Quick answer: 203 native plants for shade are native to Tennessee, 153 with a live listing as of 04 Nov 2026.
203 species
- Allegheny chinquapin Castanea pumila · 21 states
- Allegheny serviceberry Amelanchier laevis · 17 states
- American alumroot Heuchera americana · 20 states
- American basswood Tilia americana · 37 states
- American beautyberry Callicarpa americana · 13 states
- American beech Fagus grandifolia · 31 states
- American bellflower Campanulastrum americanum · 34 states
- American bittersweet Celastrus scandens · 33 states
- American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia · 28 states
- American cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon · 15 states
- American hazelnut Corylus americana · 34 states
- American holly Ilex opaca · 28 states
- American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana · 33 states
- American mountain ash Sorbus americana · 18 states
- American plum Prunus americana · 37 states
- American strawberry bush Euonymus americanus · 23 states
- American sycamore Platanus occidentalis · 28 states
- American wisteria Wisteria frutescens · 14 states
- Appalachian gooseberry Ribes rotundifolium · 11 states
- Bigleaf magnolia Magnolia macrophylla · 13 states
- Birdfoot violet Viola pedata · 34 states
- Bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis · 28 states
- Black cherry Prunus serotina · 35 states
- Black huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata · 25 states
- Black tupelo Nyssa sylvatica · 31 states
- Black willow Salix nigra · 24 states
- Blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium · 12 states
- Blackjack oak Quercus marilandica · 24 states
- Bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis · 34 states
- Blue vervain Verbena hastata · 34 states
- Bluebead Clintonia borealis · 14 states
- Box huckleberry Gaylussacia brachycera · 8 states
- Bur oak Quercus macrocarpa · 33 states
- Canada anemone Anemone canadensis · 29 states
- Canada yew Taxus canadensis · 18 states
- Canadian serviceberry Amelanchier canadensis · 21 states
- Canadian wild ginger Asarum canadense · 30 states
- Cardinal flower Lobelia cardinalis · 41 states
- Carolina allspice Calycanthus floridus · 17 states
- Carolina springbeauty Claytonia caroliniana · 20 states
- Catawba rosebay Rhododendron catawbiense · 8 states
- Chokecherry Prunus virginiana · 44 states
- Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides · 34 states
- Cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea · 32 states
- Climbing prairie rose Rosa setigera · 27 states
- Coastal sweetpepperbush Clethra alnifolia · 13 states
- Cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli · 25 states
- Common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis · 29 states
- Common elderberry Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis · 36 states
- Common evening primrose Oenothera biennis · 30 states
- Common hackberry Celtis occidentalis · 33 states
- Common hoptree Ptelea trifoliata · 28 states
- Common ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius · 30 states
- Common snowberry Symphoricarpos albus · 21 states
- Common winterberry Ilex verticillata · 32 states
- Coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus · 30 states
- Creeping phlox Phlox stolonifera · 11 states
- Cucumbertree Magnolia acuminata · 19 states
- Cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata · 43 states
- Deerberry Vaccinium stamineum · 22 states
- Devil's walking stick Aralia spinosa · 21 states
- Downy hawthorn Crataegus mollis · 24 states
- Downy serviceberry Amelanchier arborea · 37 states
- Dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria · 32 states
- Dwarf crested iris Iris cristata · 17 states
- Dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne · 15 states
- Early azalea Rhododendron prinophyllum · 17 states
- Eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana · 18 states
- Eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides · 42 states
- Eastern gray beardtongue Penstemon canescens · 13 states
- Eastern hay-scented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula · 25 states
- Eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis · 25 states
- Eastern hop-hornbeam Ostrya virginiana · 37 states
- Eastern leatherwood Dirca palustris · 25 states
- Eastern red cedar Juniperus virginiana · 37 states
- Eastern red columbine Aquilegia canadensis · 36 states
- Eastern redbud Cercis canadensis · 32 states
- Eastern teaberry Gaultheria procumbens · 23 states
- Eastern white pine Pinus strobus · 28 states
- Farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum · 16 states
- Fire pink Silene virginica · 26 states
- Flowering dogwood Cornus florida · 31 states
- Fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica · 30 states
- Great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica · 36 states
- Great laurel Rhododendron maximum · 20 states
- Green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica · 43 states
- Green-and-gold Chrysogonum virginianum · 13 states
- Hairy beardtongue Penstemon hirsutus · 19 states
- Harebell Campanula rotundifolia · 35 states
- Heart-leaved meadow parsnip Zizia aptera · 30 states
- Heartleaf foamflower Tiarella cordifolia · 18 states
- Highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum · 25 states
- Highbush cranberry Viburnum opulus var. americanum · 22 states
- Hobblebush Viburnum lantanoides · 17 states
- Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans · 37 states
- Inland sea oats Chasmanthium latifolium · 21 states
- Interrupted fern Osmunda claytoniana · 29 states
- Jack-in-the-pulpit Arisaema triphyllum · 35 states
- Jacob's ladder Polemonium reptans · 31 states
- Kentucky yellowwood Cladrastis kentukea · 8 states
- King of the meadow Thalictrum pubescens · 21 states
- Lanceleaf coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata · 35 states
- Large-flowered bellwort Uvularia grandiflora · 27 states
- Largeflower tickseed Coreopsis grandiflora · 25 states
- Loblolly pine Pinus taeda · 18 states
- Longbract wild indigo (cream false indigo) Baptisia bracteata var. leucophaea · 19 states
- Lowbush blueberry Vaccinium angustifolium · 22 states
- Mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium · 27 states
- Marsh marigold Caltha palustris · 28 states
- Mayapple Podophyllum peltatum · 35 states
- Michigan lily Lilium michiganense · 16 states
- Mountain azalea Rhododendron canescens · 14 states
- Mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia · 23 states
- Mountain maple Acer spicatum · 18 states
- Mountain silverbell Halesia tetraptera · 13 states
- New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · 29 states
- Northern bush honeysuckle Diervilla lonicera · 18 states
- Northern catalpa Catalpa speciosa · 9 states
- Northern maidenhair fern Adiantum pedatum · 37 states
- Northern spicebush Lindera benzoin · 31 states
- Northern white cedar Thuja occidentalis · 21 states
- Oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia · 9 states
- Ohio buckeye Aesculus glabra · 20 states
- Pagoda dogwood Cornus alternifolia · 30 states
- Partridgeberry Mitchella repens · 31 states
- Pawpaw Asimina triloba · 29 states
- Pignut hickory Carya glabra · 31 states
- Pin oak Quercus palustris · 27 states
- Prairie onion Allium stellatum · 12 states
- Purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum · 17 states
- Red buckeye Aesculus pavia · 15 states
- Red spruce Picea rubens · 15 states
- River birch Betula nigra · 28 states
- Riverbank grape Vitis riparia · 20 states
- Roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii · 11 states
- Royal fern Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis · 30 states
- Rusty blackhaw viburnum Viburnum rufidulum · 18 states
- Sassafras Sassafras albidum · 22 states
- Sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis · 26 states
- Shagbark hickory Carya ovata · 34 states
- Shortleaf pine Pinus echinata · 22 states
- Showy goldenrod Solidago speciosa · 28 states
- Shrubby St. John's-wort Hypericum prolificum · 33 states
- Silver maple Acer saccharinum · 37 states
- Smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum · 34 states
- Smooth alder Alnus serrulata · 23 states
- Smooth azalea Rhododendron arborescens · 13 states
- Smooth hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens · 23 states
- Smooth sumac Rhus glabra · 42 states
- Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum · 17 states
- Southern arrowwood Viburnum dentatum · 28 states
- Southern crabapple Malus angustifolia · 14 states
- Southern red oak Quercus falcata · 23 states
- Staghorn sumac Rhus typhina · 28 states
- Starry false Solomon's seal Maianthemum stellatum · 19 states
- Steeplebush Spiraea tomentosa · 22 states
- Striped maple Acer pensylvanicum · 18 states
- Sugar maple Acer saccharum · 34 states
- Swamp azalea Rhododendron viscosum · 15 states
- Swamp rose Rosa palustris · 27 states
- Swamp sunflower Helianthus angustifolius · 21 states
- Swamp white oak Quercus bicolor · 23 states
- Sweet Joe-Pye Eutrochium purpureum · 33 states
- Sweet birch Betula lenta · 21 states
- Sweet coneflower Rudbeckia subtomentosa · 11 states
- Sweet crabapple Malus coronaria · 20 states
- Sweet-fern Comptonia peregrina · 21 states
- Sweetbay magnolia Magnolia virginiana · 17 states
- Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua · 26 states
- Threadleaf coreopsis Coreopsis verticillata · 14 states
- Three-flower melic grass Melica nitens · 17 states
- Trailing arbutus Epigaea repens · 24 states
- Tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera · 27 states
- Twinleaf Jeffersonia diphylla · 15 states
- Twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla · 25 states
- Umbrella tree magnolia Magnolia tripetala · 17 states
- Virgin's bower Clematis virginiana · 27 states
- Virginia bluebells Mertensia virginica · 23 states
- Virginia chain fern Woodwardia virginica · 24 states
- Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia · 40 states
- Virginia mountain mint Pycnanthemum virginianum · 27 states
- Virginia spiderwort Tradescantia virginiana · 24 states
- Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica · 28 states
- Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica · 19 states
- Water oak Quercus nigra · 17 states
- White ash Fraxinus americana · 35 states
- White baneberry Actaea pachypoda · 33 states
- White fringetree Chionanthus virginicus · 21 states
- White meadowsweet Spiraea alba · 22 states
- White oak Quercus alba · 33 states
- White snakeroot Ageratina altissima · 23 states
- White turtlehead Chelone glabra · 22 states
- Wild blue phlox Phlox divaricata · 36 states
- Wild geranium Geranium maculatum · 33 states
- Wild hyacinth (Atlantic camas) Camassia scilloides · 20 states
- Willow oak Quercus phellos · 23 states
- Witch-hazel Hamamelis virginiana · 33 states
- Witherod viburnum Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides · 24 states
- Wood lily Lilium philadelphicum · 28 states
- Woodland pinkroot Spigelia marilandica · 16 states
- Yellow birch Betula alleghaniensis · 21 states
- Yellow buckeye Aesculus flava · 14 states
- Yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea · 21 states
Native plants for shade in Tennessee: what to know
203 of the 319 plants native to Tennessee in this directory fit this need: 64% of the state's list, well above the 47% share across all species.
Between them they flower from January through December, with the most in bloom in May. Mixing early and late bloomers keeps the planting useful all season.
Many do double duty: 140 are also good for pollinators, 132 are also good for birds, 89 are also drought-tolerant.
85 of them grow in full or partial sun and 203 tolerate shade, so there are options for open beds and woodland edges alike. Sizes run from low plants like American alumroot and Birdfoot violet to trees such as Allegheny chinquapin and Allegheny serviceberry. For wildlife, 140 support pollinators, 132 provide food or cover for birds and 55 are caterpillar host plants.
153 of the 203 have a seed or plant listing we verified as the wild species. Be careful buying American alumroot, American wisteria, Coastal sweetpepperbush: common listings for these are often a bred variety or a different species.
Good places to start
Verified wild-species listings that take sun and are widely native, so they are forgiving first plants.
- Chokecherry Prunus virginiana · Sun, Part Shade, Shade · blooms Apr-Jul
- Cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata · Sun, Part Shade, Shade · blooms Jul-Oct
- Green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica · Sun, Part Shade, Shade · blooms Apr-Jun