New Map for US Farmers and Gardeners Shows Rising Temperatures

The US Department of Agriculture has released its latest “Plant Hardiness Zone Map” showing which plants and crops will grow in what areas of the country. The map is built around the “average annual extreme minimum temperatures at a given location during a particular time period.”

The USDA also notes the changes since the last version of the map was released in 1990:

Compared to the 1990 version, zone boundaries in this edition of the map have shifted in many areas. The new map is generally one 5-degree Fahrenheit half-zone warmer than the previous map throughout much of the United States.

The interactive version of the map is here and the USDA press release is here.