The United States Midwest is probably the most difficult area for a PlantSmart type product to make recommendations for. I might be located in zone 6a, but it can experience 5a through 6b as well. I live in Illinois about 12 miles east of St. Louis, MO and this month (October 2011) the PlantSmart presented the Colorado Fir as a "Top Recommendation"; however, a local tree nursery stated that they don't carry the Concolor/Colorado Fir as our locale is too far south where the summer temperatures reach highs that the Fir does not survive easily. It's too "temperamental" for our area, but would be recommended further north near Chicago.
I'm not sure what the solution is, but perhaps the PlantSmart/Easybloom database should acquire plant recommendations from its users, local nurseries, garden centers, botanical gardens and integrate them. Like rating movies or restaurants on a web-enabled movie database. Users of the PlantSmart/EasyBloom can rate plants and the most recommended plants by other users, within surrounding zip codes, will be presented.
