A new interactive functionality makes it a snap to find zones on the 2012 map simply by typing in a ZIP code.

This map also allows you to plug in your zip code to find out your exact planting Zone. My zip code in Linn County places me in Zone 5a, but I have lost Zone 5 hardy plants in my garden.

Planting zones are warming — affecting which plants thrive in different U.S. regions. This trend is likely to continue as global temperatures rise.

The 26 zones are based on 5-degree increments, but gardeners can get more precise data by plugging a ZIP code into the map (www.planthardiness.ars.usda. gov).

Global warming is hitting not just home, but garden. The color-coded map of planting zones often seen on the back of seed packets is being updated by the government, illustrating a hotter 21st ...