What Growing Zone Is Tennessee In?

Last updated September 6, 2026

USDA hardiness zones

6b to 8a

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Tennessee spans USDA hardiness zone 6b to 8a across its major population centers, according to the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. That's a real range, not a single number: where you fall in it depends on where in the state you actually are.

Find your exact zone by ZIP code

Hardiness zone for ZIP 37201 (Nashville)

US ZIP code

Your USDA hardiness zone

Zone 7b

Avg. annual minimum (°F)

5°F to 10°F

Avg. annual minimum (°C)

-15°C to -12°C

Nearest reference point: Nashville, TN

This is a regional estimate based on the nearest of 826 reference points, each matched to the official 2023 USDA zone map. It’s accurate to within about a half-zone across most of the country, but elevation shifts zones over short distances, so if you’re in mountainous terrain, check the official USDA map for your exact address (see Sources below).

Tennessee's USDA Hardiness Zones

Here's how the zone shifts across Tennessee's major cities:

City	USDA Zone
Mountain City	6b
Knoxville	7b
Nashville	7b
Memphis	8a

For your exact zone by ZIP code, use the Hardiness Zone Finder, and for what a zone number actually measures (and doesn't), see how zones actually work.

Frost Dates in Tennessee

Frost dates track zone, so they shift across Tennessee the same way the zone number does:

Upper East Tennessee (Mountain City) (zone 6): average last frost Mar 29 - Apr 12, average first frost Oct 18 - Nov 1.
Memphis and the western lowlands (zone 8): average last frost Mar 8 - Mar 22, average first frost Nov 8 - Nov 22.

These are averages, not guarantees. For your specific frost window, use the Frost Date Calculator. For a full vegetable-by-vegetable planting calendar already calculated from Tennessee's frost dates, see the Tennessee Planting Calendar.

Tennessee's East Tennessee State University Climate Office identifies roughly 3F of cooling per 1,000 feet of elevation gain and six distinct climate zones statewide, with a record low of -32F recorded at Mountain City.

What Grows Well in Tennessee's Zones

A few real, zone-appropriate picks recommended by University of Tennessee Extension, SP513 for Tennessee landscapes: not an exhaustive list, but a genuine starting point.

Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)
Serviceberry 'Autumn Brilliance' (Amelanchier x grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance')
Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea)
Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)

Ready to find your exact zone? Use the Hardiness Zone Finder: enter your ZIP code for a precise match against the 2023 USDA map.

Tennessee Growing Zone FAQ

What growing zone is Tennessee in?

Tennessee spans USDA hardiness zones 6b to 8a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Mountain City is zone 6b and Knoxville is zone 7b; enter your ZIP code in the Hardiness Zone Finder for your exact zone.

What growing zone is Nashville, TN?

Nashville is in USDA hardiness zone 7b on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.

What growing zone is Knoxville, TN?

Knoxville is in USDA hardiness zone 7b on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.

What growing zone is Memphis, TN?

Memphis is in USDA hardiness zone 8a on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.

What growing zone is Chattanooga, TN?

Chattanooga is in USDA hardiness zone 8a on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.

A home yard in Tennessee, with rolling hills, hardwood forests and the Smokies faint in the distance, planted with eastern redbud, flowering dogwood and serviceberry 'Autumn Brilliance' — Plants that suit Tennessee: eastern redbud, flowering dogwood and serviceberry 'Autumn Brilliance'. AI-generated image.

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The Spacing & Planting Cheat Sheet

When to start, when to plant, how far apart.

Sources & further reading

Zone and city data checked against the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Plant recommendations sourced from University of Tennessee Extension, SP513. Climate note sourced from East Tennessee State University, Tennessee Climate Office. For more on how we build and verify reference data across this site, see our methodology page.

Growing zones in nearby states

Gardening near a state line? Zones don't stop at the border:

Or browse all 51 state growing-zone guides.