🌿 PlantWise
Plant Guide

Best Plants for Nashville, Tennessee

📍 Nashville, TN 🌡️ USDA Zone 7a 🌱 347+ compatible plants

Gardening in Nashville

Nashville falls in USDA Hardiness Zone 7a, which means your plants need to survive winters with minimum temperatures in the 0°F to 10°F range. The 347+ plants below are proven performers for your zone — including deer-resistant varieties, pet-friendly options, and pollinator-attracting species.

Top Plant Picks for Nashville

Boxwood
Boxwood
Buxus sempervirens
Evergreen leaves provide year-round structure and vibrant green color, enhancing garden elegance through all seasons. This low-maintenance shrub is deer resistant and thrives in USDA zones 5-9.
Zone 5–8🐝 Pollinator
Virginia Bluebells
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
Delicate clusters of sky-blue, bell-shaped flowers bloom in early spring, brightening woodland gardens with vibrant color. This deer-resistant perennial thrives in USDA zones 3-8 and attracts early pollinators while tolerating shade.
Zone 3–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Obedient Plant
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Delightful spikes of tubular pink to lavender blooms burst in late summer, adding vibrant color to your garden. This deer-resistant, pollinator-friendly perennial thrives in USDA zones 3-9 with minimal care.
Zone 3–10🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Swamp White Oak
Swamp White Oak
Quercus bicolor
Bright green leaves turn stunning golden-yellow in fall, adding seasonal interest from spring through autumn. This hardy oak thrives in USDA zones 3-9, tolerates wet soils, and resists deer damage.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator
Muscari Grape Hyacinth
Muscari Grape Hyacinth
Muscari armeniacum
Vibrant blue-purple blooms light up gardens in April-May, creating a stunning spring display. This low-maintenance bulb thrives in zones 4-9 and attracts valuable pollinators.
Zone 4–9🐝 Pollinator
Creeping Phlox
Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata
A vibrant carpet of pink, purple, or white blooms bursts forth in spring, creating stunning ground cover. This low-maintenance, drought-tolerant perennial thrives in USDA zones 3-9 and attracts pollinators.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Epimedium
Epimedium
Epimedium x rubrum
Delicate ruby-red blooms appear in spring, adding vibrant color to shady garden spots. This low-maintenance, deer-resistant perennial thrives in USDA zones 5-8.
Zone 4–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Stewartia
Stewartia
Stewartia pseudocamellia
Showcasing stunning white camellia-like blooms in summer, Stewartia pseudocamellia adds year-round interest with its exfoliating bark and vibrant fall color. This low-maintenance tree thrives in USDA zones 5-8 and is highly resistant to deer, making it a reliable landscape standout.
Zone 5–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Fothergilla
Fothergilla
Fothergilla major
Fragrant white bottlebrush blooms light up spring with a delightful floral display and vibrant fall foliage. This low-maintenance shrub thrives in USDA zones 5-8 and attracts pollinators while resisting deer.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Mock Orange
Mock Orange
Philadelphus coronarius
Fragrant white blooms burst in late spring, filling the air with a sweet citrus scent that delights the senses. This low-maintenance shrub thrives in USDA zones 4-8 and attracts pollinators while resisting deer.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Bermuda Grass
Bermuda Grass
Cynodon dactylon
The premier warm-season lawn grass for the South. Extremely durable, drought-tolerant, and recovers quickly from heavy use. Turns brown in winter.
Zone 7–11🐾 Pet-Friendly†
Bottlebrush Grass
Bottlebrush Grass
Elymus hystrix
Distinctive bottlebrush-shaped seed heads on upright stems make this native woodland grass a standout in shaded gardens. Thrives in dry shade where few grasses survive.
Zone 3–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†

Get a Personalized Plant List for Nashville

Answer 4 quick questions about your yard — sun, soil, deer pressure, and pet situation — and get a custom list of plants that will thrive in Zone 7a.

Start the Plant Advisor →

Other Cities in Zone 7a

New York, NY Philadelphia, PA Oklahoma City, OK Washington, DC Memphis, TN Baltimore, MD Albuquerque, NM Raleigh, NC Tulsa, OK

Browse All 347+ Plants for Zone 7a

The 12 picks above are a sample. Use the full directory to filter by sun, water, deer resistance, and more.

View All Zone 7 Plants →

† "Pet-friendly" means not listed as toxic by ASPCA for dogs and/or cats. Always supervise pets around plants. ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435.