The map is based on 30-year averages of the coldest winter temperatures at specific locations, and divides the continental U.S. and Canada into 10 zones, which are further divided into half-zones ...

The USDA divides the United States into seven planting regions, known as hardiness zones, which were most recently updated in 2023. The maps below show these planting regions.

Plant for Zones 8a or 7b, plants that can survive a winter temperature of 5 F or 10 F. You'll have better odds of not having to replace that plant (i.e., buy it again) over the next decade.

On the handy map, the USDA switched most of the Austin area from one half-zone, 8B, to another, 9A, which relates to the average annual extreme minimum temperatures. That might seem hard to ...

The Plant Hardiness Zone Map is based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature, displayed as 10-degree F zones ranging from zone 1 (coldest) to zone 13 (warmest), the USDA notes.

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (Courtesy: USDA) KXAN Meteorologist Nick Bannin spoke with the USDA about the changes to the zones in the map and what that means for planters here in Central Texas.

In the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map, which was generated based on weather data gathered from 1991 to 2020, about half the United States moved into a warmer zone.

This describes a plant’s cold tolerance. The zone map is updated once every 10 years to reflect changes in climate and most of our area is now considered half a zone warmer.

Trouble seeing the map? Click here to view the planting zones for the Northeast U.S. 'I miss you so': 1930s love letters found in bathroom wall during Ohio home renovation Forget the bathroom.

The USDA divides the United States into seven planting regions, known as hardiness zones, which were most recently updated in 2023. The maps below show these planting regions.