Central Illinois Moving From Hardiness Zone 5 To Zone 6 - Galesburg Register-Mail

[hatrack]

PEORIA — As worldwide concern grows over reports of global warming mostly evidenced in far-off places, gardeners and ornithologists in central Illinois are noting changes in their own backyards. "Trees do migrate," said Robert Smith, arborist with the Arbor Day Foundation, which has a new map of plant hardiness zones showing the Peoria area transitioning from Zone 5 to the warmer Zone 6.

"We have trees showing up in micro climates, trees not normal to particular areas, like the crepe myrtle tree here in Lincoln, Nebraska. Warmer weather encourages gardeners to push the limits. They want something unique, the only one of a particular variety on their block."

Smith said the best thing gardeners can do to protect their trees and plants is to seek diversity. Check the Arbor Day Foundation map (at www.arborday.org/media/zones.cfm) for the latest information on plant hardiness zones. The map has a special search mechanism by zip code.

Woodrow Nelson, vice president at the Arbor Day Foundation, said response to the organization's map has been positive since it was released in 2006. He said gardeners saw evidence that changes in climate meant the U.S. Department of Agriculture map released in 1990 was no longer correct, but there was no other guide.

EDIT

http://www.galesburg.com/news/x1905571206/Central-Illinois-moving-into-warmer-plant-zone

[emmadoggy]

1. I've been waiting for this.

I knew the hardiness zone map was being updated and I was curious to see if we would move up a zone. Looks like we have - from zone 4 to zone 5. Not surprised at all.

Thanks for the info.


Edited to add link to the page that shows a comparison of the 1990 map to the new one and the areas that changed.... http://www.arborday.org/media/map_change.cfm