Climate zones?

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by Justin van den Driesen, Jan 31, 2003.

  1. Justin van den Driesen

    Justin van den Driesen Member

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    Vancouver and Vancouver Island are zone 8 generaly?
    Tazmania is zone 14. Is there a world zone listing?
     
  2. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    I've not been able to find a world zone listing. To make things more difficult, different countries use different systems.

    Vancouver and Vancouver Island are roughly zone 7-9 using the USDA Hardiness Zones - to get an idea of what Tasmania is in comparison, I've found this link: Plant Hardiness Zones for Australia from the Australian National Botanic Gardens site.

    As you can see, Tasmania is roughly equivalent to USDA zones 8-10.

    Kind regards.
     
  3. Palm Nut

    Palm Nut Active Member 10 Years

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    Hardiness zone changed?

    According to the Agricultural Canda website, the hardiness zones changed in 2000. We in Vancouver are now 6b??
     
  4. jimmyq

    jimmyq Well-Known Member 10 Years

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  5. Palm Nut

    Palm Nut Active Member 10 Years

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    Ok. Now I'm really confused. I just bought the 2001 printed edition of Sunset Western Garden Book, and they are now calling Vancouver Zone 4????
     
  6. jimmyq

    jimmyq Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Sunset book may be quoting the USDA zoning, which is not the same as what we use in Canada.
     
  7. Douglas Justice

    Douglas Justice Well-Known Member UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout Maple Society 10 Years

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    Agriculture Canada Zones are based on a number of climatic factors, not just the average minimum winter temperature (as they used to be and as the USDA Zones still are). The change in the Canadian Zones has unfortunately made them practically useless.

    Every horticulturist I know uses the USDA system, which is based on increments of 10 degrees F. It is extremely simple to understand and is even convertable to Celsius (many Internet conversion sites exist). Hardiness zones don't tell us everything; for example the length of the growing season, accumulated heat or extremes of temperature. However, those that try, generally fail, because they lose their simplicity. Few people use the Sunset Zones, because few people know how they're calculated. In fact, they aren't as much calculated as assigned. Without predictive value, they're pretty much unintelligible to people outside of the area for which they are applied.

    I have a general idea of the climate in Tasmania (and I'd love to go there), because I know Tasmania is USDA Zone 8-10. It won't be the same as Britain or the Pacific Northwest or North Carolina or Anhui, China, but at least I have an idea. What's the Sunset Zone for Denmark? I don't think so.

    My two bits.
     
  8. pensylvaticum

    pensylvaticum Active Member

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    Jimmy, the map you found is absolutly brilliant. I just wish they had these for America and possibly Europe and Australia just out of interest.
    Just an add to zoning to finding plants suitable to your zone is the other important factor with plants is importation. Some plants are possibly available only in some places, and rarer ones are difficult to find but getting your hands on it if it is not available in your origin country which does happen more often. You may find a plant suitable for the climate but are inable to get this because of Customs and Excise, and Agricultural laws (good idea to protect native species,insects etc)varying from country to country but a pain in the perverbial if it is an already importd and safe plant. eg..There are cultivars of Acers(Maples) available in Europe not available yet in Americas which you can not import to America and vice versa.
     
  9. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Here's maps I did for Britain, and Europe
     

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  10. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    The USDA Zones are hardiness zones. There's also the AHS heat zones. The Sunset zones are climate zones, embracing all of the weather conditions that occur in each area - not just the winter temperatures. These were mapped for the whole US when the Sunset NATIONAL GARDEN BOOK came out years ago. Adjoining parts of Canada are included.

    True, you can't apply Sunset climate zones outside of where they have already been determined. But knowing the USDA zone doesn't tell you what the whole climate is like someplace unfamiliar either. It's not like it makes much difference, you won't know anything other than how cold it tends to be there.
     
  11. Maple_Lady

    Maple_Lady Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Hi, Sunset Western Garden book uses their own hardiness zones and not USDA which makes it even more confusing.
     
  12. pensylvaticum

    pensylvaticum Active Member

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    Location:
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    Sam.
    There are so many, and all are not fully reliable. I just gives me a headache. I have put Zone 6/7 for my area because dependant on your sources they can vary to a full Zone or perhaps two. USDA has this area as 6a in 1990, which is nearly 20 years and out of date, so rely on sources from 2000+ only is all I can say.eg.The US Arbour Society in 2000+ has this area as Zone 6b,and there are pockets of add or minus dependant which bubble up with global warming. eg. Another source the Arbour Foundation or some such thing has the southwest of PA in a pocket of Zone 7. I actully mediate between all three and say it is actually 6b. Interestingly there is a climatic study with a map showing that most of North America has gone up a full Zone or more in 20 years. eg. Minneapolis was Zone 3 and is now Zone 4.
    Kindest Reguards.
    P
     

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