How to Plant in Temperature Zones

Expect the coldest temperatures in zone 1. The low temperature is -50 F. Plant hardy trees such as netleaf willow or dwarf birch. Black crowberry, quaking aspen, Pennsylvania cinquefoil also grow well here, as well as the shrub Lapland rhododendron.

Experience temperatures as low as -50 F to -40 F in zone 2. The paper birch, silverberry, bunchberry, eastern larch, bearberry, shrubby cinquefoil and American cranberry-bush grow well in this region.

Plant sugar maples, Siberian crabapples, eastern white pines, American arborvitae and common juniper in zone 3. This region, which includes the very northernmost points of the United States (parts of North Dakota, Minnesota and Montana) experiences lows between -40 F to -30 F. As for smaller plants, panicle hydrangea, Indian azalea, and Virginia creeper grow well.

Use plants such as Japanese barberry, Chinese juniper, Norway maple, Japanese yew and Arnold crabapple when you're planting in zone 4. The temperatures get -30 F to -20 F in the northern parts of New York, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. Sections of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota are also in zone 4. Boston ivy, mollis azalea and Dutchman's pipe can also grow there.

Entice gorgeous blooms with a flowering dogwood, hybrid rhododendron or multiflora rose in zone 5 (Iowa, Nebraska, Maine). Japanese maple, winter creeper, crape myrtle and Oregon hollygrape can also sustain lows ranging from -20 F to -10 F.

Grow American holly or English ivy in zone 6, which has low temperatures between -10 F and 0 F. States include Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Common boxwood, Atlas cedar, Cherry-laurel and English yew also grow well in this region.

Put azalea in the ground if you live in zone 7, which includes most of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia. Two types can survive in low temperatures of 0 F to 10 F -- roseshell azalea and Kurame azalea. English holly, monkey puzzle and Japanese aucubs are also good choices. As for trees, bigleaf maple grow well in this region.

Grow your own fruit in zone 8, with lows between 10 F and 20 F. States such as Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina fall in this region. Strawberry tree, kiwifruit, black mulberry, Mexican orange and jelly palm grow in this zone. Other plants include New Zealand daisy-bush, laurustinus, and rhododendron 'Loderi King George'.

Make your own produce in zone 9, which includes the southern parts of Texas and Florida. Tree tomato, sugar apple, carob, citrus fruits, natal plum and asparagus fern grow in this area. Fuchsia, Tasmanian blue gum, California pepper tree, and Australian brush-cherry can also handle 20 F to 30 F lows.

Opt for tropical plants in Zone 10. The lows are typically above freezing, with temperatures between 30 F and 40 F. Mamey Apple, mango coffee, lipstick tree, cinnamon and lemon-scented gum grow here. Royal palm, golden shower and rubber plant can also be planted.

Put plants that can sustain the hottest temperatures in Zone 11. Lows rarely dip below 40 F. Consider planting cola nut, mangosteen, langsat, breadfruit and Brazil nut.