Learn Tennessee’s updated 2023 USDA growing zones, average frost dates, and what to plant in West, Middle, and East Tennessee. From Memphis heat to Smoky Mountain cool, discover vegetables, fruits, native plants, and gardening tips tailored to your garden so your Volunteer State garden thrives all season.
Gardening in Tennessee might mean collards and tomatoes in a Memphis backyard, blueberries on a Middle Tennessee hillside, apples and pumpkins in the Cumberland Plateau, or wildflower meadows drifting into Smoky Mountain forests. Tennessee planting zones stretch from the low, humid Mississippi River bottomlands to cool, foggy high ridges, so what thrives in Jackson won’t be the same as what loves Johnson City.
Using the updated 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (based on 1991–2020 winter lows), Tennessee now spans roughly zones 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, and 8a.. The coolest pockets hug the higher elevations of the Cumberland Plateau and Great Smoky Mountains, while the warmest zones sit in western Tennessee and around Memphis. A hardiness zone describes your average annual extreme minimum temperature so you can quickly see which trees, shrubs, and perennials can reliably ride out winter in your garden.
This guide will help you understand your Tennessee growing zone, read the 2023 USDA map, time your planting around frost dates, and choose the best plants for your part of the Volunteer State.
Tennessee runs from the Mississippi River bluffs and flat Delta country in the west, across rolling farms and bustling cities of Middle Tennessee, then east through the Cumberland Plateau and Appalachian ridges to the high peaks of the Great Smoky Mountains. Elevation, river valleys, and cool mountain air create several distinct gardening climates.
According to the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, Tennessee’s plant hardiness zones range from about 6a to 8a, with many areas now mapped about a half-zone warmer than earlier charts. Most gardeners fall in zones 6b–7b, with pockets of 8a in the warmest western and river-valley locations and 6a in higher elevations.
The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is built from 30-year averages (1991–2020) of the coldest winter temperatures. It’s the national standard gardeners use to choose trees, shrubs, and perennials that can reliably survive winter in their area.
A simplified Tennessee planting zone map based on the 2023 USDA Hardiness Zone Map, using 1991–2020 climate data.
Use the map together with your ZIP code to pinpoint your exact Tennessee garden zone. Look up your Tennessee planting zone by ZIP code using the USDA tool, then come back here or explore our Plant Finder to discover plants matched to your zone, sun exposure, and soil.
Although Tennessee’s planting zones run from about 6a to 8a, local conditions—river bottoms, lakeshores, ridge tops, city heat islands, and high mountain hollows—create countless microclimates. Thinking regionally makes it easier to match plants and planting dates to your own yard.
This region includes Memphis, Bartlett, Collierville, Jackson, and surrounding lowlands and river bluffs. Winters are relatively mild, summers are long and hot, and frost arrives later here than in the rest of the state.
Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Murfreesboro, Clarksville, and Columbia sit in rolling hills and river valleys. Winters are cool but not brutal, and summers are hot and humid with thunderstorms.
From Cookeville and Crossville to the uplands ringing Middle and East Tennessee, elevation and cooler nights define this region. Frost can linger later in spring and return a bit earlier in fall than in nearby valleys.
Knoxville, Chattanooga, Johnson City, Kingsport, and the foothills around the Great Smoky Mountains enjoy relatively mild winters in the valleys, with cooler conditions as you climb into higher ridges and hollows.
From foggy East Tennessee mornings to sun-baked West Tennessee patios, frost dates are your best planning tool. Whether you’re gardening in Memphis, Jackson, Nashville, Murfreesboro, Knoxville, Chattanooga, or Johnson City, your average last and first frosts help you decide when to sow cool-season crops, set out tender seedlings, and be ready with row covers in fall.
Across Tennessee, last spring frosts generally run from late March in warm western areas to early–May in higher eastern elevations. First fall frosts typically arrive from mid–October in the mountains to late October–early November in much of Middle and West Tennessee.
| Region / City | Average Last Spring Frost | Average First Fall Frost | Approx. Frost-Free Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis / Jackson (West Tennessee) | Late March–Early April (around Mar 25–Apr 10) | Late October–Early November (around Oct 25–Nov 5) | ~215–230 days |
| Nashville / Murfreesboro (Middle Tennessee) | Early–Mid April (around Apr 5–18) | Mid–Late October (around Oct 14–25) | ~200–215 days |
| Knoxville / Chattanooga (East TN Valleys) | Early–Mid April (around Apr 9–20) | Mid–Late October (around Oct 19–27) | ~190–210 days |
| Johnson City / Tri-Cities (NE Highlands) | Late April (around Apr 21–30) | Early–Mid October (around Oct 5–15) | ~170–190 days |
| Smoky Mountain High Elevations | Early–Mid May (around May 1–15) | Late September–Early October (around Sep 25–Oct 5) | ~140–165 days |
Zone and frost-date ranges here are summarized from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map and NOAA-based frost-date tools; always check a local forecast and ZIP code–based lookup for the most precise information for your garden.
Use these frost windows as planning guides—your yard may act warmer or cooler depending on slope, altitude, wind, nearby pavement, and buildings. They’re long-term averages, not guarantees, so watch the forecast closely during spring warm-ups and autumn cold snaps.
Once you know your Tennessee planting zone, you can lean into your region’s strengths—long West Tennessee summers, Middle Tennessee’s four seasons, or cool East Tennessee nights. Focus on cold-hardy perennials for your zone (6–8) plus heat- and humidity-tolerant annuals and vegetables, and pair them with soil-building practices that match your local conditions.
Many Tennessee native plants are perfectly tuned to local soils, rainfall, and winter lows. Combine native wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees for a low-maintenance, wildlife-friendly landscape that supports pollinators and songbirds while tolerating Tennessee’s hot summers and occasional droughts.
Explore curated lists like great pollinator plants for Tennessee, monarch nectar plant collections, and guides to native grasses, shrubs, ferns, and vines to build a garden that buzzes and flutters from spring through fall.
Tap a month to see what to plant in Tennessee by zone. Use these quick guides as a starting point—then adjust for your exact frost dates and whether you garden on a cool plateau ridge, a warm city courtyard, or a sheltered mountain hollow.
Tennessee gardeners juggle humidity, summer thunderstorms, clay and rocky soils, deer pressure, and the occasional tornado, ice storm, or high wind. These tips will help your garden thrive from zone 6a to 8a:
Now that you understand your Tennessee planting zone, frost dates, and regional climate, you’re ready to choose plants that love your conditions and build a thriving Volunteer State garden. Mix edible crops, flowering perennials, and native plants for a landscape that feeds both your household and local wildlife. Curious how Tennessee compares to other states? Visit our national USDA planting zone guide to explore growing zones across the United States.
Key zone and climate information in this article is based on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map and Tennessee climate resources from extension and frost-date tools.
Tennessee now falls mostly in USDA hardiness zones 6a–8a, based on the 1991–2020 climate averages used in the 2023 map update. West Tennessee and the warmest river valleys tend toward zones 7b–8a, Middle Tennessee centers on 7a–7b, and higher elevations on the plateau and in the Smokies run 6a–6b.
Memphis and much of surrounding West Tennessee are now in about zone 8a, with some nearby areas in 7b. Nashville and many Middle Tennessee suburbs are mainly zone 7a–7b. Knoxville and much of the East Tennessee Valley sit in zone 7a, with cooler nearby hills and ridges dipping toward 6b or 6a at higher elevations.
Most of Tennessee’s last spring frosts fall between late March and late April. Warm western areas near Memphis often see their last frost from roughly March 21–31. Much of Middle and East Tennessee averages last frosts between April 1–20, while the coolest high-elevation sites in northeast Tennessee and the Smokies can freeze into late April or early May.
In most of the state, first fall frosts arrive between mid-October and early November. High-elevation areas in East Tennessee and the Smokies often see frost as early as October 1–15. Many Middle and West Tennessee locations experience first frost around October 16–31, with the warmest western pockets sometimes holding off until early November.
Frost-free days vary by region. Warm West Tennessee typically enjoys around 215–230 frost-free days. Middle Tennessee usually runs near 200–215 days. East Tennessee valleys often have about 190–210 days, while higher elevations in the plateau and Smokies may only get 140–190 frost-free days. Knowing your local average helps you time long-season crops.
USDA zones describe your average coldest winter temperature, which determines whether a perennial, shrub, or tree can survive winter. Frost dates define your growing season length for annuals and vegetables. Use zones to choose hardy plants that won’t winter-kill, then use last and first frost dates to schedule planting, succession sowing, and fall protection.
In spring and fall, Tennessee grows excellent cool-season crops such as lettuce, spinach, kale, collards, peas, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips. Summer heat favors warm-season staples like tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, beans, okra, sweet corn, and sweet potatoes. In hotter western and lowland areas, choose heat-tolerant, disease-resistant varieties.
Most citrus is not reliably hardy outdoors in Tennessee, but some cold-hardy types can work in the warmest microclimates. In protected spots in zones 7b–8a—especially in West Tennessee—gardeners sometimes succeed with cold-hardy citrus like satsuma mandarins, Meyer lemons, or certain kumquats. Provide excellent drainage, a sheltered south-facing wall, and winter protection such as covers or temporary wrapping during deep cold spells.
Apples, pears, plums, and tart cherries can perform well statewide when you match varieties to local chill hours and choose disease-resistant cultivars. Warmer parts of Middle and West Tennessee are good for peaches, figs, persimmons, and pecans. Across the state, blueberries, blackberries, muscadine grapes, and strawberries are excellent choices when soils are prepared properly.
The 2023 USDA map shows many Tennessee locations warming by roughly half a zone compared with the previous map. That means some gardeners can now grow slightly less cold-hardy plants, but it also brings increased heat stress, longer pest seasons, and more disease pressure. It’s wise to choose heat- and disease-tolerant varieties, mulch heavily, and keep monitoring local guidance as conditions continue to change.
Updated: December 2025
| Hardiness |
6 - 8 |
|---|---|
| Native Plants | United States, Southeast, Tennessee |
| Hardiness |
6 - 8 |
|---|---|
| Native Plants | United States, Southeast, Tennessee |
Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
Join now and start creating your dream garden!
Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
Join now and start creating your dream garden!
