City guide · Zone 8a
What to plant in Memphis, Tennessee
A full-sun bed in Memphis: Weigela 'Wine & Roses', Dwarf fountain grass 'Hameln', Black-eyed Susan 'Goldsturm', Shasta daisy 'Becky', Variegated lilyturf 'Variegata'. Zone 8a, last frost around Mar 20.
Long, humid summers and generous rain. A broad Southern palette works.
Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.
Memphis, Tennessee at a glance
- Hardiness zone (2023 USDA)
- 8a (ZIP 38103)
- Typical last spring frost
- Mar 20
- Typical first fall frost
- Nov 10
- Spring planting window
- mid-April to mid-May
- Fall planting window
- October to mid-November
- Annual rainfall (approx.)
- 54 in
Frost dates are typical metro values, not forecasts. Long, hot, humid summers rule out many plants that are perfectly hardy in your zone, especially northern shrubs and alpine perennials. Our lists for Memphis use the rules for the Southeast.
Zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023 (USDA Agricultural Research Service; data by the PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University). ZIP code to state data: GeoNames (geonames.org), CC BY 4.0.
A full-sun bed in Memphis
6 or more hours of direct summer sun, 12 × 6 ft.
12 × 6 ft · Zone 8a · 6+ hours of sun · Cottage
Weigela florida 'Alexandra'
Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 4 ft apart · grows 4–5 ft tall · May–Jun
Can't find it? Use Shrub rose 'Knock Out' or Dwarf panicle hydrangea 'Little Lime'.
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln'
Grass · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Jul–Sep
Can't find it? Use Pink muhly grass or Northern sea oats.
Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm'
Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Jul–Oct
Can't find it? Use Lavandin 'Phenomenal' or Spike speedwell 'Royal Candles'.
Leucanthemum × superbum 'Becky'
Filler · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 3–4 ft tall · Jun–Sep
Can't find it? Use Lavandin 'Phenomenal' or Mexican bush sage.
Liriope muscari 'Variegata'
Edge · Edge of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1 ft apart · grows 1–1.25 ft tall · Aug–Sep
Listed as invasive in North Carolina in our table. Don't plant it there.
Can't find it? Use Cheddar pinks 'Firewitch' or Evergreen candytuft 'Purity'.
Kinds
5
Plants
27
Coverage
75%
Mulch
9 bags
Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 75% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.
A part-shade bed in Memphis
2 to 4 hours of direct summer sun, 12 × 6 ft.
12 × 6 ft · Zone 8a · 2–4 hours of sun · Classic
Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers'
Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 4 ft apart · grows 3–4 ft tall · Jun–Jul
Can't find it? Use Bigleaf hydrangea 'Endless Summer' or Smooth hydrangea 'Annabelle'.
Liriope muscari 'Big Blue'
Grass · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Aug–Sep
Listed as invasive in North Carolina in our table. Don't plant it there.
Can't find it? Use Autumn fern or Japanese forest grass 'Aureola'.
Lamprocapnos spectabilis
Filler · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Apr–Jun
Can't find it? Use African iris or Chinese astilbe 'Visions'.
Filler · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 4 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Aug
Can't find it? Use African iris or Chinese astilbe 'Visions'.
Mondo grass
× 3
Ophiopogon japonicus
Edge · Edge of bed · quart pot · 0.8 ft apart · grows 6–9 in tall · Foliage plant
Can't find it? Use Japanese sedge 'Ice Dance' or Japanese sedge 'Evergold'.
Kinds
5
Plants
15
Coverage
90%
Mulch
9 bags
Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 90% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.
A shady bed in Memphis
Under 2 hours of direct summer sun, 12 × 6 ft.
12 × 6 ft · Zone 8a · Under 2 hours of sun · Classic
Ilex vomitoria 'Nana'
Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3.5 ft apart · grows 3–5 ft tall · Foliage plant
Can't find it? Use Gold dust aucuba 'Variegata' or Sweetbox.
Liriope muscari 'Big Blue'
Grass · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Aug–Sep
Listed as invasive in North Carolina in our table. Don't plant it there.
Can't find it? Use Autumn fern or Japanese sedge 'Evergold'.
Lamprocapnos spectabilis
Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Apr–Jun
Can't find it? Use Siberian bugloss 'Jack Frost' or Coral bells 'Palace Purple'.
Filler · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Jul–Aug
Can't find it? Use Siberian bugloss 'Jack Frost' or Coral bells 'Palace Purple'.
Mondo grass
× 16
Ophiopogon japonicus
Edge · Edge of bed · quart pot · 0.8 ft apart · grows 6–9 in tall · Foliage plant
Can't find it? Use Japanese sedge 'Ice Dance' or Japanese sedge 'Evergold'.
Kinds
5
Plants
40
Coverage
87%
Mulch
9 bags
Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 87% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.
Guides for zone 8
- Dog-safe plants for a full-sun bed in zone 8
- Dog-safe plants for a part-shade bed in zone 8
- Deer-resistant plants for a full-sun bed in zone 8
- Deer-resistant plants for a part-shade bed in zone 8
- Low-water plants for a full-sun bed in zone 8
- What to plant in a full-sun bed in zone 8
- What to plant in a part-shade bed in zone 8
- What to plant in a shady bed in zone 8
Questions and answers
- What hardiness zone is Memphis, Tennessee in?
- Central Memphis (ZIP 38103) is in zone 8a on the 2023 USDA map: the coldest night of an average winter falls between 10°F and 15°F. Suburbs can be half a zone colder.
- When is the last frost in Memphis?
- Typically around Mar 20 in spring and Nov 10 in fall. These are typical dates; any one year can be two weeks earlier or later.
- When should I plant shrubs and perennials in Memphis?
- In spring, mid-April to mid-May; in fall, October to mid-November. Fall planting gives roots a cool, moist season to settle before summer.
- How many plants do I need for a 12 × 6 ft bed in Memphis?
- Our full-sun bed list for Memphis uses 27 plants of 5 kinds, plus 9 bags of mulch.
How this page was made
This page was generated from FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules: the rules engine composed each list for the city's 2023 USDA zone, its region's summers and its state's invasive lists. The frost dates and rainfall are approximate metro values. No person or chat model chose these plants, and no named expert has reviewed this page.
Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.
Sources
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
- ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
- Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
- State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
- Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Data by the PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University.
- ZIP code to state data: GeoNames (geonames.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants