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Climate Zones

If you are not sure what climate zone your garden is in, take a look at our zone map.

We have compiled information over the years as to how cultivars have performed in different climate zones. A massive amount of information has been provided by customers and others. We thank a multitude of you for providing this information which should help many! The gathering of this information is ongoing and we solicit your input in the future!

Range of average annual minimum temperatures - in degrees Fahrenheit (and Celsius) - for each zone:

  • ZONE 3: -40 to -30 F (-34 to -40 C)
  • ZONE 4: -30 to -20 F (-29 to -34 C)
  • ZONE 5: -20 to -10 F (-23 to -29 C)
  • ZONE 6: -10 to 0 F (-18 to -23 C)
  • ZONE 7: 0 to 10 F (-12 to -18 C)
  • ZONE 8: 10 to 20 F (-7 to -12 C)
  • ZONE 9: 20 to 30 F (-1 to -7 C)

All detailed descriptions of cultivars on this website gives the recommended zones in which you should expect a given cultivar to perform well. (No zone recommendations are given on 2005 Introductions as no information is available; estimates are given on 2004 Introductions for the same reason.)

Those from zones 7 and 8 are blessed in that all cultivars listed in this catalog should perform well for you!

Our zone ratings are conservative. For example, if there was a "mixed bag" reporting of the performance of a given cultivar from both zones 3 and 4 and zone 5\'s were consistently good then we rated it a zone 5 for the colder portion of the zone rating. (It is obvious that consistent winter snow cover and heavy mulching made a significant difference in colder climates and these were discounted in favor of a more stark environment.)

Conversely if there was a "mixed bag" rating of a cultivar in zone 9 then we backed down the warmer recommended range to a zone 8.

Definitions

Our zone ratings are conservative. For example, if there was a "mixed bag" reporting of the performance of a given cultivar from both zones 3 and 4 and zone 5's were consistently good then we rated it a zone 5 for the colder portion of the zone rating. (It is obvious that consistent winter snow cover and heavy mulching made a significant difference in colder climates and these were discounted in favor of a more stark environment.)

Conversely if there was a "mixed bag" rating of a cultivar in zone 9 then we backed down the warmer recommended range to a zone 8.

We hope that this information will be of tremendous assistance to you!