So as not to derail this thread, here’s what I posted on another thread about KSDS: Kaki sudden death syndrome -- help? - #35 by ncdabbler
I brought up the polar vortex in TX just to make the point that the growing zone isn’t everything. Even if on average you have marginally warmer winters than I do, an exceptional storm can still cause significant damage to your kakis even if it doesn’t kill them outright. But the bigger risk in my opinion is something like KSDS that always eventually leads to death within a year or two in my experience.