cooler months and incorporate shade (keep them indoors) and irrigation to fight the heat, since these climates are super hot and tropical. Enhance your As you increase in zones, you can add in more options. When to Plant Vegetables: The Garden Planting Calendar. Check out this Best Tree Finder from the Arbor Day Foundation! Some plants also go through cycles of dormancy to survive extreme highs and lows in temperature, especially those lows. Some cold-hardy plants, such as leafy vegetables grown from seed, can go into the ground before the last frost date. Strawberries require a long growing season especially if grown from seed, 160-210 days, and the reason they are planted in the fall in Zone 7 or higher is because the temperatures stay warm enough through the fall/winter/spring that the above ground growth (the foliage) does not die off, says deRose. You also could have pockets within your garden that are warmer or cooler than the general zone for your area or for the rest of your yard, such as a sheltered area in front of a south-facing wall or a low spot where cold air pools first. You can plant a lot of veggies youd cook with at home, such as asparagus, artichoke, beets, okra, aloe vera, arugula, bell peppers and basil, among some other air plants too. Map & Data: USDA Agricultural Research Service (@USDA_ARS) / Oregon State University (@OregonState), Website:https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/InteractiveMap.aspx. Call Customer Service at 513-354-1512. Borders with Sun-Loving Plants, Brighten Up Shady Spots with Much-Needed Colour. Since some Canadians will buy plants from the U.S., it may also be helpful to understand how to use USDA zones in Canada. Map of California Record High/Low Temperatures. Click on your state to zoom in or enter your zip code to find the zone number of your specific area. No posters of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map have been printed. Read our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. You have an extensive chart for herbs and vegetables but I can't find anything for trees and bushes. That range may be wide for some varieties and species but narrow for others. The temperatures do not take wind chill intoaccount. Learn more about microclimates. Because annuals are only meant to last the length of one growing season, planting zones dont necessarily factor into theequation. Note: If the map that displays your zone appears inaccurate, you may be in a microclimate. To see larger maps of the U.S. growing zones for each state, click on the state where you live in the list located below this map. Perennial flowers, shrubs, and trees grow best when planted in theappropriate zone. Planting vegetables, flowers and other plants that are appropriate for your U.S. growing zone will make sure that your garden is happy and healthy year after year. How can I tell if a plant is an Annual or Perennial? The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10-degree F zones. Know your zone! If you want a perennial, shrub, or tree to survive and grow year after year, the plant must tolerate year-round conditions in your area, such as the lowest and highest temperatures and the . Planting vegetables, flowers and other plants that are appropriate for your U.S. growing zone will make sure that your garden is happy and healthy year after year. However, a frost can occur even when air temperatures are just above freezing. Broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, spinach, mac apples, sweet peas, potatoes, kale, lettuce, herbs and tomatoes. State Prevent this by layering mulch on top of the soil to protect them, deRose says. California Last Frost Date Map. The USDA planting zone map is based on the average, annual minimum winter temperature, and it is then divided into 10F zones, with a range of 1-13 zones total. Hardiness Zone Map provided courtesy of The National Arbor Day Foundation. So, naturally, they will thrive in their habitat. The label will identify the zones in the U.S. where the plant can thrive. Find plants you love and create idea boards for all your projects. The map is produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and is available on their website. Allow the tool to use GPS to determine your location, then the map will show your planting zone. Zone 4 includes eggplant, melon, pumpkin and some other pear varieties, along with the same plants from zones prior. Users may also simply type in a ZIP Code and find the hardiness zone for that area. We have also produced maps that show plant hardiness zones for Canada based on the USDA extreme minimum temperature approach . Check our color-coded plant hardiness zone map of the United States to find which hardiness zone you live in, or type in your zip code below to find your exact planting or growing zone. A map or option to enlarge would have helped greatly. For example, plants that require partial shade that are at the limits of hardiness in your area might be injured by too much sun during the winter because it might cause rapid changes in the plants temperature. Note that planting zones are a guide, not absolute, especially if you live in a microclimate. Step 1: Find your zone Planting zone: Enter your zip code. These varieties include caladiums and others that don't naturally encounter frost at all. Such factors are not taken into account in the USDA PHZM. Growing plants at the extreme of the coldest zone where they are adapted means that they could experience a year with a rare, extreme cold snap that lasts just a day or two, and plants that have thrived happily for several years could be lost. In Zones 9 and 10, the results are pretty similar, as there isnt much difference in climate range. The 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location. Another key part of successful gardening is knowing when yourfrost dates are. If you plant in containers you can take plants indoors and outdoors to grow lots of different plants and keep them safe when theres some wacky weather. (See local frost dates here.) Heat Zone Map Info What Do Heat Zones Mean Anyway. In reply to Are the temperatures in each by Mike (not verified). California First Frost Date Map. Return to the Customer Service Help page or send an email directly to Customer Service . I'm looking for a planting guide for trees and bushes in zone 9 , Melbourne Florida. 2023 Gardening Know How, Future US LLC, Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036. You can grow a few in these zones, yet more wintry plants that have hard exteriors and some toughness to them. Go to arborday.org for trees for planting in your area. Similarly, exceptionally warm weather in midwinter followed by a sharp change to seasonably cold weather may cause injury to plants as well. Gardeners rely on the zone information presented in the Texas planting map as featured above. Find out where you fall in the USDA Hardiness Zones database. This is the first step to gardening. Or you can tell from the map below too. National Agricultural Library Thesaurus Term. You look like someone who loves free workouts, discounts for cult-fave wellness brands, and exclusive Well+Good content. Frost dates can vary widely within each . In reply to Hello everyone I have tried by Mek (not verified), Click on the image of the map aboveor go here:https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/, In reply to Click on the image of the by The Editors, I was having the same issue, but that worked like a charm! California 2012 USDA Hardiness Zone Map. If you are not sure which hardiness zone you belong to, please check the maps below: Canada Plant Hardiness: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories. The USDA Hardiness Zone Map divides North America into 11 separate planting zones; each growing zone is 10F warmer (or colder) in an average winter than the adjacent zone. The two most commonly referenced hardiness zone maps are those produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Natural Resources Canada (NRC). Examples of perennial plants are blueberries, strawberries, fruit trees, pepper plants, lavender and lots of other flowers and most perennials will survive winter, says gardening expert Mike deRose of The Pool Gardener. Enter your ZIP code in the search bar and click enter. Youd plant herbs as annuals during the cooler months. Identify your USDA hardiness zone to determine which vegetables, herbs, flowers, farm seed and cover crops will do best in your region. The USDA map is color coded to make it even easier to see where your area falls. It also includes national, state and regional images in a variety of resolutions, and a ZIP code finder that provides the plant hardiness zone for all U.S. ZIP codes. You can plant indoors though or use a greenhouse, and popular options include beans. Zone 11a. You can do this for plants in Zones 5 or 6 as well, if temperatures are drastically and unusually low, too. Mailstop Code: 1103 Most winters are moderate and the summers are warm but not excessively hot. Visit the ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Website, US Forest Service, FM-RM-VE Once you understand the basics, head to the site and plug in your zip code to find your best matches. Cannot see the readings on the maps and the link that says click to see larger map is actually much smaller. Each agricultural zone covers a 10-degree range. The map is available as an interactive GIS-based map, for which a broadband Internet connection is recommended, and as static images for those with slower Internet access. Heres another example: If we use the zip code 90210 we will see that we land in the zone 10b, which has an average minimal yearly temperature of 30F to 35F, so if we wanted to grow cacao we would need to figure out what temperatures it grows well in, says deRose. USDA Zones In Canada: Are Canada Growing Zones Similar To U.S. What Are Climate Zones Gardening In Different Climate Types, Easy Garden Arbor Ideas - How To Make An Arbor For Your Garden, Planting Near Your Home: Foundation Plants For The Front Yard, Popular Arbor Varieties - Learn About Different Garden Arbor Styles, Growing Hostas In Colorado And The Southwest US, Lawn Alternatives Northeast Gardeners Should Try, Alabama Planting Zones USDA Map Of Alabama Growing Zones, Alaska Planting Zones USDA Map Of Alaska Growing Zones, Home & Garden Marketplace: Advertiser Info. 5 MAY 2021: DONEGAL COVID-19 INCIDENCE RATES DASHBOARD, 29 APRIL 2021: KINDERGARTEN IMMUNIZATION COVERAGE RATES 2018-2019: MUMPS, MEASLES AND RUBELLA VACCINE, 455 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 223, District of Columbia, United States, 30 APRIL 2021: USDA PLANT HARDINESS ZONE MAP, https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/InteractiveMap.aspx. Many potted plants and tender rhizomes must be kept indoors until after all threat of frost has passed, and some bareroots need to be kept out of frosty conditions in their first year. To find the average frost dates for your region, you first need to determine your hardiness zone or planting zone. View Maps | USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map Home View Maps This page allows you to find and download state, regional, and national Plant Hardiness Zone Maps at various resolutions. The 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location. Click here for a detailed explanation. In this zone you can add in some others, like macadamia, lemongrass, and mango. Click here to see Canadian planting zone maps. Perennials need to be able to survive winter in your area, so its important to knowhow cold it typically gets in your area and whether a particular plant is hardy enough to survive thosetemperatures. Copyright 2017 - 2023 PublicHealthMapsAll rights reserved. You can enter a zipcode, a landmark, "City, Country" or "City, State". Stay tuned for the first newsletter in the morning, straight to your inbox. Find your local frost dates here. In addition, although this edition of the USDA PHZM is drawn in the most detailed scale to date, there might still be microclimates that are too small to show up on the map. 40F to 45F. Have another question? Press the Use My Location button. What are your thoughts on planting zones? When temperatures drop below 50F try using row covers or a makeshift hotbox/greenhouse, says deRose. Below is the USDA planting zones map, also known as the USDA Hardiness Zone map. Unfortunately, zones 1-4 are going to provide an unwelcome environment for most plants. Washington DC 20250-1103, https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/Native_Plant_Materials/Native_Gardening/hardinesszones.shtml, Pollinator-Friendly Best Management Practices, Native Plant Material Accomplishment Reports, Fading Gold: The Decline of Aspen in the West, Wildflowers, Part of the Pagentry of Fall Colors, Tall Forb Community of the Intermountain West, Basic Instructions for Restoration and Native Landscaping, Strategic Planning, Budget And Accountability, Recreation, Heritage And Volunteer Resources. All Rights Reserved. of your Favourites at Great Low Prices! You can grow perennial plants in these zones, as perennial plants live for more than two years and come back year after year. 2023Yankee Publishing, Inc., An Employee-Owned Company If you see a hardiness zone in a catalog or plant description, chances are it refers to the USDA map. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Duration of exposure to cold:Many plants that can survive a short period of exposure to cold may not tolerate longer periods of cold weather. Canada Plant Hardiness: Manitoba, Nunavut. The mapis produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and is available on their website. If you are Zone 5 any plant that is Zone 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 would be a perennial in your area, anything zone 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 would be an annual. Your zone initially tells you the lowest expected temperature for your area, but that growing zone number also correlates to an average first and last frost date. USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) The 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location. They are based on the average lowest temperatures, not the lowest ever. Good question! The site is secure. Bee-Friendly Single-Flowered Dahlia Mixture, Plant in the Fall for Beautiful Spring Blooms, Turn Up the Heat in Cut Arrangements, Containers and More, Create Brilliant The map is based onaverage annual minimum winter temperatures of each region and divided into thirteen distinct 10F zones, which are further divided into sub-zones of5F. Be inspired with our Gardener's Idea Book and Winner's Circle newsletter. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. You can also find your planting zone by entering your zip code on the Arbor Day Foundation website. If your hardiness zone has changed in this edition of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM), it does not mean you should start pulling plants out of your garden or change what you are growing. You can do this by using our planting zone map tool. Plus, there is a late summer monsoon season, so use it to offer some heat reduction and plant during this time as well. Gardeners need to keep that in mind and understand that past weather records cannot be a guarantee for future variation in weather. What is thriving in your yard will most likely continue to thrive.Hardiness zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum temperature during a 30-year period in the past, not the lowest temperature that has ever occurred in the past or might occur in the future. The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10-degree Fahrenheit zones. See suggested trees for your region. Temperatures below 50F (10C) may cause the plants to die though, and temperatures that are higher than 90F (32C) may also be too . The above crops apply, but summers are super hot, so some crops wont do well, like pansies and spinach. Youll find that winter damage occurs most often when plants are out of their range or comfort zone. When you choose plants for a garden or landscape, avoid selecting plants that are only marginally hardy for your region; thats when youll see winter damage, poor growth, and a reduction inflowering. 3501 New York Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 / 202-245-4523. USDA hardiness zones help gardeners understand which plants will survive in the area's extreme temperatures and which wont. Planting flowers, trees, vegetables and other plants that are appropriate for you zone will ensure that these plants grow well from year to year. If you want to start your garden earlier in the spring with a higher risk of frost, or later with a lower risk, use the following table: National Centers for Environmental Information. Oh hi! You can also select a map specific to your region. By understanding your USDA Hardiness Zone or Canadian Planting Zone, you can choose plants that can survive and grow year after year in your area. You can add in a few more in Zone 10 that may not do well in 9, like ginger, peanuts and jicama. A variety marked "Zones 3-8," for example, should grow and thrive in zones 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Some examples include bush beans, tropical almond, black pepper, eggplant, hot peppers, summer squash, and tomatoes, as well as some herbs, such as cilantro, sage, and rosemary. These are areas which range in minimum temperatures from -60 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. An official website of the United States government. For now, feel free to continue reading. Different measures are used to create each countrys map, asexplainedbelow. Stay tuned for the first newsletter in the morning, straight to your inbox. Cocoa can grow in the range of 65F to 90F (1832C). Gardeners should keep that in mind when selecting plants, especially if they choose to "push" their hardiness zone by growing plants not rated for their zone. . Click here to go directly to the USDA website and see a map of your states zones. Use your mouse or touchscreen to drag and zoom the map and find your location, then click or tap the map. Gardening in South Carolina offers many opportunities for a wide variety of flowers, shrubs, and trees. 4 Mistakes That Are Causing You to Waste Money on Skin-Care Serums, According to an Esthetician, These Are the Best Anti-Chafing Denim ShortsAccording to Some Very Happy Reviewers. 1400 Independence Ave., SW If youre on the fence about a plant, always go one zone higher to be on the safe side and avoiddisappointment! Check out what's NEW for spring planting. These also similarly include peonies, succulents, tulips, lilies, bee balm, winter vegetables, hostas and more, and once you get to Zone 6, where summers are hotter, you can grow bush beans, butter lettuce, melons that have a longer season, winter squash, and indeterminate tomatoes, as well as other herbs and spices that can handle the heat but also require that boost, such as coriander, oregano and dill, for example. If you're planting hardy bulbs, such as tulips or daffodils, do that after the first frost. Open every day of the year except December 25 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 3501 New York Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002, Plant Introductions - Listed by Genus (A - L), Plant Introductions - Listed by Genus (M - V), Plant Introductions - Listed by Common Name (A - L), Plant Introductions - Listed by Common Name (M - W), Plant Introduction Fact Sheets and Award Winners. Type in the area's ZIP code that you wish to plant a garden or outdoor landscape, and your zone number will show up. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Native plants are which occurnaturally where you live! For most summer bulbs, that occurs six weeks after flowering. No hardiness zone map can take the place of the detailed knowledge that gardeners pick up about their own gardens through hands-on experience. These zones tend to be more mild and versatile, as long as you go by growing season and look for plants with a longer growing season in general. See our article on natural landscaping. Growing plants at the extreme of the coldest zone where they are adapted means that they could experience a year with a rare, extreme cold snap that lasts just a day or two, and plants that have thrived happily for several years could be lost. Zip Code: Looking for Canadian Hardiness Zones? Let us know in the commentsbelow! You can download this map from the USDA site. There are a total of 11 growing zones in the United States as defined by the USDA, of which 8 are located in the lower 48 states. The Department of Agriculture has designated four zones in Florida--8, 9, 10, and 11. So, youd want to plant crops that thrive in warmer climates and avoid those that may not do well in lower temperatures, since you can find some unpredictable weather here and there. landscape with useful tools and beautiful garden dcor. For the first time, the map is available as an interactive GIS-based map, for which a broadband Internet connection is recommended, and as static images for those with slower Internet access. Understanding the USDA planting zones you live in can mean the difference between success and failure in your garden. The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10-degree F zones. South Carolina zones include 5b through 8b. Enter your zip code below to find your planting zone 2 Choose your plants Browse through over 150 vegetables, herbs, flowers & fruits 3 Explore your calendar Learn which plants to grow in your zone & when to plant them Start here! The vast majority of crops will not grow in this environment, says Bailey. They are best fitting for the moisture levels. The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10-degree F zones. The USDA Hardiness Zone Method. Annuals and Perennials vary depending on where you live. Humidity:High relative humidity limits cold damage by reducing moisture loss from leaves, branches, and buds. Hello everyone I have tried really hard scanning this page for what zone is where and I still don't see the way to do that --can somebody please help me how to do this? 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, courtesy USDA Agricultural Research Service. The label will identify the zones in the U.S. where the plant canthrive. Before planting, it is important to know your growing zone to ensure success and avoid unwelcome setbacks in your garden. For annual plants, like most vegetables and some flowers, its far more important to pay attention to things like the length of your growing season and the typical dates of your first and last frosts. Interactive Gardening and Plant Hardiness Zone Map for Canada. Check the colour-coded plant hardiness zone map to determine which hardiness zone you live in, or type in your zip code below to find your flower zones. The 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map website includes an interactive-GIS map that allows the viewer to click down in scale to one-half mile. You can sort by which trees are suitable to yourzone. Soil moisture:Plants have different requirements for soil moisture, and this might vary seasonally. To create an idea board, sign in or create an account. All PHZMs are just guides. Just click on the map to enlarge it and find your planting zone. Sign up for our newsletter. Many other environmental factors, in addition to hardiness zones, contribute to the success or failure of plants. Box 520 | Dublin, NH 03444. Cold injury can be more severe if the humidity is low, especially for evergreens. Disclosure. These are tiny pockets whichmost commonly occur in areas with steep elevation changes, a body of water, or urbanization. A sample map of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zones is below. Enter your location below and experience the magic of our garden calendar planting guide. Well explain what planting zones are all about, how to use this information, and links to the latestmaps. Plants that might otherwise be hardy in your zone might be injured if soil moisture is too low in late autumn and they enter dormancy while suffering moisture stress. Oops, there seems to be an error, please re-enter your email address. If you want a perennial, shrub, or tree to survive and grow year after year, the plant must tolerate year-round conditions in your area, such as the lowest and highest temperatures and the amount of rainfall. Your official excuse to add "OOD" (ahem, out of doors) to your cal. The USDA hardiness zones are based on the average lowest temperatures, helping you choose plants that can survive the winter. Using Growing Zones For Vegetable Gardening Besides perennials, growing zones (aka planting zones) can be used to plan a vegetable garden. The USDA map is color coded to make it even easier to see where your area falls. Zones 9 and 10 are in warmer regions where summers can get super hot, and the winters are pretty warm too, which could be an issue for some crops (think: California, Arizona, Texas, Florida and along the Gulf of Mexico coast). Light:To thrive, plants need to be planted where they will receive the proper amount of light. Growing Zone Finder & Plant Hardiness Zone Map, Copyright 2023 Gardens Alive, Inc. d/b/a/ Breck's. Zone 10b. The US Department of Agriculture divided out the map of the US in areas which range from planting zone 1A to planting zone 13B. The USDA Hardiness Zone Map divides North America into 11 separate zones; each zone is 10F warmer (or colder) in an average winter than the adjacent zone. As a gardener in her seventies, the eyesight isn't what it used to be. Bailey offers an example based on his zip code, which youd find through search on the USDA map guide (in the search section where you enter your zip code). You can add in granny smith apples and some other herbs here too, like tarragon and sage, as well as some other varieties of stone fruit and persimmons, among other crops. For now, feel free to continue reading. When choosing plants for your garden, its important to select varieties that can survive and thriveyear-round in your area, especially in regions where extreme winter temperatures are normal. Most plants that you buy are marked with a hardiness zone number. Planting zones are broken down into thirteen areas, also known as USDA zones, which cover the entire United States, including Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico. Users may also simply type in a ZIP Code and find the hardiness zone for that area. Would have liked to use the may but couldn't read because of small size. Well+Good decodes and demystifies what it means to live a well life, inside and out. Read more articles about USDA Planting Zones. Disease Resistance Codes; Cooperative Extension; Glossary of Terms; Farm Visits & Grower Profiles; Webinar Series; Hardiness Zone Map. Accessed from http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov. Planting zones or growing zones are illustrated on a map known as the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. BONUS: Youll also receive our freeBeginner GardeningGuide! So, you can grow cocoa in zone 10, but you probably need to protect the plant during the coldest days out of the year. U.S. Tagged: #Apr2021, #Q2, #USDA, #PlantHardiness, #USDAARS, #OSU. Pepper plants include jalapeo, tabasco, habanero, poblano, and chilean especially harsh winter can kill their root system and then they won't come back. Use the zones as a guide for selecting the plants best suited for your area. I live in an area [Austin, Texas] that's zoned for 8b, meaning it supports minimum temperatures of 15-20F, says Bailey.