Flowers that are Appropriate for your Climate

You can't grow orchids in the Alaskan tundra, and you can't grow daffodils in the Amazon jungle. You need to buy bulbs that will survive in your climate. You do this by knowing what hardiness zone you live in.

Hardiness zones are rated from 1 to 11, where 11 represents a Tropical climate and 1 is an Artic climate. (They are sometimes referred to as USDA zones because this rating system was developed by the United States Department of Agriculture).

Many nurseries provide zone ranges or limits in their descriptions of plants for sale. Similarly, I've provided a range for each type of flower I discuss. Thus, Giant Dutch Crocuses typically thrive in zones 4 - 8, while Flame Anemones are normally happiest in zones 8 - 9.

Examine the maps below to find what zone you live in:

Zones for Canada and USA

Zones for Western Europe

Zones for Australia

If you are "geographically challenged", you can access The Plant Place, select the name of the town you live in, and you will be provided with the hardiness zone number for that location.

Another useful reference is the USDA Hardiness Zones site, provided by Ohio State University.

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Page created and maintained by A. Steinbergs

Last modified: May 4, 2006