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Deciduous climax trees in southernmost Scandinavia, especially in Denmark and Southern Sweden.
A small area along the southern coast of Norway have oak (Quercus robur) as climax tree.
That's true as well. Birch and linden will become the main climax species here if the climate continues changing. In the archipelago you might find oak as a climax tree.
Well then the question is what is the difference between the climax community in Rome vs Atlanta.
Dunno. I'm rather sure Savanah would look more subtropical. I'm not that familiar with Italian vegetation. Looking a random forested streetview in the countryside outside each city.
Now Rome. In Italy the land use is high, it appears almost of the low lands have lost their forests; forests are in the hills and mountains with old growth in remote high elevation locations. This isn't that high elevation (about 300 m) and in public land:
Native vegetation of Rome area is not "subtropical" or subtropical looking.
Native trees are mostly deciduous: maple, alder, beech, ash, hornbeam, poplar, willow, linden, elm. Evergreen native trees include various types of oaks. Native shrubs are hawthorn, dogwood, holly, box, strawberry tree, juniper, rosemary, phillyrea, viburnum.
Rome is definitely the answer, though neither area is "subtropical". Rome is definitely warmer in the winter.
Rome is Mediterranean in feel and most similar to Coastal California.
Atlanta is like pretty much like the entire eastern half of the U.S., adjusted for latitude. It isn't remotely Mediterranean at all.
Neither is Savanah, Georgia but Savannah's obviously more subtropical than either. Mediterranean is very different from humid subtropical, which is what first comes to my mind for me when I hear "subtropical". Rome winter averages are about the same as Atlanta.
Native vegetation of Rome area is not "subtropical" or subtropical looking.
Native trees are mostly deciduous: maple, alder, beech, ash, hornbeam, poplar, willow, linden, elm. Evergreen native trees include various types of oaks. Native shrubs are hawthorn, dogwood, holly, box, strawberry tree, juniper, rosemary, phillyrea, viburnum.
There is no such thing as "subtropical vegetation" to begin with, so it is pointless to argue Atlanta or Rome has a certain climate based on plant species. Not to mention these cities are on different continents. If this was a thread debating whether Virginia Beach or Nashville, TN was more subtropical, I could argue that VA Beach was more subtropical because it is within the range of live oak (Quercus virginiana), widely considered to be a subtropical species. However, Europe and North America have entirely different plant species, so this comparison cannot be made.
I lived in far southeastern Florida for 12 years. The subtropical plants, trees and flowers that grow in that area would never survive here. In fact, today here in Atlanta, I saw a small palm tree planted in someone's yard. It was quite dead! A couple of years ago Atlanta had several inches of snow and some very cold temps (remember "Snowmageddon" when cars were backed up for miles on the interstate for 8 hours?). Many bushes that normally survive the winter here died that year.
There is no such thing as "subtropical vegetation" to begin with
I think the deep south has a uniquely beautiful biome. But you're right that it's not inherent feature of subtropical climates, but probably just that particular region.
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