Hardiness Zone

Definition

A hardiness zone is a geographic region defined by typical winter lows, used to guide which plants will survive. Seed and nursery labels usually refer to some version of these zones. Citrus and tropical fruit generally need frost-free or nearly frost-free conditions, while peaches, apricots, pears and plums need a cold winter and perform best in temperate regions. A zone is only a starting point, so check local advice. See also: Chill hours, Rootstock, and the guide "Growing Yellow Fruit Trees at Home: Getting Started".