Northeastern Coastal Zone

The Northeastern Coastal Zone follows the seaboard from southern Maine through Boston, Providence, and Hartford down into metropolitan New York. Winters are cold but moderated by the ocean, summers are warm and humid, and soils near the shore are sandy glacial till. Natives such as northern bayberry, beach plum, and seaside goldenrod take the salt spray and wind that burn back the foundation shrubs most builders install.

Conditions: Sandy glacial soils near the coast, 40–50 inches of precipitation, cold winters moderated by the ocean, salt exposure along the shore.

Cities and areas: New York, Boston, Providence, Hartford, New Haven, Worcester.