| Alachua, FL (August 11, 2022) – Climate can have a considerable influence on plant growth and productivity. When planting mast orchards to increase the number and diversity of wildlife species on a property, it’s important to select varieties best suited to the local climate and environment. Southern areas are naturally warmer, with longer growing seasons. Chestnut Hill Outdoors has a diverse array of hard and soft mast-producing trees and shrubs that will produce in a range of habitats, including some better suited to southern areas.
The first step in determining which species best suits local climate conditions is consulting the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Chestnut Hill Outdoors has already done that for their customers, identifying optimal zones for all their stock. They also check all orders to ensure plants are appropriate for their destination and vary shipment timing depending on the plant zone destination.
It’s also important to consider micro-climate. Variations in elevation, slope, aspect and even proximity to bodies of water can all result in subtler, more localized temperature variations.
The micro-climate of a low-lying pocket with a northern aspect in zone 6 may be closer to zone 4. Conversely, gently sloping hillsides with a southern aspect, where cold air drains off, may replicate warmer zone conditions.
The following are some selections suitable for more northern habitats, including zones 5-10.
Hard Mast
The top choices for southern zones would be swamp chestnut, Shumard, overcup, willow and sawtooth oaks and Dunstan Chestnut. Nuttall, swamp white and white oak might also do well in moderate climates (zones 4-8) or cooler micro-climates.
Soft Mast
Deer Candy would be the top choice for persimmons, with American coming in a close second. For pears, Flordahome, Hood and Leconte are the best choices for warmer zones, with Thanksgiving, Kieffer, Pineapple, Baldwin and Spalding pears being better suited to moderate climates. Chickasaw Plums are better suited to warmer areas, as are Black and Everbearing mulberries, all of which also form a dense thicket of cover. Pink Lady is best adapted to warmer zones among apples, but Winesap and Southern Crabapples will also do well.
USDA Plant Hardiness Plant Zone Map Link: http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/
Chestnut Hill Outdoors is more than just a nursery. In order to ensure you receive the maximum benefit from their products, they also provide sound advice and instruction on proper planting and care. And they ensure the plants you receive are suited to your regional climate. For more on the varieties listed above and all Chestnut Hill Outdoors products and how to care for them, visit ChestnutHillOutdoors.com, or call (855) 386-7826. |
