5 planting zones in Tennessee on Map

Tennessee have 5 USDA planting zones, ranging from 6a to 8a, based on the latest USDA official data.

Zone 6a, the coldest, is found in the highest elevations of the eastern region. Zones 6b and 7a cover the northeastern and eastern parts, while Zone 7b dominates much of the state. Zone 8a, the warmest, is primarily located in the southwestern corner.

You can find your Tennessee planting zone by using our ZIP code tool or the Tennessee city planting zone map. Both tools, provided below in the post, will help you determine your exact USDA growing zone.

Search Tennessee Planting Zones by ZipCode

Planting Zones Tennessee Map

Please select or type your Tennessee city in the selction box below. Use top right corner button in map to change your map view by selecting layers.

What are the 5 planting zones in Tennessee?

1. Zone 6a

Zone 6a, the coldest planting zone in Tennessee, colored in light purple shade on our map. With average annual minimum temperatures ranging from -10°F to -5°F (-23.3°C to -20.6°C), this zone represents the most extreme winter conditions in the state. It covers some of the highest elevations in the eastern part of the state.

2. Zone 6b

Zone 6b, shown in dark teal color on our map, covers small area in the northeastern part of Tennessee. With average annual minimum temperatures ranging from -5°F to 0°F (-20.6°C to -17.8°C), it represents a challenging growing environment. The only major city in this zone is Roan Mountain, which is known for its high elevation and cooler climate.

3. Zone 7a

Zone 7a, shown in dark green color on the map, covers much of the eastern and north-central regions of Tennessee. This zone experiences average annual minimum temperatures between 0°F and 5°F (-17.8°C to -15°C). It includes many cities in the Appalachian region and the Cumberland Plateau. Some notable cities in this zone include Gatlinburg, Cookeville, Crossville, and Bristol. The zone also covers areas around Knoxville, though the city itself falls in a warmer zone.

4. Zone 7b

Zone 7b, represented by the light green color that dominates the map above, covers the largest portion of Tennessee. It stretches from the central region to parts of West Tennessee, with average annual minimum temperatures ranging from 5°F to 10°F (-15°C to -12.2°C). This zone includes many of Tennessee’s major cities and regions, like Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Murfreesboro and Clarksville. It also includes smaller cities like Columbia, Jackson, and Cleveland.

5. Zone 8a

Zone 8a, shown in yellow color on the map, is the warmest planting zone in Tennessee. It is primarily found in the southwestern corner of the state and in small pockets along the southern border. With average annual minimum temperatures between 10°F and 15°F (-12.2°C to -9.4°C), this zone offers the longest growing season in Tennessee. Cities in this zone include parts of Memphis and its suburbs like Germantown, Collierville, and Arlington. Other notable areas are Ripley and parts of Chattanooga’s southern suburbs.

Planting Zones in Tennessee with Cities

USDA hardiness zones for Tennessee Cities, Towns and Counties. Data from USDA (latest release-2023)

Planting Zones in Tennessee	Temp Range (°F)	Cities
7b	5 to 10	Adams, Adamsville, Alamo, Alcoa, Alexandria, Altamont, Andersonville, Antioch, Ardmore, Arnold Afb, Arrington, Ashland City, Athens, Atwood, Auburntown, Bakewell, Bath Springs, Baxter, Bean Station, Beech Bluff, Beechgrove, Belfast, Bell Buckle, Bells, Belvidere, Benton, Bethel Springs, Bethpage, Big Sandy, Birchwood, Blaine, Bloomington Springs, Blountville, Bluff City, Bogota, Bolivar, Bon Aqua, Bradford, Bradyville, Brentwood, Bristol, Bruceton, Brush Creek, Buchanan, Buena Vista, Buffalo Valley, Bulls Gap, Bumpus Mills, Burns, Bybee, Calhoun, Camden, Campaign, Carthage, Castalian Springs, Cedar Grove, Centerville, Chapel Hill, Charleston, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Chestnut Mound, Christiana, Clarksburg, Clarksville, Cleveland, Clifton, Clinton, Coalfield, Cokercreek, College Grove, Collinwood, Columbia, Como, Copperhill, Cornersville, Corryton, Cosby, Cottage Grove, Cottontown, Counce, Cowan, Crockett Mills, Cross Plains, Crump, Culleoka, Cumberland City, Cumberland Furnace, Cunningham, Cypress Inn, Dandridge, Darden, Dayton, Decatur, Decaturville, Decherd, Del Rio, Delano, Dellrose, Denmark, Dickson, Dixon Springs, Dover, Dowelltown, Doyle, Dresden, Duck River, Ducktown, Duff, Dukedom, Dunlap, Dyer, Dyersburg, Eagleville, Eaton, Elizabethton, Elkton, Elmwood, Elora, Englewood, Enville, Erin, Estill Springs, Ethridge, Etowah, Eva, Evensville, Fairview, Farner, Fayetteville, Finger, Five Points, Flintville, Fosterville, Frankewing, Franklin, Friendship, Friendsville, Fruitvale, Gadsden, Gallatin, Gates, Georgetown, Gibson, Gladeville, Gleason, Goodlettsville, Goodspring, Gordonsville, Grand Junction, Granville, Graysville, Greenback, Greeneville, Greenfield, Guild, Guys, Hampshire, Harriman, Hartford, Hartsville, Heiskell, Henderson, Hendersonville, Henry, Hermitage, Hickman, Hickory Valley, Hillsboro, Hohenwald, Holladay, Hollow Rock, Hornbeak, Hornsby, Humboldt, Huntingdon, Huntland, Huron, Hurricane Mills, Idlewild, Indian Mound, Iron City, Jacks Creek, Jacksboro, Jackson, Jefferson City, Johnson City, Kelso, Kenton, Kingsport, Kingston, Kingston Springs, Knoxville, Kodak, La Vergne, Laconia, Lafayette, Lake City, Lancaster, Lascassas, Lavinia, Lawrenceburg, Lebanon, Lenoir City, Lenox, Leoma, Lewisburg, Lexington, Liberty, Limestone, Linden, Lobelville, Lookout Mountain, Loretto, Loudon, Louisville, Luray, Luttrell, Lutts, Lyles, Lynchburg, Lynnville, Madison, Madisonville, Manchester, Mansfield, Martin, Maryville, Mascot, Maury City, Maynardville, Mc Ewen, Mc Kenzie, Mc Lemoresville, Mc Minnville, Medina, Medon, Mercer, Michie, Middleton, Midway, Milan, Milledgeville, Milligan College, Milton, Minor Hill, Mitchellville, Mohawk, Monteagle, Mooresburg, Morris Chapel, Morrison, Morristown, Mosheim, Mount Carmel, Mount Juliet, Mount Pleasant, Mountain Home, Mulberry, Murfreesboro, Nashville, New Johnsonville, New Market, Newbern, Newport, Niota, Nolensville, Norene, Normandy, Norris, Nunnelly, Oak Ridge, Oakdale, Oakfield, Obion, Ocoee, Old Hickory, Oldfort, Olivehill, Oliver Springs, Only, Palmer, Palmersville, Palmyra, Paris, Parrottsville, Parsons, Pegram, Pelham, Petersburg, Philadelphia, Pickwick Dam, Pigeon Forge, Piney Flats, Pinson, Pleasant Shade, Pocahontas, Portland, Powder Springs, Powell, Primm Springs, Prospect, Pruden, Pulaski, Puryear, Quebeck, Ramer, Readyville, Reagan, Red Boiling Springs, Reliance, Riceville, Riddleton, Ridgely, Rives, Rock Island, Rockford, Rockvale, Rogersville, Russellville, Rutherford, Rutledge, Saint Joseph, Sale Creek, Saltillo, Samburg, Santa Fe, Sardis, Saulsbury, Savannah, Scotts Hill, Selmer, Sequatchie, Sevierville, Sewanee, Seymour, Sharon, Sharps Chapel, Shelbyville, Sherwood, Shiloh, Signal Mountain, Silerton, Silver Point, Slayden, Smartt, Smithville, Smyrna, Soddy Daisy, South Fulton, South Pittsburg, Southside, Sparta, Spring City, Spring Creek, Spring Hill, Springville, Stantonville, Stewart, Strawberry Plains, Sugar Tree, Summertown, Summitville, Sweetwater, Taft, Talbott, Tallassee, Telford, Tellico Plains, Ten Mile, Tennessee Ridge, Thompsons Station, Tigrett, Tiptonville, Toone, Trenton, Trezevant, Trimble, Troy, Tullahoma, Turtletown, Union City, Unionville, Vanleer, Viola, Vonore, Walland, Walling, Wartrace, Washburn, Watauga, Watertown, Waverly, Waynesboro, Westmoreland, Westpoint, Westport, White Bluff, White Pine, Whites Creek, Whitesburg, Whiteside, Whiteville, Whitwell, Wildersville, Williamsport, Winchester, Woodbury, Woodland Mills, Woodlawn, Wynnburg, Yorkville, Yuma
7a	0 to 5	Afton, Allardt, Allons, Allred, Alpine, Arthur, Beersheba Springs, Big Rock, Briceville, Bristol, Butler, Byrdstown, Caryville, Cedar Hill, Celina, Chapmansboro, Chuckey, Church Hill, Clairfield, Clarkrange, Coalmont, Cookeville, Crab Orchard, Crawford, Crossville, Cumberland Gap, Deer Lodge, Eagan, Eidson, Elgin, Elizabethton, Erwin, Fall Branch, Flag Pond, Gainesboro, Gatlinburg, Grandview, Greenbrier, Greeneville, Grimsley, Gruetli Laager, Hampton, Harrogate, Helenwood, Hilham, Huntsville, Jamestown, Jellico, Joelton, Jonesborough, Kyles Ford, La Follette, Lancing, Laurel Bloomery, Livingston, Lone Mountain, Monroe, Monterey, Moss, Mountain City, New Tazewell, Newcomb, Oneida, Orlinda, Pall Mall, Petros, Pikeville, Pioneer, Pleasant Hill, Pleasant View, Rickman, Ridgetop, Robbins, Rockwood, Rugby, Shady Valley, Shawanee, Sneedville, Speedwell, Spencer, Springfield, Sunbright, Surgoinsville, Tazewell, Thorn Hill, Townsend, Tracy City, Trade, Unicoi, Wartburg, White House, Whitleyville, Wilder, Winfield
8a	10 to 15	Apison, Arlington, Atoka, Braden, Brighton, Brownsville, Brunswick, Burlison, Chattanooga, Chewalla, Collegedale, Collierville, Conasauga, Cordova, Covington, Drummonds, Eads, Ellendale, Finley, Gallaway, Germantown, Halls, Harrison, Henning, Hixson, Jasper, Lupton City, Macon, Mason, Mc Donald, Memphis, Millington, Moscow, Munford, Oakland, Ooltewah, Ripley, Rossville, Somerville, Stanton, Tipton, Williston
6b	-5 to 0	Roan Mountain

How are Tennessee planting zones influenced by the Mississippi River and Appalachian Mountains?

Tennessee’s garden planting zones are significantly influenced by its proximity to the Mississippi River in the west and the Appalachian Mountains in the east. This geographic diversity creates a range of microclimates across the state:

1. Western Tennessee (Zone 7b-8a): The Mississippi River moderates temperatures, creating milder winters. This allows for growing plants like crepe myrtle.
2. Central Tennessee (Zone 7a-7b): Less influenced by major geographic features, this region has a moderate climate. Common plants include dogwood trees.
3. Eastern Tennessee (Zone 6b-7a): The Appalachian Mountains create cooler temperatures and higher elevations, suitable for plants like rhododendrons.
4. Northeastern Tennessee (Zone 6a-6b): The highest elevations in the Appalachians result in the coldest zones, where plants like sugar maple thrive.