Climatic zones of Russia and Europe. Frost resistance zones, USDA zones, temperature values ​​What does frost resistance mean in flowers 4 9

The main factor determining the choice of new perennials for the garden is the climate. It is especially important to know whether this species will overwinter in a given region or not. In nurseries, a frost hardiness zone is usually indicated for each plant. From it you can find out how low temperatures a plant can withstand and decide whether it is worth buying.

What are hardiness zones?

Initially, the definition of climatic zones for frost resistance was developed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the needs of agriculture. 13 climate zones have been identified based on the minimum winter temperatures by region. Then the system was refined and improved. The data is summarized in the following table:

All zones in the US and Canada have been marked on the maps, taking into account mountain climate zones and coastal areas. Later, frost resistance zones were also determined for Europe.

For Russia, they are indicated approximately and are not a recommendation for growing certain types of plants. However, every gardener must know which climatic zone of frost resistance his region belongs to, so as not to be disappointed in the spring.

A more detailed map of winter hardiness zones for the European part of Russia:

for China:

for Ukraine:

for Belarus:

Factors that determine the zone of frost resistance

The specific minimum winter temperatures in the region depend on the geographical latitude, on the relief, on proximity to the ocean and air humidity.

Geographic latitude determines the amount of solar radiation that the earth's surface receives. In the southern regions, it is larger, so the climate is hotter there. But this is not at all the determining factor. According to the geographical latitude, London is located north of Kyiv, but in Kyiv there are often twenty-degree frosts in winter and it belongs to the 5th zone, and in the south of England the grass turns green in winter. The south of England is classified as hardiness zone 9 due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the warm Gulf Stream. In Kyiv, the climate is close to continental, with dry summers and frosty winters.

The southern coast of Crimea belongs to zone 7, and the steppe Crimea to zone 6. The mountains protect the coast from northern winds, so palm trees, cypresses, wisteria and magnolias grow on the coast, and in other parts of the peninsula they freeze in winter.

The frost resistance zones of Europe are distributed rather than from north to south, but from west to east - this is how the Atlantic affects the climate. Winters in Eastern Europe are noticeably harsher than in Western Europe.

Local conditions affecting the winter hardiness of plants

Do local conditions always correspond to the climate zone in terms of frost resistance? This question can be answered by many garden plant nursery owners. Surely they will confirm that even within their region, some varieties acclimatize perfectly and develop normally in certain areas, while in neighboring ones, literally at a distance of 50 km, there are serious problems with wintering.

This is due to the terrain, the height of the snow cover in winter, and the proximity of large water bodies. For example, Quebec in Canada is in zone 4, but plants grown there are designed for zones 5 or 6. The peculiarity of Quebec is that the height of the snow cover is always high there and there are no large temperature fluctuations. Snow serves as a reliable protection for plants.

Another example is the small village of Waxmund in the Polish Carpathians, where temperatures often drop to -35°C in winter, where the record for the lowest winter temperature for the region is -49°C. It is located near Krakow, where the average winter temperature is -5.5°C, and the minimum record was recorded in 1929 and it is only -32°C. The fact is that it is in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthis village that cold and heavy air masses from the mountains descend down the slopes, creating such a paradox.

Climatic zone and plant features

When choosing new plants for your garden, you should take into account not only the winter hardiness zone, but also the characteristics of these species. Very often, perennials for the 4th frost resistance zone do not withstand the milder winters of the 5th or 6th zone. Why is this happening?

When making a decision before buying, it is useful to carefully study the properties of the plant and recommendations for care. An example is the features of growing some ( , ). They often do not tolerate winter, but this is not due to frost. The reason is prolonged thaws. These groundcovers do not like excess moisture in cold soil. If the winter is frosty without thaws, everything is fine; if frosts alternate with thaws, they will not overwinter. The problem can be solved by planting them on slopes where water does not linger.

USDA hardiness zones

The specified climatic zoning of territories is an artificial division of places for growing plants, based on the ability of plants to survive in winter conditions. This division is based on a long-term study of winter temperatures.

The assignment of a plant to a particular zone is based on knowledge of the variety's requirements for growth and development conditions. However, even in the same zone, climatic conditions are not the same. It is well known that the south side of the house is always warmer, and in a place protected from the winds (for example, a courtyard or urban development), even the largest "sissies" can grow. Therefore, the given zoning of plant varieties is rather conditional.
With the help of the correct placement of plants (in a warm and calm place), as well as the use of covering materials (spunbond, foliage, spruce branches, hilling, etc.) and “laying” shoots to the ground for the winter, you can increase the climatic zone of your site by 1-2 units. Improvement of the soil regime also helps in this (for example, the introduction of clay on sandy soils, the application of organic fertilizers, the soil being covered with manure, mulching with sawdust, peat, etc.). Then, for example, in the conditions of the third climatic zone, it is possible to grow varieties belonging to the fourth or fifth zone without any problems. In addition, special events, such as whitewashing fruit tree trunks in November, shading evergreens with covering material in February or from autumn, will help to avoid frost and sunburn in conditions of sudden temperature changes and weather changes.

Table of frost resistance zones:

Russia is a country that occupies a huge area. Many peoples and ethnic groups live on its territory. But, in addition to this, it is also subdivided into various climatic zones. Depending on this, various flora and fauna settle in different parts of the country. What are the climatic zones of Russia, according to what criteria is the division and what are the features of these zones - read about all this in the presented article.

Total number of climate zones

Initially, you need to understand how many climatic zones exist in general. So, in nature there are four of them (the countdown comes from the equator line):

• Tropical.
• Subtropical.
• Moderate.
• Polar

Generally speaking, the division into climatic zones occurs in accordance with the average temperature of the surface heating by the sun's rays. At the same time, it should be noted that such zoning took place on the basis of long-term observations and conclusions drawn from analytical data.

About the climatic zones of Russia

What are the climatic zones of Russia? The territory of the country is very large, which allowed it to be located in three of them. So, if we talk about belts, then there are three of them on the territory of Russia - moderate, arctic and subarctic. However, the natural and climatic zones of Russia are divided into meridians, of which there are 4 on the territory of the state, related to the 20th, 40th, 60th and 80th meridians. That is, there are four climatic zones, the fifth is called special.

Table of climatic zones

There are 4 climatic zones in Russia. The table is presented for easier perception of information:

Considering the climatic zones of Russia, it should be noted that most of the country is located in the arctic and subarctic zones. Also, quite a lot of territories occupy a moderate zone. There are not so many subtropics, it is less than 5% of the entire territory of Russia.

arctic climate

Considering the climatic zones of Russia should begin with the Arctic climate. It is characteristic for a special, and also partially 4th zone. Mostly arctic deserts and tundras are located here. The soil almost does not warm up, the sun's rays just glide over the surface, which prevents the flora from growing and developing. The fauna is also scarce, the reason for everything is the lack of food. Winter takes up most of the time, which is about 10 months. During the summer period, the soil does not have time to warm up, since the heat in the region of 0- + 3 ° C lasts no more than a couple of weeks. During the polar night, the temperature can drop to -60 °C. Precipitation is practically absent, it can only be in the form of snow.

subarctic climate

Widely distributed in Russia. So, it includes the 4th zone, as well as partially special and third. Winter is also long, cold, but less severe. Summer is short, but the average temperature is 5 degrees higher. Arctic cyclones cause strong winds, cloudiness, there are precipitations, but not heavy.

Temperate climate

The 3rd, as well as the 2nd climatic zone of Russia belong to a temperate climate. Covers most of the country. The seasons here are pronounced, there are spring, summer, autumn and winter. Temperatures can range from +30°C in summer to -30°C in winter. For convenience, scientists divide this zone of Russia into 4 more:

• Moderate continental. Summer is hot, winter is cold. Natural zones can replace each other from the steppes to the taiga. Atlantic air masses prevail.
• Continental. The temperature fluctuates from -25 °С in winter to +25 °С in summer. A large amount of precipitation. The zone is formed mainly by western air masses.
• Sharply continental. Partly cloudy, little precipitation. In summer, the soil warms up well, in winter it freezes deeply.
• Maritime as well as monsoonal climates. Strong winds are characteristic, which are called monsoons. Precipitation is heavy and there may be flooding. Summer is not hot, the average air temperature is +15...+20 °C. Winters are very cold, the air temperature can drop to -40 °C. In coastal areas, winter and summer are smoother.

subtropical climate

1 climatic zone of Russia partially covers a small area of ​​the country in the region of the Caucasus Mountains. Summer here is long, but not hot. In winter, the temperature does not fall below 0 °C. Due to the proximity of the mountains, there is quite a lot of precipitation, they are plentiful.

There are no tropics and the equatorial zone on the territory of Russia.

Road-climatic zones

Few people know, but there are also road-climatic zones in Russia. They are divided according to the features of the construction of roads for a certain territory (depending on temperatures, precipitation and other climatic indicators). In this section, you can find 5 zones.

The benefits of division into climatic zones

Why single out the climatic zones of Russia? Table 1 and Table 2 indicate that there are many of them. All this is for convenience. Thus, this division is important for many areas of activity and knowledge. Most often, such zoning is important:

• For tourism business, resort planning.
• When constructing buildings, roads (including railways), designing communications.
• When assessing the possibility of living in the area of ​​people.
• When planning the extraction of minerals, natural resources.
• When organizing agriculture, farming.

Well, speaking in general, knowledge of climatic zones helps many people improve their lives in various parts of the country. This knowledge helps many to optimize and master this or that territory for living. For example, cold areas are expensive, in a temperate climate it is best to breed livestock and grow useful vegetation.

Recently, the counters of shops and markets are full of exotic plants for our country. Yes, and familiar cultures are replenished with new varieties and varieties. Sellers assure that all these crops are zoned and perfectly adapted for growing in our difficult climate. But is it really so?

The climate of our country, characterized by warm or even hot summers, but cold and long winters, is naturally not suitable for all flora. To assess the ability of plants to withstand a cold winter, a concept called winter hardiness helps. Some (mosses and lichens) perfectly tolerate even the lowest winter temperatures, others (birch, oak) can only grow in more benign conditions, and still others (magnolia, oleander) are not at all adapted for harsh winters.

What plants are adapted to our climate knows, perhaps, every experienced gardener. But what to do with the novelties of the market, how to find out if the newly acquired green pet will survive the harsh winter? In fact, there is no problem here - reference books, documents and labels of specimens from nurseries indicate the frost resistance zone suitable for the plant. Let's see what it is.

What are frost hardiness zones

Frost resistance zones (or winter hardiness) are climatic regions of the globe suitable for growing certain types of plants. They are based on a temperature scale showing the average annual minimum temperature in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit.

At present, the most comprehensive scale of hardiness in general use is the so-called USDA scale or zones.

USDA zones

The USDA scale was first developed by the US Department of Agriculture for the needs of farmers and crop producers, and then the proposed zoning began to be used throughout the world. The scale includes 13 zones (from 0 to 12), each of which is divided into 2 more subzones, the boundaries of which were determined on the basis of the minimum average annual temperatures. At first, only the territory of the United States was described, and then other countries. Now all regions of the globe belong to one or another zone on the USDA scale, and all plant species are divided according to their adaptability to different climatic conditions.

For example, a plant described as "zone 10 hardy" means that it can withstand a minimum temperature of -1°C. A more resistant plant, “zone 9 hardy”, can withstand a minimum temperature of -7 °C, etc.

USDA zoning is currently the universal scale of frost resistance used by modern farms. However, it has many shortcomings and does not take into account a number of important factors, such as:

• Snow cover height. It is known that snow perfectly protects the root system of plants from frost, so crops that freeze out in snowless regions can survive well where there is a lot of snow in winter.

[!] A plant breeder from Poland noticed one interesting feature: azaleas, dying of cold in Eastern Europe, had a great winter in the Moscow region, where the climate is much more severe. It turned out that the rhododendrons were protected by snow, which did not allow the root system to die.

• Temperature changes. Many cultures are afraid not so much of frost as of sudden changes in temperature in winter. A sudden thaw, causing the snow to melt, and an equally sudden cold snap, leads to the death of the roots. That is why a number of plants, such as some types of bamboo, which can withstand severe frosts, cannot survive in our climate.

[!] In the 60s of the last century, due to such a sudden drop in winter temperature (from -1°С to -29°С), the collection of maples of the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University suffered greatly.

• Spring frosts are another factor hindering the cultivation of heat-loving species. In our country, this problem is especially relevant: in the middle lane, frosts can return even at the end of May.

[!] You don't have to look far for examples. The May cold of 2017 killed a significant part of the grapes in the Crimea.

• Average annual rainfall. Humidity is an important climatic parameter that affects, among other things, the adaptation of plants. For example, some crops tolerate dry cold air well, but do not survive in humid climates.
• Other factors: the difference between day and night temperatures, terrain (presence of uplands and lowlands), soil types, daylight hours, wind rose, etc.

Russia, divided into USDA climate zones, looks something like this:

Some cities of our country belong to the following frost resistance zones: zone 1 - Tiksi, Batagai, zone 2 - the greater territory of Russia, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Novosibirsk, zone 3 - Khabarovsk, Magadan, Vorkuta, zone 4 - Moscow and the Moscow region, Vologda, Arkhangelsk , Chelyabinsk, Ufa, zone 5 - St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Voronezh, Bryansk, Saratov, zone 6 and 7 - Krasnodar.

As for the labels on plants from nurseries, for Moscow and St. Petersburg, you should choose crops acclimatized for zones 1-4, as well as 5a and, partially, 5b.

As you can see, USDA zoning is far from perfect, so work in this direction is constantly ongoing.

Alternatives

The flawed USDA system prompted a search for alternatives. And now they use not only the above concept, but also some others. Firstly, USDA zones have been added to and their number has been significantly increased. In addition, one of the means of determining frost resistance zones was the use of so-called "indicator plants". It is known that the range of some species is strictly limited depending on the climate, and therefore the presence of any indicator plant indicates that the territory belongs to one or another frost resistance zone.

In addition, some countries have developed their own climate maps based on long-term meteorological observations. One of these countries was the UK.

In 2012, the Royal Horticultural Society of the United Kingdom presented their plant hardiness rating. This rating describes all plants found in the UK and is widely used by English growers.

The English system of plant frost resistance consists of 9 parts:

• H1a (more than 15°C) - growing in a greenhouse;
• H1b (from 10 to 15°C) and H1c (from 5 to 10°C) - outdoor cultivation only in summer;
• H2 (from 1 to 5°C) - crops that can tolerate a slight drop in temperature, but are not resistant to frost;
• H3 (from -5 to 1°C) - crops that tolerate the climate of the coastal regions of Great Britain;
• H4 (from -10 to -5°C) - crops adapted to the climate of most of the UK;
• H5 (from -15 to -10°C) - crops adapted to the climate of most of the UK and withstanding a significant drop in temperature in winter;
• H6 (from -20 to -15 ° С) - frost-resistant crops that can grow throughout Northern Europe;
• H7 (less than -20°C) are the most frost-resistant crops.

Frost resistance zones in the USSR and Russia

In our country, work on determining frost resistance zones began at the beginning of the 20th century, and then continued after the October Revolution. And, although at first the maps were imperfect, and the climatic regions were too generalized, in the 60s the work was continued: the number of zones increased to 42 (up to 60 together with subzones). The work was called "Tree-cultivating regions of the USSR." In addition to zoning, work was also carried out to separate plants found in the USSR according to climatic regions. The list consisted mainly of tree crops, but the number of species included in it is very large - about 700.

The data obtained by Professor AI Kolesnikov, who supervised the work, summarized in the publication "Decorative Dendrology". This book is still relevant today.

You can familiarize yourself with a detailed description of the tree-cultural regions of the USSR.

The work did not stop there, and the detailing of zoning continued. Other factors that affect the winter hardiness of plants began to be taken into account: not only the minimum, but also the average annual temperatures of the winter and summer months, the average and minimum humidity, evaporation and annual precipitation. The number of frost resistance zones increased to 76, and the plants recommended for each zone were divided into three groups - “main”, “additional” and “auxiliary”:

• the main one is plants that are well acclimatized for the area,
• additional - crops that can grow in the considered climatic zone only under the condition of good care (shelter for the winter),
• auxiliary - singly occurring plants.

Unfortunately, serious state research on this topic was no longer carried out, although both the climate and the assortment of plants have changed, and colossal practical experience has been accumulated. From time to time, individual farms try to compile such maps, but due to lack of resources, their work is limited to individual areas.

How to increase the frost resistance of plants

In conclusion, I would like to give some tips from the practice of gardening. Many crops recommended for more favorable climatic zones, with proper care, it is quite possible to grow here. To increase the winter hardiness of certain species, it is recommended:

• Protect the root system from frost. This can be done with the help of coniferous spruce branches, dry fallen leaves, peat, sawdust, industrial covering material. Styrofoam, which has high heat-insulating properties, has also proven itself well.
• Cover not only the roots, but also the aerial part of the plant. Of course, it is difficult to protect the crown of powerful tree crops (although some gardeners manage to wrap the lower part of the trunks with cloth or polyethylene), but liana-like species and plants with flexible stems should be carefully laid on the ground and covered.

[!] It is especially important to protect young cultures, whose age is 2-3 years. Their root system is not yet fully formed and is located close to the surface of the earth.