Hardiness (plants)

Thus a plant's ability to tolerate cold, heat, drought, flooding, or wind are typically considered measurements of hardiness.

In temperate latitudes, the term most often describes resistance to cold, or "cold-hardiness", and is generally measured by the lowest temperature a plant can withstand.

"Fully hardy" usually refers to plants being classified under the Royal Horticultural Society classifications, and can often cause confusion to those not using this method.

The selective breeding of varieties capable of withstanding particular climates forms an important part of agriculture and horticulture.

Plants normally considered hardy may not survive freezing if they are not readily acclimated, which renders them unable to use these mechanisms.

In the United States (US), the most widely used is the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) system of hardiness zones based on average minimum yearly temperatures.

[4] This system was developed specifically for the extremely diverse range of conditions in the US, from baking desert to frozen tundra.

In contrast the United Kingdom (UK) and Western Europe have an oceanic climate, and experience a narrower range of temperatures that is tempered by the presence of the Gulf Stream.