WASHINGTON (7News) — If you’ve been gardening in the D.C., Maryland, or Virginia area for a while, you may have noticed something subtle—but important—changing. Plants that used to struggle are suddenly thriving. Others seem confused by milder winters.
That’s not your imagination. It’s climate change—and it’s literally redrawing the map of what we can grow.
The Big Picture: Planting Zones Are Moving
Plant hardiness zones are the backbone of gardening in the U.S. They’re based on the average coldest temperature each area experiences over a 30-year period. Additionally, those USDA zones are based on the coldest temperatures a plant can withstand, not summer heat, making them a reliable guide for perennial plants, trees, and shrubs.
According to Climate Central:…