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Tennessee Native Plants

Tennessee's native plants are some of the most beautiful natural sights in the country. You can be part of the Tennessee wildlife experience by buying plants native to Tennessee  for your home. Our curated collections have only the best native Tennessee plants grown and cared for so they thrive in your garden.

With our selections, you can brighten up your garden with Tennessee natives and enjoy the natural beauty they give off. Shop today and find the perfect native plant for sale to match your Tennessee landscaping while also helping Tennessee's wildlife.

Not sure if these are the right Tennessee native plants for your garden? Try using our ZIP code native plant finder instead! Not in Tennessee? Then use our native plant by state finder.

Orange Butterfly Milkweed 3-Plant Set (Full Sun) Full Sun - Garden for Wildlife

Orange Butterfly Milkweed Plant Sets (I)

from $42.00
from $42.00
$42.00
Monarch Munchables (I) 6-Plant Collection Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Monarch Munchables 6-Plant Collection

$68.00
$68.00
$68.00
Hummingbird Heroes Plant Collections (I) Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Hummingbird Heroes Plant Collections (I)

from $68.00
from $68.00
$68.00
Swamp Milkweed 3-Plant Set Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Swamp Milkweed Plant Sets

from $42.00
from $42.00
$42.00
Pollinator Power Plant Collections (I) Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Pollinator Power Plant Collections (I)

from $68.00
from $68.00
$68.00
Spring Bee Buffet 6-Plant Collection Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Spring Bee Buffet 6-Plant Collection

$68.00
$68.00
$68.00
Monarch Munchables (I) 12-Plant Collection Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Merry Monarchs Plant Collections (I)

from $108.00
from $108.00
$108.00

Pollinator Picnic Plant Collections (I)

from $108.00
from $108.00
$108.00
Whorled Milkweed 3-Plant Set Full Sun - Garden for Wildlife

Whorled Milkweed Plant Sets

from $42.00
from $42.00
$42.00

Summer Songbird Plant Collections (I)

from $68.00
from $68.00
$68.00
Grayleaf Goldenrod 3-Plant Set (Full Sun) Full Sun - Garden for Wildlife

Grayleaf Goldenrod Plant Sets

from $42.00
from $42.00
$42.00
Garden For Wildlife Gift Card Gift Cards - Garden for Wildlife

Garden For Wildlife E-Gift Card

from $35.00
from $35.00
Little Bluestem Grass 3-Plant Set Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Little Bluestem Grass Plant Sets

from $42.00
from $42.00
$42.00
Monarch Munchables (II) 6-Plant Collection Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Monarch Magnet Plant Collections

from $68.00
from $68.00
$68.00
New
Hummingbird Haven Plant Collections (I) Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Hummingbird Haven Plant Collections (I)

from $108.00
from $108.00
$108.00
Firefly Delight 12-Plant Collection

Firefly Delight 12-Plant Collection

$108.00
$108.00
$108.00
Snowy Milkweed Plant Sets Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Snowy Milkweed Plant Sets

from $42.00
from $42.00
$42.00
Monarch Munchables (II) 12-Plant Collection Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Merry Monarchs Plant Collections (II)

from $108.00
from $108.00
$108.00
New
American Beautyberry Shrub Plants - Garden for Wildlife

American Beautyberry Shrub

$38.00
$38.00
$38.00
Sold Out
Carolina Rose Shrub Part Shade - Garden for Wildlife

Carolina Rose Shrub

$69.00
$69.00
$69.00
Pink Azalea Shrub Part Shade - Garden for Wildlife

Pink Azalea Shrub (Pinxterbloom Azalea)

$69.00
$69.00
$69.00
Rain Garden 12-Plant Collection Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Rain Garden 12-Plant Collection

$108.00
$108.00
$108.00
Purple Lovegrass Plant Sets Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Purple Lovegrass Plant Sets

from $42.00
from $42.00
$42.00
New
Purple Coneflower Plant Sets Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Purple Coneflower Plant Sets

from $42.00
from $42.00
$42.00
Monarch Munchables 18-Plant Collection Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Monarch Munchables 18-Plant Collection

$148.00
$148.00
$148.00
Rough Blazing Star Plant Sets Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Rough Blazing Star Plant Sets

from $42.00
from $42.00
$42.00
New
Lyreleaf Sage Plant Sets Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Lyreleaf Sage Plant Sets

from $42.00
from $42.00
$42.00
New
Swamp Azalea Shrub Part Shade - Garden for Wildlife

Swamp Azalea Shrub

$69.00
$69.00
$69.00
New
Oakleaf Hydrangea Shrub Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Oakleaf Hydrangea Shrub

$38.00
$38.00
$38.00
New
Azalea Twin Pack Part Shade - Garden for Wildlife

Azalea Shrub Twin Pack

$109.00
$109.00
$109.00
Buttonbush Shrub Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Buttonbush Shrub

$38.00
$38.00
$38.00
Prairie Dropseed Grass Plant Sets Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Prairie Dropseed Grass Plant Sets

from $42.00
from $42.00
$42.00
Purple Pollinator Pleaser 12-Plant Collection Plants - Garden for Wildlife

Purple Pollinator Pleaser 12-Plant Collection

$108.00
$108.00
$108.00
New
Sweet Azalea Shrub Part Shade - Garden for Wildlife

Sweet Azalea Shrub

$69.00
$69.00
$69.00
You’ll help birds, pollinators such as bees, butterflies, other insects, amphibians and small mammals, and reptiles. Your impact reaches far beyond your own garden. You’ll be creating habitat for declining wildlife, but also helping to reduce urban heat islands and manage storm water runoff. Bring nature home. There’s no easier place to get a daily dose of nature and the physical, mental and spiritual benefits. All orders support our non-profit mission to help declining wildlife and expand native plant availability nationwide.

The benefits of Tennessee native plants

Plants native to Tennessee have a host of benefits, not just aesthetics. Tennessee soil and climate conditions often make it easier to cultivate Tennessee native plants instead of introducing non-native species. This diminishes the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which can help protect Tennessee's precious environment and water supply.

Native plant habitats are also great for supporting local wildlife. By planting species native to Tennessee, you're creating an ecosystem that supports biodiversity by providing homes to local animals and helps keep Tennessee beautiful. If you're considering buying plants for your Tennessee garden, give Tennessee natives a try — your pollinator garden will benefit from the wide range of advantages they offer.

The great Tennessee biodiversity

Tennessee is home to a diversity of native plants and ecosystems. The Appalachian Mountains are home to temperate rainforest trees. In the Great Smoky Mountains, one can find low-lying native shrubs. The Cumberland Plateau provides great habitat for Tennessee Little Bluestem Grass.

For those looking to spruce up their Tennessee garden, these native plants make excellent choices, offering hardiness and compatibility with local ecosystems. To buy native plants for Tennessee, check out the carefully curated collections above for the perfect native plant for sale.

Tennessee’s lawn problem

Tennessee is plagued with a lawn problem that destroys native ecosystems and negatively impacts Tennessee wildlife. Fertilizers pollute Tennessee’s waterways, and pesticides kill Tennessee bees and fireflies, making it more difficult for the diversity of Tennessee’s wildlife to thrive..

Garden for Wildlife advocates for the anti-lawn movement and those passionate about protecting Tennessee's local wildlife are encouraged to plant Tennessee native plants that are better suited for Tennessee weather conditions and favor Tennessee flowers, shrubs, trees, ferns, and grasses. It’s never been easier to buy native plants for Tennessee online to help cultivate a naturally beautiful garden that strengthens our local ecosystems.

Native plants and bees in Tennessee

Tennessee is home to around 350 species of native bees As a result, Tennesseeans can help out the buzzing creatures by adding early spring blooming plants to their gardens and landscaped yards.

These native Tennessee plants provide essential nutrients for the bees and other pollinators that visit them, and they also lend a beautiful aesthetic touch to any outdoor space.

Plants native to Tennessee have evolved alongside native bees for millenia, providing some of the best sources of nectar and pollen. Knowing what Tennessee native plants to include in your landscaping means you can create an inviting habitat for our local bees.

Research shows that if there is sufficient diversity in both nectar-rich flowering plants and hollow stems in an area, it can support an abundance of healthy bees. Native bees and other pollinators spend the winter in crevices and cavities and emerge when the weather and floral resources are suitable. As such, rewilding your yard by leaving stems, leaving the leaves for wildlife, and even having bare patches of dirt and wood piles can also help enhance the environment for Tennessee’s native bee populations.

Monarch butterflies and Tennessee

Tennessee is home to hundreds of native butterfly species, one of the most common being the Red Admiral. Tennessee's unique climate and habitats allow many species of caterpillars and butterflies to flourish. Monarch butterflies, however, are particularly prevalent in Tennessee as they migrate through on their way to California and Mexico in September each year.

To ensure that plants native to Tennessee are plentiful to support these impressive migrating butterflies, Tennessee residents should consider looking into native plants for landscaping. The most important plant for monarch butterfly caterpillars is milkweed, which provides an important food source and habitat before they become butterflies! That’s why one of our most popular collections for Tennesseans is the Monarch Munchables collection.

The UT Student Environmental Initiatives Fund funded the creation of the Monarch Waystation in 2020. This garden serves as a place to rest for Monarch butterflies during their migration. It is planted with various species of milkweed for the butterflies to lay their eggs and other plants that provide food and shelter for pollinators.

The Waystation also features a butterfly bench and Monarch egg sculpture created by local artist Derek White. Every fall, a team of Monarch watchers tracks, tags, and releases Monarchs and enters the information into a national database to monitor the population and migration patterns of these butterflies.

The Tennessee Valley Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA) provides the perfect opportunity for you to get involved with monarch conservation. The association conducts annual butterfly counts in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Kentucky so that you can join in with one near you. NABA also encourages participants to plant Tennessee's native plants for landscaping as these attract butterflies during their migratory journeys.

 

FAQs about native plants in Tennessee

Tennessee boasts an array of plants native to the region and perfect for landscaping. Plants native to Tennessee have evolved to tolerate the extremes of Tennessee's summer heat and winter cold.

Plants native to Tennessee have adapted to the soil composition and other environmental factors, allowing them to flourish in their native range. Planting Tennessee native plants will help make your garden easy-to-maintain with a natural beauty that stands out.

To attract hummingbirds to your Tennessee garden, you can provide nectar through native flowering plants. You should also aim to have a diverse range of plants in your garden to provide insects for the hummingbirds to eat. Native plants are particularly helpful in attracting and supporting a variety of insects.

Using plants native to Tennessee for landscaping provides many benefits that many non-native plants don’t. Tennessee’s native trees, for example, can provide more caterpillars compared to non-native trees.

Over centuries of coevolution, numerous insects native to Tennessee have adapted to the unique diversity of native plants found in Tennessee. Using Tennessee native plants in landscaping is a great way to support biodiversity and maximize habitat potential while still providing a beautifully calming aesthetic.

It's important to avoid using harmful chemicals such as pesticides or synthetic fertilizers in your hummingbird garden, and avoid netting that could ensnare the birds you want to attract. You should also consider keeping pets like cats indoors to make your garden safer for hummingbirds.

Hummingbird feeders can be useful, but it's important to regularly sanitize them to prevent the spread of pathogens. Native wildflowers offer various benefits to hummingbirds and other wildlife and don't require as much maintenance as feeders once they are established.

The quickest and easiest way to determine if a plant is native to Tennessee is to check our state native plant finder. This will show exactly what the best plants for your garden will be. However, don’t forget to consider how much sunlight your garden gets. Check out our guide to plants and sunlight to make more informed choices about the best Tennessee native plants for your outdoor space.

The NoogaKnox Challenge is a competition between Chattanooga and Knoxville to see which can encourage the most homeowners and elected officials to eliminate or significantly reduce rainfall runoff from their property. The goal is to limit pollutants entering local waterways and ease the burden on the cities' stormwater systems.

The challenge began on March 22, 2022, intending to get the most people RainSmart Yard certified by September 22. At the last count, 86 Chattanoogans, and 31 Knoxville residents have received the certification.

Participating homeowners can save up to 75% on their annual stormwater fees and receive a bronze, silver, or gold rating based on the condition of their property. The program aims to capture as much rainwater on properties as possible, and evaluations involve checking the orientation of gutter downspouts and the presence of plants native to Tennessee, which tend to have longer root systems to absorb moisture.

The goal is to reduce runoff, which can pick up contaminants and eventually end up in streams, and lessen the risk of flash floods and soil erosion during heavy rain. Chattanooga residents can seek reimbursements for installing rain gardens and rain barrels, and city officials encourage people in Hamilton County and beyond to participate.

Water management is a crucial topic for Chattanooga and other Tennessee cities, considering the potential consequences of failing to control stormwater runoff. Since rain falls from the sky, it only has two paths to take — into the soil as groundwater or horizontally over land until it reaches a drainage channel.

When water follows this second path, known as runoff, it can collect pollutants and deliver them more quickly to local streams. Controlling this residential runoff can help reduce the number of contaminants going straight into the Tennessee River and surrounding streams. Additionally, the risk of flash floods and soil erosion is related to how fast water moves overland to a stream channel — controlling runoff could lessen those threats.

Incorporating plants native to Tennessee into your garden or landscape is a great way to create an attractive and unique outdoor space. Tennessee is home to many native species, from grasses and shrubs to flowers and trees, so there are plenty of beautiful varieties to choose from.

When selecting Tennessee native plants for your landscape, it’s essential to consider the relationship between native plants and sunlight, the soil type, and your moisture levels to select the plants best suited for your area. Buy Tennessee native plants using our ZIP code native plant finder for the best choice of suitable species and advice on establishing and tending your new plantings.