🌿 PlantWise
Plant Guide

Best Plants for Nashville, Tennessee

📍 Nashville, TN 🌡️ USDA Zone 7a 🌱 346+ 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 346+ plants below are proven performers for your zone — including deer-resistant varieties, pet-friendly options, and pollinator-attracting species.

Top Plant Picks for Nashville

Bigleaf Hydrangea
Bigleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla
Showy clusters of pink and white blooms brighten gardens from June to September, adding vibrant color through summer. This low-maintenance shrub thrives in part sun, attracts pollinators, and grows well in USDA zones 4-9.
Zone 4–9🐝 Pollinator
Crocosmia Emily McKenzie
Crocosmia Emily McKenzie
Crocosmia Emily McKenzie
Vibrant scarlet blooms light up summer gardens with a fiery splash from Crocosmia Emily McKenzie. This deer-resistant perennial thrives in USDA zones 5-9 and attracts hummingbirds and pollinators.
Zone 6–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Southern Magnolia
Southern Magnolia
Magnolia grandiflora
Glossy evergreen leaves and large, fragrant white blooms in summer make this Southern Magnolia a stunning garden centerpiece. It’s drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, and thrives in USDA zones 7-9.
Zone 6–10🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Smoke Tree
Smoke Tree
Cotinus coggygria
Fluffy, smoky pink-purple blooms in summer create a stunning, cloud-like effect that captivates any garden. This drought-tolerant shrub thrives in USDA zones 4-8 and is deer resistant.
Zone 5–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator
Wild Hydrangea
Wild Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
Clusters of creamy white blooms light up summer gardens with a soft, elegant charm. This deer-resistant shrub thrives in USDA zones 3-9 and adapts well to shade or sun.
Zone 3–9🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Ninebark
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius Diablo
Striking deep burgundy foliage contrasts beautifully with creamy white spring blooms, adding vibrant color from spring through fall. This hardy shrub thrives in USDA zones 2-7, is drought-tolerant, and deer resistant, making it a low-maintenance landscape standout.
Zone 3–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Marigold
Marigold
Tagetes patula
Bright orange and yellow blooms light up gardens from summer to fall, adding vibrant color and cheer. This low-maintenance, deer-resistant flower thrives in USDA zones 2-11 and attracts pollinators.
Zone 2–11🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator
Mullein
Mullein
Verbascum thapsus
Tall spikes of soft yellow blooms light up summer gardens with a unique, fuzzy texture. Thrives in USDA zones 3-9, it's drought-tolerant and deer resistant, making care easy.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Hard Fescue
Hard Fescue
Festuca brevipila
Hard Fescue is the ultra-low-maintenance cool-season grass for poor, dry soils and slopes. Once established, it can go unmowed for a naturalistic meadow look or mowed infrequently for a tidy lawn.
Zone 3–7🐾 Pet-Friendly†
Wild Ginger
Wild Ginger
Asarum canadense
Heart-shaped, deep green leaves create a lush groundcover that blooms with subtle, maroon flowers in spring. This shade-tolerant, deer-resistant plant thrives in USDA zones 3-8 and requires minimal care.
Zone 3–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Bobo Panicle Hydrangea
Bobo Panicle Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata 'Bobo'
Showy pink and white blooms brighten summer from June to September, adding vibrant color to any garden. This low-maintenance shrub thrives in zones 4-9 and attracts pollinators while tolerating full sun to part shade.
Zone 4–9🐝 Pollinator
Toad Lily
Toad Lily
Tricyrtis hirta
Delicate, orchid-like lavender blooms with purple spots brighten late summer to fall gardens with exotic charm. This shade-loving, deer-resistant perennial thrives in USDA zones 4-9 and attracts pollinators.
Zone 4–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator

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 346+ 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.