Yes — Strong Match
petunia is grown as an annual, so season length decides it here, not a winter zone — and Tennessee's typical season runs ~230 frost-free days against the ~60 petunia needs.
Sow by about Aug 25
Petunia is grown as an annual, so what decides it here is season length, not a winter zone. It needs about 60 frost-free days and a typical Tennessee season runs ~230 frost-free days, leaving 170 days of slack. That is room to sow as late as about Aug 25 and still finish before the usual first freeze (Nov 8), or to run a second succession.
Want more weeks at either end of that window? How to buy the weeks →
60 frost-free days required against Tennessee’s ~230-day season. NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS 1991-2020 (28°F killing freeze), state median across counties, via stateClimateData.ts.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Petunia is grown as an annual, so your winter zone isn't the deciding factor — your frost-free window is. A typical Tennessee site runs ~230 frost-free days, but that is a state median, not your yard: slope, trees, and low spots move the last-frost date across a single parcel. Enter your address and we'll score petunia against your land's actual frost dates, sun, and soil.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
No card required · your full report in seconds
Zone Comparison
Petunia Needs
- USDA Zones: Data pending
- Frost-Free Days: 60+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 1 ft tall
- Picking window: ~120 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: Medium
Tennessee Has
- USDA Zones: 6a-8a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 21 - Mar 29
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 5 - Nov 12
- Annual Rainfall: 45-55 inches
- Common Soils: Silt loam, Clay loam, Limestone-derived
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: USDA PLANTS Database / Growable Ground plant catalog. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Petunia in Tennessee
The frost window
Across Tennessee, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 21 and Mar 29, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 5 and Nov 12 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 221-day window you can count on — up to 236 days on a mild site in a kind year. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost, so tender transplants usually wait another 2-3 weeks.
When to start the seed
Those dates are when petunia goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 10 weeks ahead, so counting back from Tennessee's late-side last freeze of Mar 29 is what fixes your sowing date — and a yard that clears frost earlier than the state's late date starts earlier still.
Days to maturity vs. the window
At 75 days to maturity (USDA PLANTS Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 146 days to spare even in Tennessee's tightest freeze scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Johnson County, not the statewide average.
Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: USDA PLANTS Database. Your site's own frost dates can run earlier or later than the state range — a parcel report pins them down.
Growing Season Fit
Frost-free days
Petunia wants 60+ frost-free days; a typical Tennessee site sees ~230 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Petunia needs ~1300 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~4122 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Tennessee's typical season clears that easily.
GDD and chill-hour figures are computed from PRISM 1991-2020 monthly climate normals; frost-free days from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Each is the state median across its counties (P25/P75 span the within-state spread). Hardiness-zone range is USDA PHZM 2023.
Soil + Drainage Fit
Petunia likes near-neutral soil (pH 5.5-7). That's the common-ground band across Tennessee's silt loam and clay loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 5.8 and 6.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Tennessee soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Tennessee site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
Tennessee's soils run mostly silt loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. What matters for petunia is the horizon its roots actually work, not the surface. That map unit, not the state average, decides how petunia performs.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. Tennessee soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Petunia in Tennessee — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Yes — Strong Match
- Plant Zones: Data pending (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 6a-8a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Mar 21 - Mar 29 to Nov 5 - Nov 12 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
- Days to Maturity: 75 days
What Else to Consider for Petunia in Tennessee
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Tennessee growers also need to think about:
Heavy clay soils in the Nashville Basin
High humidity promotes disease in summer
Variable spring weather with late frost risk
Growing petunia here specifically
Tennessee's soils run mostly silt loam (Ultisols), and whether that suits petunia's pH 5.5–7.0 preference comes down to your exact parcel, not the statewide picture.
Pull your parcel's SSURGO map unit, test pH, and amend toward petunia's 5.5–7.0 target before planting. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Tennessee grower, not just petunia — is covered on the Tennessee growing guide.
Timing shifts within Tennessee
Tennessee isn't one climate. In Johnson County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Apr 14 — roughly 21 days later than the recorded state median — so plant petunia to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Petunia needs about 60 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Johnson County — Tennessee’s shortest season at 193 frost-free days — clears that by 133 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Tennessee. What varies is your own parcel.
Across Tennessee’s 95 counties the frost-free season runs from 193 days in Johnson County to 266 days in Shelby County — a spread of 73 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Tennessee county sees 230 frost-free days, leaving petunia about 170 days of slack on a typical parcel — room for a second sowing where the season runs long.
County last-freeze dates and frost-free day counts: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F freeze (earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost"). Petunia's 60-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Petunia draws honeybees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and moths (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, petunia can only work that bloom inside Tennessee's frost window — roughly 230 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Mar 21 - Mar 29) and closing at the first (Nov 5 - Nov 12), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Recommended Petunia Varieties for Tennessee
Tennessee publishes no state variety trial for petunia, so we won't invent a "best for Tennessee" list. Choose types rated to your USDA hardiness zone (6a-8a), and confirm winter survival and drainage against your own parcel.
Tennessee Cooperative Extension
For Tennessee-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for petunia, the canonical source is UT Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Petunia native to Tennessee?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Petunia as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Tennessee's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Tennessee natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Tennessee growing guide lists USDA-documented natives for the state.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing Petunia in Tennessee
When can I plant Petunia in Tennessee?
Tennessee's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 21 and Mar 29, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 5 and Nov 12 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Time outdoor planting to after the last hard freeze for your specific site — a further two to three weeks for anything tender — and count back from those dates for transplant scheduling.
Can Petunia mature before first frost in Tennessee?
Yes — Petunia matures in 75 days (USDA PLANTS Database), and Tennessee's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 221 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 146 days of margin. Plant once the last hard freeze has passed — two to three weeks later for anything tender — and it ripens ahead of the first fall freeze.
What hardiness zone is Petunia grown in across Tennessee?
Tennessee spans USDA hardiness zones 6a-8a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Petunia carries a range of zones Data pending, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Tennessee site have?
A typical Tennessee site sees ~230 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Petunia needs 60+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date. In cooler counties like Johnson, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Petunia native to Tennessee?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Petunia as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Tennessee's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Tennessee natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Petunia in Tennessee?
Petunia prefers pH 5.5-7 and well (dry spells) drainage (Growable Ground Plant Database). That sits in the common-ground band across Tennessee soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Petunia actually grow on my specific land in Tennessee?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores petunia against your address's exact soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.
Check your specific parcel in Tennessee
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores petunia against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Tennessee petunia averages can't show:
We read public map data around Tennessee — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Tennessee petunia average
Analysis by the Growable Ground research team, grounded in USDA PLANTS, USDA NRCS SSURGO, NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020), and named Cooperative Extension sources. How we know →
Cite this dataset
Kirchick, M. (2026). Growable Ground Plant Database [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21435643
Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. DOI 10.5281/zenodo.21435643
Last updated: