Native Ranges & Hardiness Zones
- Plants will grow outside of their native range, as long as the growing conditions and the temperatures are aligned with the plant requirements.
- Hardiness zones and native ranges are two separate methods, and both of them speak to the temperate conditions of a location. It's not necesssary to use them both, you may use either one or the other.
Native Range
A plant’s native range is the region where a plant species has a historic presence and known to grow naturally. When browsing for plants on our website, use the “Native Range” filtering option to see a list of plants that are native in your State. Each native plant on our website also includes a "Range Map" which shows the species distribution at a county level. These maps are an excellent reference for restoration landscaping. For gardening – as a temperate zone indicator – it is not necessary to acheive pinpoint accuracy. Native plants will and do grow outside of these boundaries.
Hardiness Zone
Many gardeners are familiar with the USDA Hardiness Zone designations, and we've include "Zones" as a filtering option on our website. Hardiness Zones represent geographical areas of the United States defined by the average minimum winter temperatures.
In order to get the full benefits, beauty and pleasure from your native plants, choose plants that are well suited to the growing conditions at your location. Plants that are a good fit for the site conditions will create a sustainable garden that flourishes without additional resources, for years to come.
