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Cool photos and thanks for posting. I really like the look of the second photo. That looks subtropical to me.
I was looking at hardiness maps for NZ, and that is why I thought you were in 9A. The vast majority of the South Island is zone 8, same as Midland and Dothan. Only the coastal fringes on the South Island are in zone 9. But again, you don't have the risk of extreme variation from your avg winter min like they would.
Thanks, I just used some off a friend's camera. I will have to get one of my own one day, as well as high speed internet (Try 4 kb a second)
The 9 zone in all coastal areas would be due to lack of reliable data and therefore using data from centres, which are all on the flats. OC temperatures would not be an every year event ( I'm guessing 1 year in 5 and even then, only just) in a lot of the coastal areas around here, but surprisingly also some inland areas at altitude, where there are some quite remarkable frost free zones with vegetation almost exclusively of the immediate coastal type.
The US South has the potential to always look lush and green - if the effort is made. Below is a picture of Charleston, South Carolina with evergreen oak and magnolia trees, along with a Canary Island date palm, mixed in with assorted smaller everygreens - taken in late autumn/early winter.
In Hawaii, for instance, there are parts of western Oahu that you'd swear were photos of flatland Kansas, with dead-looking yellowish-brown grasses and other low-level vegetation - and not a palm tree in sight.
The US South has the potential to always look lush and green - if the effort is made. Below is a picture of Charleston, South Carolina with evergreen oak and magnolia trees, along with a Canary Island date palm, mixed in with assorted smaller everygreens - taken in late autumn/early winter.
In Hawaii, for instance, there are parts of western Oahu that you'd swear were photos of flatland Kansas, with dead-looking yellowish-brown grasses and other low-level vegetation - and not a palm tree in sight.
I realize Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, New Orleans, etc look subtropical in winter, however my OP was more about places well inland like Dothan, AL or Columbia, SC.
CIDP's grow well in Charleston from everything I've heard.
Another photo show mid winter conditions and grass growth on the western side of the region. That would be the most sluggish the growth would get there, with mowing on the verges by August.
Another photo show mid winter conditions and grass growth on the western side of the region. That would be the most sluggish the growth would get there, with mowing on the verges by August.
tom77falcons: "I like those palm trees. What kind are those?"
They're ★Nikau/Shaving Brush palms from New Zealand.
★ rhopalostylis sapida
This is one growing in San Clemente, California ⇧
⇧ More mature Nikau Palms growing along a slope in San Diego, California
This palm grows all the way up to San Francisco, reaching impressive heights
⇧ Still more Shaving Brush/Nikau Palms growing along a "jungle road"
in Southern California - note the purple-bloomed Jacaranda Tree in the right-side
background and the Fishtail Palm in the extreme left-side corner
They are impressive palms. I highly doubt they would survive in the Southeast USA, and I've never seen any there. They would probably survive in South Florida.
I'm impressed that they can grow in your region Joe since your avg lowest winter temp is in the lower 20'sF. They seem to be a palm that only grows in zone 10 here(coastal California).
The US South has the potential to always look lush and green - if the effort is made. Below is a picture of Charleston, South Carolina with evergreen oak and magnolia trees, along with a Canary Island date palm, mixed in with assorted smaller everygreens - taken in late autumn/early winter.
In Hawaii, for instance, there are parts of western Oahu that you'd swear were photos of flatland Kansas, with dead-looking yellowish-brown grasses and other low-level vegetation - and not a palm tree in sight.
Am curious what you mean by "if the effort is made"? Do you think people there are not planting the right plants for greeness in winter?
Tom: "Am curious what you mean by "if the effort is made"? Do you think people there are not planting the right plants for greeness in winter?"
From my experience, many gardeners (what percentage I don't know) still prefer what I call "the New England Look". And that's true even in climate Zone 9, where I do my gardening. Come cooler weather, these gardeners desire the look of autumn colors in their landscape, and plant accordingly. Come winter, many of their yards look barren and dead. But...it's what they want.
So an effort does indeed need to be made on the part of enough gardeners, or a neighborhood, town, or city in Climate Zones 7, 8, and 9 will more than likely look like colder zones.
As well, any given town or city in Climate Zones 7,8, and 9 needs its town planners to invest the necessary funding for palm trees, live oaks, eucalyptus (mainly here in California) citrus, magnolias, and more. If they don't, the "New England" look will usually prevail.
From my experience, many gardeners (what percentage I don't know) still prefer what I call "the New England Look". And that's true even in climate Zone 9, where I do my gardening. Come cooler weather, these gardeners desire the look of autumn colors in their landscape, and plant accordingly. Come winter, many of their yards look barren and dead. But...it's what they want.
So an effort does indeed need to be made on the part of enough gardeners, or a neighborhood, town, or city in Climate Zones 7, 8, and 9 will more than likely look like colder zones.
As well, any given town or city in Climate Zones 7,8, and 9 needs its town planners to invest the necessary funding for palm trees, live oaks, eucalyptus (mainly here in California) citrus, magnolias, and more. If they don't, the "New England" look will usually prevail.
I've always suspected this. My region of the country has a similar obsession with the "New England" look. Although in our case, there are very few broad-leaved evergreens that could survive a winter here.
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