Hot enough for 'ya?

The USDA Hardiness Zones are a tool that just about every serious gardener, landscaper, and landscape architect should know well. Unfortunately, the last update was in 1990 and some places in the US have changed zones. Well, the Arbor Day Foundation has come up with their own update. Aside from helping folks understand the basic information about picking the right plants for the right place, this website includes a map showing all of the areas in the US that have changed. My eyeball estimate is about 50%. Make sure you watch the animation, too.

Crepe Myrtles? Yes. Gardenias? Soon. It turns out that maybe I should have spent more time at LSU studying palms and tropicals.

After spending a downright hot January afternoon in the Pine Barrens, I found myself wondering how much more it will take to bring folks around to the real concerns of climate change. Maybe this will help folks who already use and rely on these maps?