USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2012. Agricultural Research Service, North CarolinaU.S. Department of Agriculture. Accessed from http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/.

My North Carolina perennial garden is still 7b.

A new 2012 edition of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) is available. Based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, the map is divided into 10-degree F zones, and can be used to select appropriate plants for growing in a particular location. The values for pbmGarden are:

• Zone: 7b
• Average Temperature (F): 8.8
• Range (F): 5 to 10

Update January 31, 2012. Interesting article in today’s paper: Warmth-loving plants find N.C. just balmy – Health/Science – NewsObserver.com.