We grow phenomenally good bamboo, grapes, olives, and a myriad of citrus here in the Central Valley. Why is the Central Valley in general (and specifically the Fresno Clovis area) so successful at growing these crops? In short, it’s the climate. Both the Central Valley and Fresno Clovis areas are in zone 9. Zone 9 features mild temperature ranges, long hot summers, and a phenomenally long growing season from February through December. Zone 9 is both a winter gardeners dream, and a summer growers heat loving paradise! Many heat loving and drought tolerant plants absolutely thrive in our summer sun.

The United States Department of Agriculture divides our country into 13 climate zones (aka hardiness zones) which guides growers in selecting plants that thrive in specific areas. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the standard by which gardeners and growers determine which perennial plants are most likely to thrive at a given location. 

Heat loving bamboo thrives in zone 9; as do vegetables, fruit trees, herbs, flowering shrubs, tomatoes, peppers, onions, nuts, the list is nearly endless. Despite what you may encounter when you tell people you live in the Central Valley, please counter with “Yes it does get hot in summer, but it is SPECTACULAR in winter; and that same summer heat grows the greatest amount of phenomenal food the world has ever known.”