Southern Living magazine has established another zone classification system for the southeastern United States. The Southern Living zones are based around the USDA cold hardiness zones, but other factors besides temperature are considered in their ratings of plants. They have divided the South into five climatic zones:

Southern Living Zones
SL ZONE USDA ZONE LOW TEMPS EXAMPLE CITIES
Upper South zone 6 -10 to 0 degrees minimum Baltimore, Charleston WV, Louisville
Middle South upper region of zone 7 0 to 5 degrees minimum Washington DC, Chattanooga, Memphis, Little Rock
Lower South lower region of zone 7 and upper region of zone 8 5 to 15 degrees minimum Raleigh, Atlanta, Birmingham, Jackson MS, Dallas
Coastal South lower zone 8 and upper zone 9 15 to 25 degrees minimum Charleston SC, Tallahassee, Baton Rouge, Houston
Tropical South lower zone 9 and all of zone 10 25 to 40 degrees minimum Miami; Brownsville TX

"So what's the advantage of the Southern Living zones if they are based on USDA zones?", you might ask. Southern Living Zone Map The difference is not so much in the definition of the zones as in the way they are applied to the plant ratings. Southern Living has considered all the climatic factors of these zones when they rate a plant's ability to thrive in that zone. For example, they give full consideration to the different rain patterns along the Gulf coast, compared to inland areas of the "middle south".

In my opinion, the best general purpose reference for southern gardeners is the "Southern Living Garden Book". They list over 5000 plants (including specific cultivars) and give clear advise on cultural requirements and the Southern Living zone for each plant. I have compared their listings against my own experiences and found them to be quite consistent. This is available in soft cover at the major bookstore chains for $29.95.

There is also a companion, "Southern Living Garden Problem Solver" that is an excellent resource for southern gardeners. I was so impressed by these books that I signed up for the Oxmoor House free trial of 'Southern Living Annuals & Perennials". What a disappointment to find that it gives very little information on the plants and does not even list the Southern Living zones.

I have added the Southern Living zone ratings to my plant datasheets, for any plant listed in the Southern Living Garden Book. To see how they have rated a plant, click on "PLANTS" to pull up the list, then click on any plant with a hyperlink. You will find the Southern Living zone included with other data on the plant.

I would be very interested to hear from other southern gardeners who have tried out plants listed in the Southern Living Garden Book. Let me know what you think of their listings.
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