Anybody who spends time growing plants on purpose knows the term "hardiness zone." It's a general gauge of the climate in an area, letting gardeners and farmers know which plants will grow well in their zones.
The federal Department of Agriculture made changes to the hardiness zones late last year, with plenty of input from Oregon State University. Medford, for example, switched from zone 8a to 8b.
Lucretia Weems is a Master Gardener and a member of the Native Plant Society of Oregon. She unpacks the impact of the hardiness zone changes, and what they mean for plants and the people who grow them.