The same plant in different hardiness zones. Plants which are grown as annuals or houseplants are actually weeds or grow huge in other areas.
Have you ever noticed the same plant growing in different hardiness zones? I was fortunate enough to take a vacation recently starting in Hawaii (zone 12) and then Sonoma County California (zone 9). Of course, I had to take a few plant pics of all the beautiful flowers I came across. I was especially fascinated to see many familiar beauties, that look a whole lot different from those grown in my zone 6 garden.
Same Plant Different Hardiness Zones
It may seem obvious to some, but I was intrigued by the growth on the some of the same plants I have seen, or even grown here in PA. Of course there were many palms and gorgeous tropical plants that I've never seen. That's what I expected.
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But while driving to our hotel in Hawaii, I was amazed at the size of the Bougainvillea. I remember my mother often bought a nice hanging planter of this pretty vine for the summer.
Little did I know that it actually grows into a huge shrub in Hawaii.
Here are two different colors growing together to form a huge hedge about 5 feet tall.
This massive planting of Laua'e fern made a little more sense to me. I've seen this pretty fern sold as a houseplant at the nursery. Such a beauty in it's native habitat.
When we met up with our family in Sonoma I noticed several familiar plants such as butterfly bushes, which were growing like weeds everywhere you looked. I guess that's why they are so easy to grow here.
Zonal geraniums growing 4 feet tall, outside a pretty vineyard.
Wild fennel growing everywhere along the roadside.
And while I seem to have to plant a new rosemary every year, this one is really flourishing outside the hardware store.
Finally, I just had to comment on the amount of jasmine that was planted everywhere. The smell was so sweet it made you look around to see where that fabulous scent was coming from.
If you live in the US and are interested in learning more about your zone, or places you visit, you can easily find it on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. This number is super helpful when planning your garden and can usually be found on nursery tags.
However, after reading this article you may agree that many plants can grow in a variety of zones. They may not live as long, or grow as robust, but they can still be enjoyed for a season or in the home.
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