What Should I Plant?

Download and print any of the following documents to help in your selection of native plants for your garden.  All of these lists include plants that are native to the Tennessee Valley, including the Chattanooga area, north Georgia and north Alabama.

Landscaping with Native Plants – East Tennessee
This downloadable brochure includes information about growing conditions in east Tennessee, as well as a list of native trees, shrubs, ferns, grasses, ground-covers and flowering plants that are suited to the area.  A publication of the Tennessee Invasive Plant Council.

 

Native Plant Growing Requirements
Lists of native plants for sunny well-drained soil (drought-tolerant), sunny areas with average-moist soil (good rain garden choices), part-shade with moist – average soil (good rain garden choices), shady areas with well-drained soil (dry), and shady areas with moist – average soil.  This list also indicates butterfly host plants that support caterpillars.

 

Keystone Genera for Hamilton County
Which native plants attract the most pollinators (Lepidoptera species)? Discover native plants, ranked by the number of butterfly and moth species that use them as host plants for their caterpillars.

 

Pollinator Plants through the Seasons
A list of easy-to-grow spring and early summer nectar plants, as well as late summer and fall-blooming plants that attract butterflies and other pollinators.

 

 

Bloom Times for Pollinator Plants in Sunny Gardens
A handy plant list to help you have a continuous display of blooms, attracting pollinators to your garden from April through November.

 

Bloom Times for Native Plants in Shady Gardens

A plant list for shade and partial shade gardens, along with bloom times in the Tennessee Valley.

 

Native Shrubs for Pollinators
A good article that appeared in the American Horticultural Society’s American Gardening publication.  All of the plants, except maybe Leadplant (Amorpha fruticosa grows here) are good choices for this area.

 

Beneficial Insects, Spiders & Mites in the Southeast
Images and descriptions of 15 common “beneficials” and plants to attract them.