By Presley Bo Tyler
Shreveport Times
Growing zones, also referred to as hardiness zones, are geographical areas categorized based on average annual minimum winter temperatures in order to determine which plants are likely to thrive in a specific region.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a Plant Hardiness Zone Map that divides the U.S. into 13 different zones, which helps gardeners choose plants that can survive in their respective climate.