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italian gardening zones
...in your american garden
by Laura Pazzaglia
Did you know that you could grow the same plants you find in Rome in Los
Angeles, Venice in Dallas, Trento in Chicago and Palermo in Honolulu?
Are you in "The Zone"?
USDA Hardiness
Zone Finder
Find your zone using the map below or enter your zip code.
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Seasoned gardeners are familiar with the USDA Hardiness Zone map. Every seed-packet and plant tag will list a zone, or range of zones, where the plant can thrive. This tells the gardner "down" to what temperature a plant can survive the winter. The USDA map lists 10 zones of "average annual minimum temperatures" to gauge winter hardiness for plants. These temperatures were calculated on the lowest temperatures recorded for from 1974 to 1986 in the US, CAnada and Mexico. The last zone, zone 11, represents areas that have an average minimum temperatures above 40 F (4.4 C).
If you don't know your growing zone. Find it in the USDA
map or look it up using the Zone Finder. Then, you can see what regions in Italy
they correspond in the Italian map that we designed, below.
Veggies, Fruits & Herbs by Zone
Here is a list of popular Italian Veggies and
Fruits and in what zones they can be grown. Note that if the plant is an
"annual" it can be grown in any zone as it will only survive one season and need
to be replanted next year. Some plants, although perennial (will survive for
many years) in warmer zones can still be used as annuals in colder areas.
There is a little trick that is both beautiful and very Italian to growing plants outside of your zone... plant it in a pot and drag it indoors for the winter!
ZONE
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PLANTS
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| 4 | Apple, Asparagus, Chamomile, Grapes, Mint, Pear,
Pine Nuts, Plums, Strawberries, Walnut |
| 5 | Apple, Apricot, Asparagus, Chamomile, Chestnut,
Grapes, Mint, Peaches, Pear, Persimmon, Pine Nuts, Plums, Strawberries,
Walnut |
| 6 | Almond,
Apple, Apricot, Asparagus, Chamomile, Chestnut,
Grapes, Mint, Peaches, Pear, Persimmon, Pine Nuts, Plums, Saffron,
Strawberries, Walnut |
| 7 | Alden, Apple, Apricot, Asparagus, Chamomile,
Chestnut, Grapes, Mint, Peaches, Pear, Persimmon, Pine Nuts,
Plums, Saffron, Strawberries, Walnut |
| 8 | Alden, Apple, Apricot, Artichoke, Asparagus,
Cardoon, Chamomile, Chestnut, Fennel, Fig, Grapes,
Oregano, Mint, Peaches, Pear, Persimmon, Pine Nuts, Plums,
Prickly Pear, Saffron, Strawberries, Bay, Walnut |
| 9 | Alden, Apple, Apricot, Artichoke, Asparagus,
Cardoon, Capers, Chamomile, Chives, Chestnut, Citrus Fruits (Lemon,
Orange, etc.), Fennel, Fig, Grapes, Kiwi, Oregano, Mint, Olive,
Peaches, Pear, Persimmon, Pine Nuts, Plums, Pomegranate, Prickly
Pear, Saffron, Sage, Strawberries, Bay, Walnut |
| 10 | Avocado, Capers, Chamomile, Chives, Citrus Fruits
(Lemon, Orange, etc.), Eggplant, Fig, Grapes, Kiwi, Oregano,
Mint, Olive, Peppers, Pine Nuts, Plums, Pomegranate,
Prickly Pear, Sage, Strawberries, Bay, Tomatoes |
| 11 | Avocado, Chives, Citrus Fruits (Lemon, Orange,
etc.), Eggplant, Grapes, Kiwi, Oregano, Mint, Olive,
Peppers, Prickly Pear, Sage, Strawberries Tomatoes, |
| all | Artichoke*, Arugula, Avocado (as indoor house plant),
Basil, Beans, Broccoli, Cardoon*, Chicory, Cauliflower, Chives*,
Cucumber, Fava Beans, Garlic, Melon, Squash, Eggplant*, Spinach,
Lettuce, Onions, Oregano*, Mint*, Nasturtium*, Olive, Parsley*, Peppers*,
Prickly Pear, Radicchio, Rosemary* (dies down during winter in colder
zones), Sage*, Thyme*, Tomatoes*, Zucchini |
* Can be grown in all zones as an Annual but is a Perennial in warmer zones.
See Also:
References:
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