Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
3–5 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Aug — an easy fit for Tennessee, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Tennessee · Zones 6–8
Native Plants for Tennessee
Tennessee gardens sit in the Southeast — a landscape of longleaf pine, oak-hickory woods, and warm humid bottomlands. The plants below evolved with that climate (humid, four-season) and are hardy through zones 6–8, so once established they shrug off the local weather without fuss, fertilizer, or much water.
the Southeastthe Midwest
Ecoregion: Cumberland Plateau, Ridge & Valley, cedar glades
Collections for Tennessee
Find the right natives for your yard.
Each collection is filtered to what actually grows in Tennessee. Pick the goal that fits your conditions.
Pollinators
62 native species
For bees
58 native species
Butterflies
52 native species
Hummingbirds
17 native species
For birds
33 native species
Deer-resistant
48 native species
Full sun
59 native species
For shade
17 native species
Drought-tolerant
38 native species
Clay soil
50 native species
Rain garden
26 native species
Groundcovers
13 native species
Flowering shrubs
15 native species
Grasses
8 native species
Low-maintenance
33 native species
Evergreen
6 native species
Fall color
15 native species
Fragrant
11 native species
Notable natives
Plants to know in Tennessee.
A cross-section of the 73 species native to your region — the workhorses worth starting with.
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
A Tennessee native at 8–15 ft tall that blooms Apr through Sep, comfortable in zones 4–9.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia
4–8 ft tall and it blooms May through Jul — an easy fit for Tennessee, hardy in zones 5–9 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 4–8 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
Native to Tennessee and hardy in zones 3–8; it blooms Apr through Aug and reaches 12–18 in.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
A Tennessee native at 3–5 ft tall that flowers in Sep and Oct, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Crossvine
Bignonia capreolata
25–50 ft tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Tennessee, hardy in zones 6–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 25–50 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Native to Tennessee and hardy in zones 3–9; it flowers in Aug and Sep and reaches 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
A Tennessee native at 2–4 ft tall that flowers in May and Jun, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Native to Tennessee and hardy in zones 4–9; it flowers in Mar and Apr and reaches 20–30 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
10–15 in tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Tennessee, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
Native to Tennessee and hardy in zones 7–10; it blooms May through Oct and reaches 2–5 ft.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 2–5 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
A Tennessee native at 3–5 ft tall that blooms Jun through Aug, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Part shade
- Average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
Native to Tennessee and hardy in zones 3–8; it blooms Apr through Jun and reaches 1.5–2 ft.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
3–4 ft tall and it flowers in Jul and Aug — an easy fit for Tennessee, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium maculatum
4–7 ft tall and it blooms Jul through Sep — an easy fit for Tennessee, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Maximilian Sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
5–8 ft tall and it blooms Aug through Oct — an easy fit for Tennessee, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Sourcing
Where to buy Tennessee natives
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.