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It's probably the plant types that are endemic to North America as opposed to places like New Zealand or even most of Europe. You also have to keep in mind that the combination of dormant vegetation and no snow is the most surefire way for a place to look "dead" (in my opinion anyway).
Doesn't southern China, similar climate as the US South, have more broadleaf evergreen vegetation? I'm not sure the vegetation should be so dormant given the mild temps for winter. The avg temps in Rome are colder than this area. Rome also drops between 25f and 30f each winter. Rome looks more green and veg looks more subtropical.
Colder extreme lows would play a big role. Many places that are subtropical, have been quick to adopt Eucalyptus and Acacia species, but I can't see any there. Temps much below about -10 C/15F would be about the limit for most species. The same would apply to flowering plants, with most winter flowering plants being even more tender. Few flowering plants would mean less insect activity as well, which would make a place seem more winterish.
Geography would play a part as well. NZ's subtropical fauna is a legacy of it's past and even though it has experienced recent ice ages and almost total inundation at times, plants from Australia, SE Asia and the Pacific have been quick to recolonize. Most Temperate/deciduous species do well here as well.
By the standard of places where average winter temps should support a wide range of subtropical vegetation, the US SE and South, has an extreme climate.
Doesn't southern China, similar climate as the US South, have more broadleaf evergreen vegetation? I'm not sure the vegetation should be so dormant given the mild temps for winter. The avg temps in Rome are colder than this area. Rome also drops between 25f and 30f each winter. Rome looks more green and veg looks more subtropical.
Interesting questions, but my guess is that most of the difference is due to the differences between North American plants and European or Asian plants. You can refer to the observed differences in color between American grass (brown) and European grass (green) as an example.
It should be noted that a lack of bitter cold doesn't necessarily mean that a place will have rampant growth. It should also be noted that the 1990 hardiness zone map for your area indicates an average minimum of around 5F, not 25F, so the natural vegetation's hardiness will be closer to 5F than 25F.
Don't have much to add, basically agreeing with others that it's the grass type that basically becomes straw-like in the winter.
Here are some old pics I took that make the South look downright depressing during cloudy days. Maybe you'll be able to discern the plant types, but perhaps not because the pics are crappy:
I think it all comes down to the native vegetation and what is planted in an area. I'm sure that area could support a lot more palm trees/subtropical vegetation if people planted it there. If people planted deciduous trees or if they are endemic to the area, that makes a big difference.
As an example, the UK doesn't have any large trees natively like we have in the PNW and its native tree species look more like the NE US. However, many of our native tree species actually grow better over there than they do here from what I've heard.
There are many Live Oak and similar evergreen oaks in the deep south of the US, but they are not everywhere. Warm grasses go dormant (turn brown) in winter, and in areas where there are more numerous deciduous growth, it looks barren.
I personally like the loblolly and long leaf pines which account for roughly 60% of trees in my area (E. No. Carolina) - the green is still present all winter, and is less depressing.
Colder extreme lows would play a big role. Many places that are subtropical, have been quick to adopt Eucalyptus and Acacia species, but I can't see any there. Temps much below about -10 C/15F would be about the limit for most species. The same would apply to flowering plants, with most winter flowering plants being even more tender. Few flowering plants would mean less insect activity as well, which would make a place seem more winterish.
Geography would play a part as well. NZ's subtropical fauna is a legacy of it's past and even though it has experienced recent ice ages and almost total inundation at times, plants from Australia, SE Asia and the Pacific have been quick to recolonize. Most Temperate/deciduous species do well here as well.
By the standard of places where average winter temps should support a wide range of subtropical vegetation, the US SE and South, has an extreme climate.
90% of winter nights don't go lower than the upper 20'sF. The avg annual winter min is around 20F for that area. In the last five years, only one night went down to 18F, with a couple winters no lower than around 23F. These temps seem quite capable of supporting many diff palm trees as well as subtropical foliage.
Average temps from NOAA
I'm thinking maybe the extreme summer heat and humidity is not conducive to subtropical vegetation that can take temps down to the low 20's in winter. The grass in the UK would never survive in this area due to the summer heat, yet in the UK their grass would still be lush green with a min low temp of 28f which is all this area has seen this winter. Wouldn't Canary Island Date Palms be able to survive one night a year down to 18F-20F? I would think so.
Joe, maybe the extreme summer is the cause, and not the winter temps that are in the range of your area.
I found a couple of other pics tonight taken during this hostage drama. They tend to show more green.
It must be warm enough for short sleeves.
Last edited by tom77falcons; 02-05-2013 at 11:04 PM..
Don't have much to add, basically agreeing with others that it's the grass type that basically becomes straw-like in the winter.
Here are some old pics I took that make the South look downright depressing during cloudy days. Maybe you'll be able to discern the plant types, but perhaps not because the pics are crappy:
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