This last winter has made it clear that one should only buy plants that can easily survive in the zone where you live. We have pulled out many conifers that just couldn’t hack it. Joe Bastardi is predicting next winter to be as bad or worse in our area (upper midwest). Meanwhile, down in Madistan, the big nursery has sales people suggesting that, due to global warming, you can easily go one or even two zones toward the warmer climes...idiots!
Personally I would advise going 1 or 2 zones colder. Since the new zone chart from the government has reclassed us as zone 6, and zone 5 plants bit the dust last winter.
Even though the charts claim that we are zone 6, I try to grow only those plants that are good for zone 3 or 4. I’ve had both zone 5 and 6 plants die here.
I have lived on my current street in the Philly burbs for six years and this winter finally killed off a couple of fig trees in a neighbor’s yard that were well-established when I arrived.