USDA Plant Hardiness Zones

This time of year we run the risk of freezing temperatures and the challenge of caring for plants in our landscape.  This is the current USDA plant hardiness zone map for Ohio.  Zanesville, Ohio is in zone 6a.  An interactive map can be found at http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/#.

What do these plant hardiness zone mean?  These zones are used to characterize average annual minimum winter temperatures across the United States.  Zone 6a, for example, has average minimum temperatures of -10 to -5 degrees F.  This allows us to make decisions as homeowners and landowners about the types of plants that we will put in our landscapes.  Refer to the information that accompanies any purchased plant material for information specifying ideal growing zones.