What are Some Native Shrubs for my Zone?

Before planting native shrubs, it is important to know what zone you live in. Zones are determined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to give guidance to the lowest temperatures at which a plant will survive. Various factors weigh in to determine which plants will fit in a given zone, such as temperature, rain, elevation, snow, humidity, winds, and the amount of sunlight. The USDA has created a Plant Hardiness Zone Map. It shows people how a certain plant or shrub will grow in a particular area. There are eleven separate zones – each indicating the coldest temperatures at which a plant will thrive. Zone 1, for example, is for areas that have average yearly minimum temperatures that are lower than -50 degrees Fahrenheit (-45.5 degrees Celsius). Zone 11, in the alternative, is for areas that have an average yearly minimum temperature greater than 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius); those areas never have frost – at any time of year. It is very important for ...  more