The federal agriculture department says more kinds of plants can be grown in Missouri than before — because our winters are getting warmer.

The USDA has issued a new map that divides the country into planting zones Most of Missouri is in zone 6a and 6b, an upgrade from the last map published 20 years ago. Most of the counties in the northern  three tiers of counties remain in the cooler zone. But the new map shows warmer average winter temperatures have advanced from the south.