Central and Southern Europe, Asia, and Africa are home to a wide variety of plants. A plant placement company known as a plant zone identifies locations based on climate, elevation, and other features.
Nashville is a unique location due to its close proximity to both the Southern and Eastern Plant Zones. It is in the Western subzone of the Central Zone which boasts cooler climate plants such as trees, vines, and herbs.
The Western subzone of the Central Zone is not as prevalent as the Eastern or Southern zones, making Nashville an ideal location for new plantings.
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How to determine your zone
There are four different zones of earth. In addition to land, there are north, north central, south central, and southern. Each zone has its own weather and seasons, as well as differences in flora and fauna.
When speaking about plants for either beginner or advanced patients, first determine your plant zone. This is very important as only plants that thrive in your plant zone will succeed in your care.
The four plant zones are: grasslands, prairies, forests, and seas. While none of these territories look like the movie Texas Chainsaw Massacre, that is what the terms represent.
Grasslands are considered very dry and harsh places to find plants. Prairie areas do not experience typical seasons such as rainy or sunny, which effects growth. Instead, they have solstices and equinoxes when plant growth occurs.
The lower your latitude the higher your zone
This is due to the fact that more heat-related injuries occur. Because of this, countries at or below 60 degrees latitude have higher plant zone ratios than those with a plant zone ratio of greater than 60 degrees.
A plant zone ratio of 1:2 is the norm in the U.S. and Canada, for example, where we are normally moved by our parents and grandparents to shady places to grow foliage.
But because we are in the middle of summer now, we want more leaves and canopy growth than you would at a normal time of year. This is why so many people are excited about pecan tree development this year!
A 1:2 plant ratio is not only appropriate during summer growth spurts, it is necessary! Plants require adequate space to develop foliage and/or withstand drought or winter weather conditions to achieve their goals.
The north your zone number gets bigger
As you move south in the plant zone, called lower vegetation zone or vineyard zone, trees and vines become smaller and less pronounced.
This is because more space needs to be maintained for plants to grow! As you move further south in the plant zone, there is a decreasing amount of vegetation until no vegetation exists except for flowers.
These areas are called dry forests or mesas. These are very rare places where vegetation remains, making them even more precious to protect.
Dry forests can have tree coverage that reaches almost two stories high with rare branches that reach above the ground.
Example: Seattle plant zone
Most plants do not thrive in the temperate to mid winter weather typical for the south. Some specific plants are highly vulnerable to cold temperatures, and not all winter plant species are vulnerable.
However, if you are planning on having winter plant culture, then you must be prepared. Many winter plant species require a year or more of practicing your culture before they show signs of growth. This includes creating a spot for them to flourish, creating a filtered light source for them, and providing adequate water and dieting.
Some examples of wintersim that thrives in low temperatures are philodendrons, rhododendrons, azaleas, and silver maple trees. These plants do well by being consistently watered and maintained.
What if I don’t know my latitude?
If you do not know your latitude, it is important to know what plant zone your home or apartment complex is in. This information can be found on the Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Latitude is a hard factor to measure when trying to determine which plant zone you live in. Some places latitude does not equal plant zone, because plants do not grow well in cold temperatures.
This is where longitude comes into play. Longitude is the degree to which a place goes into or outside, depending on what you want to say for example greenhouses or plants.
If you have plants that are outside of their place of origin, they may need to be moved into a better location where they receive more light and moisture.
Online tool to find your latitude
Once your location is determined, use the online tool to find your planting zone. This is called a planting zone map and it helps you decide if your area is right for your plants.
It can be a little tricky at first to figure out which plants are suitable for your area, but with a little trial and error, you will find it. Some examples of planting zones are: wild wild forests, open fields, urban areas, and of course, the natural forest.
If you are very close to one of these areas, then go ahead and try it! It will most likely work out for you because you put enough energy into it.
These areas are very special because they contain little pockets of naturally healthy soil and climate change does not occur there often. It is extremely valuable to have such an area that grows unique plants that cannot be found anywhere else.
Planting zones and the sun
In a world where we are constantly surrounded by information, it can be difficult to determine how best to take care of the plants in your home. There are five plant zones in a sense, and the sun or lack thereof for watering depends on which one you are in.
The plant zone refers to where in your house or apartment the sun goes during the day. How much shade you get from a given plant’s size depends on how much room you have and how much you pay for it.
The size of plants you get in comparison to how much space they deserve is called plant freedom. When looking at plants with freedom, it is important that you look up and down as well as side to side.
As seen in the picture below, some plants may appear bigger when viewed from above than they do from below. This is called plant perspective.
What is a good plant for my area?
When looking at plants for your area, it is important to determine what zone they are in. The plant is in and how well they perform in your area.
Zone refers to the climate in which it exists. There are four major climates that zone refers to, namely cold, warm, hot and extreme hot or cold. When it comes to plants, those who do well in these climates have successful plants.
When looking at plants, you should determine if they are winter hardy, sun or shade therapy, and if they are fragrant or not. Those who do not need Winter protection are those that do not freeze during the winter, such as succulents and palms.
Winter hardy Plants: These require a USDA plant hardiness map to determine if it winterly protected or not.