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What Planting Zone Is Iowa In?
What Planting Zone Is Iowa In?. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed the hardiness zone -- commonly referred to as the plant zone -- in the 1920s as a reference for farmers and gardeners. The department has updated the map regularly over the years.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed the hardiness zone -- commonly referred to as the plant zone -- in the 1920s as a reference for farmers and gardeners. The department has updated the map regularly over the years.
Purpose
The zones display winter hardiness categories in which plants are capable of growing. Iowa has three hardiness zones: 4, 5 and 6. A gardener knows to look for plants capable of growing in his particular zone.
Distribution
The state of Iowa features regions of high and low elevation; these regions receive a lower or higher zonal number based on lowest average winter temperatures. The elevated area of northeast Iowa rates zone 4. The low-lying Mississippi Valley area in southeast Iowa rates zone 6. Most of central Iowa is zone 5.
Meaning
Zone 4 means that the winter average low is -20 F through -30 F. Zone 5 is slightly warmer, at -10 F through -20 F and zone 6 is the highest for Iowa with winter average lows of 0 F through -10 F.
