Tennessee
Native plants in Nashville
176 plants native to this area with Sow catalog pages.
118 of them need no watering beyond Nashville’s own rainfall
Yard rebates in Nashville
2 programs from the city, the county or local utilities pay residents for yard projects.
- Seasonal
Metro Nashville Rain Barrels and Tennessee Smart Yards
Metro Nashville Water Services
Free barrel via monthly drawing (one entry per household); subsidized sale barrels (price not listed on the official page); Smart Yards certification brings a free yard sign, free tree from Root Nashville and free 25 lb bag of fertilizer
- Seasonal
Root Nashville Free Yard Trees
Root Nashville (Cumberland River Compact, Metro Nashville partnership)
Up to 3 free trees per neighborhood order; 10+ free trees for businesses, places of worship, HOAs, apartments or large yards
Showing 176 plants
Trees59
Canopy and structure
Shrubs27
Backbone planting
Grasses13
Movement and texture
Perennials75
Seasonal colour
Vines13
Verticals and screens
Ferns5
Shade and damp
Succulents3
Dry and architectural
When to plant in Nashville
The median last spring frost is Mar 31 and the median first fall frost is Nov 3 at the Nashville weather station (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, USDA Zone 7b). Each crop’s guide explains the rule behind its dates.
- Broccoli
Spring transplant: Mar 10 – Mar 24
Fall transplant: Jul 26 – Aug 25
- Cabbage
Spring transplant: Mar 10 – Mar 24
Fall transplant: Jul 21 – Aug 20
- Carrots
Spring sowing: Mar 10 – Apr 7
Fall crop sowing: Jul 28 – Aug 25
- Corn
First sowing: Mar 31 – Apr 21
Last sowing (early variety): Mid- to late June
- Cucumbers
Direct sow or transplant: Apr 23 – May 21
Last sowing for fall harvest: Jul 31 – Aug 5
- Daffodil bulbs
Plant bulbs: Sep 29 – Nov 3
- Garlic
Plant cloves (Zones 3–5): See Zones 6–10 column
Plant cloves (Zones 6–10): Sep 29 – Nov 10
- Grass seed
Cool-season grass (best): Late Aug – early Oct
Warm-season grass: May – Jul
- Green beans
Direct sow: Apr 16 – May 7
Last sowing for fall harvest: Jul 26 – Aug 15
- Hydrangeas
Spring planting: Mar 31 – May 12
Fall planting: Oct – Dec (best season)
- Lettuce
Spring sowing: Mar 3 – Apr 28
Fall sowing: Aug 11 – Sep 8
- Onions
Late winter or spring planting: Mar 3 – Apr 14
Fall planting (short-day types): Not recommended
- Peas
Direct sow: Mar 3 – Mar 31
Fall sowing: Aug 11 – Sep 1
- Potatoes
Plant seed potatoes: Mar 10 – Mar 31
Fall crop (optional): Spring crop only
- Pumpkins
Direct sow: Apr 23 – May 14
Sow for Halloween: Mid-June to mid-July
- Radishes
Spring sowing: Mar 10 – Apr 14
Fall sowing: Aug 25 – Sep 22
- Roses
Bare-root roses: Mar 3 – Mar 21
Container roses: Mar 31 – Jun 14
- Strawberries
Plant dormant crowns (spring): Mar 3 – Mar 31
Plant plugs (fall): Optional: plugs in fall
- Sweet potatoes
Plant slips outdoors: May – June
- Tomatoes
Frost-safe window: Apr 16 – May 7
- Tulip bulbs
Plant bulbs: Sep 29 – Nov 3
Plant pre-chilled bulbs: Not needed (winter chills bulbs)
- Watermelon
Start planting (soil 65°F): Apr 23 – Apr 30
Last sowing (early varieties): Mid- to late June
- Wildflower seeds
Fall sowing window: Nov 15 – Dec 20
What sets the date: First hard freeze
- Zucchini
Direct sow or transplant: Apr 23 – May 14
Last sowing for fall harvest: Jul 11 – Aug 5
More of Tennessee
- Cleveland
- Knoxville
- Spring Hill
- Franklin
- Chattanooga
- Clarksville
- Johnson City
- Bristol
- Murfreesboro
- Jackson
- Kingsport
- Memphis
Design a Nashville garden with these plants
Snap a photo of your yard and Sow places real, zone-matched plants into it — then keeps the watering and care schedule for everything you plant.