Motz Nursery of Wisconsin

Gardeners need a way to compare their garden climates with the climate where a plant is known to grow well. That is why Hardiness Zones maps were created. Zone maps are tools that show where various permanent landscape plants can adapt. If you want a shrub, perennial or a tree to survive and grow year after year, the plant must tolerate year-round conditions in your area, such as the lowest and highest temperatures and the amount and distribution of rainfall. If hardiness zones are not followed, your shrub, tree or perennial may turn into an annual , meaning it may only stay alive for ONE growing season!

The USDA Hardiness Zones map is an indication for the average lowest temperature in each zone across the country, allowing for a better understanding of where different plants will survive the winter months. All you have to do is take a look at the maps below (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, South Dakota and North Dakota) and find the location where you will be planting on the map and then find the corresponding zone number. All of our trees, plants, shrubs have Zones listed. Please keep this in mind when ordering.

Some factors not incorporated into Hardiness Maps include: Summer heat levels (like heat waves), snow cover being used as an insulation, soil moisture, humidity, the number of days of frost, and the risk of catastrophic cold snaps or blizzards, winds, and other conditions might affect the viability of individual plants.