Hardiness zone
When you are planting, your hardiness zone is a key factor in the selection of which varieties to plant.
All plants sold are rated for hardiness zone. For example, zone 5-8 means if your zone is colder than zone 5 or warmer than zone 8, the plant will likely not survive.
However, some nurseries may be over generous in zone requirements to get more sales, so check around. I have seen plant varieties rated zone 5-8 in some nurseries and zone 6-8 in others.
In addition, climate changes from year to year - sometimes drastically. Some winters may be much colder than others, killing or injuring some plants that are borderline.
For example, we live in zone 6a. Some plants rated as zone 5-9 have died over the winter, indicating that particular variety may actually have been zone 6-9 or even 7-9 and not 5-9.
In zone 6a, we have had no problems with plants rated for zone 4, but in our area, a few plants died that were rated for zone 5. And many plants died that were rated zone 6.
Check the maps below to find your hardiness zone. These are from the USDA.
All plants sold are rated for hardiness zone. For example, zone 5-8 means if your zone is colder than zone 5 or warmer than zone 8, the plant will likely not survive.
However, some nurseries may be over generous in zone requirements to get more sales, so check around. I have seen plant varieties rated zone 5-8 in some nurseries and zone 6-8 in others.
In addition, climate changes from year to year - sometimes drastically. Some winters may be much colder than others, killing or injuring some plants that are borderline.
For example, we live in zone 6a. Some plants rated as zone 5-9 have died over the winter, indicating that particular variety may actually have been zone 6-9 or even 7-9 and not 5-9.
In zone 6a, we have had no problems with plants rated for zone 4, but in our area, a few plants died that were rated for zone 5. And many plants died that were rated zone 6.
Check the maps below to find your hardiness zone. These are from the USDA.
