The plant hardiness zone system is another method used for classifying the ability of trees and plants to survive in different climate regions. This system is based on 12 zones, each with a specified minimum temperature in which certain plants thrive.Thus zone 1 is for plants that tolerate a minimum t temperature of -51 °C (-60°F), zone 2 has a minimum temperature of -40°C (-40°F), and so on. In zone 11 there is a minimum temperature of 10°C (5o°F). This clasification system is used quite widely in USA, Canada and Australia and has recently been introduced in the UK, but is hardly known in other countries. It is a very useful guide for checking a Plant’s ability to survive the hardest winter at the area intended to grow.nt.

Latitude, altitude and proximity to oceans largely determine a region’s climate. There are roughly six climatic zones on planet Earth: polar; temperate tundra. No zone is distinct, because zones merge as they transition from one to another. Except for the polar and tundra regions of the world, bonsai is grown in all the other climate zones. Even in the desert regions, such as the Californian and Nevada deserts, western Australia and southern Africa, some plants do thrive, and it is therefore not surprising that bonsai is practiced there. TEMPERATE zone: Plants that grow in the temperate zones of the northern and southern hemisphere are quite varied and include broad-leaved deciduous Mediterranean; tropical; desert; and coniferous trees. This climate zone covers some parts of the US and Canada, much of Europe, Argentina, parts of southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and mountainous parts of China and Japan. lt is characterized by mild temperatures and moderate rainfall. Trees that are typical of this region include the Acer (maple), Fagus (beech), Fraxinus (ash),Juniperus (juniper), Larix (larch) Picea (spruce), Pinu (pine), Quercus (oak) and U/mus (elm). The temperate zone merges into the Mediterranean and subtropical regions where a large number of broadly similar species of trees and plants cohabit. MEDITERRANEAN ZONE:This regions is characterized by dry summers and rainy winters. Summers are hot in the inland regions, but cooler near the seas. Many of the trees and plants that grow in this zone have small, compact leaves with a waxy coating, to reduce moisture loss. Eucalyptus (gum),Jug/ans (walnut), junipers, Mediterranean oaks, O/ea (olive) and pines are commonly found in Mediterranean areas, and many of them make excellent bonsai. Countries in this zones include ,Italy ,Israel ,California ,Chile, etc ….