Hardiness ZoneThe purpose of the USDA Hardiness Zones map is for growers and gardeners to determine which plants will tolerate the area’s climatic conditions. The map’s basis is the minimum extreme temperature that can potentially occur, which is divided into 14 separate zones across the country. Gwinnett County is in Zone 7b, meaning that the winter temperatures could drop to five to 10 degrees, although the occurrence is quite rare. Zone 7b is too far north for some plants, such as citrus plants, which prefer the hardiness zones in Central and Southern Florida. Georgia’s coastal counties are in zone 8b, meaning the temperature could drop to as low as 15 to 20 degrees. Plants that thrive on the coast and the rest of South Georgia, such as oleanders and sago palms, could suffer in our zone during an extreme cold weather event. Most plants for sale at local garden centers…
