Controversy Flares Over Redrawing Hardiness Zone Map In Warming World - AP

[hatrack]

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The rainbow-colored plant hardiness map is must-have for gardeners, providing a sign as to what plants will survive where in the nation. But global warming is changing its look.

Global warming has nudged up the temperatures and eased the winters, making some plants more likely to survive places they otherwise wouldn't. "Plants in the past that have not survived more than a year or two are now surviving six or seven," said Paul Bonine, co-owner of Xera Plants, a wholesale nursery in Sherwood.

EDIT

Some new climate maps suggest the world is changing fairly quickly. A hardiness map released by the National Arbor Day Foundation late last year moves the Portland area into a warmer zone. The Canadian government devised a new map showing warmer conditions across the continent. Sunset magazine's popular garden book also leans toward somewhat warmer conditions, its editors say.

But the U.S. Department of Agriculture's official hardiness map, the one often used in plant catalogs, has left the warming unnoticed and has not been updated in 20 years.

EDIT

http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-19/1178522060321960.xml&storylist=orlocal

Well, that figures. This government is about 20 years behind reality on warming, so why not? :puke:

[EC]

1. I noticed on my seed packets WI is now in zone 4

where we used to be zone 5. In fact there was no longer a zone 5 on the seed packet...

[Eurobabe]

2. I am not surprised, Germany's spring came a month early

and our winter was extremely mild. I think we are supposed to be a Zone 6, but last winter was definitely more like Zone 7

[NMDemDist2]

3. here's the different maps

frightening