Texas plants are tough, and they need to be hardy! They have evolved to survive months of triple-digit heat in summer, hard freezes in winter, and extended droughts, sometimes followed by local "rain bombs". Below is a small sampling of the spectacular flora of Central Texas. I have included a few plants that are not strictly native to the area, but found within a few hundred miles, mostly south of the region. Some plants are cultivars. I can provide most of them, depending on the season. Use the following links to see examples from each plant category:, shade trees, ornamental small to medium trees, flowering perennials, perennial flowering shrubs, evergreen shrubs, vines, cactuses, agaves, and yuccas, ornamental and xeriscape grasses and turf, and annuals/wildflowers. Depending on seasonality, I can get and deliver most of these and many others for you in sizes from 30 gallons to flats.
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Texas natives are tough and ask much less of the gardener, but they do need a bit of "tough love" . Be sure to mulch, mulch, mulch—but not to overwater them. In most cases, don't spray or fertilize them; and if and when you prune them, do so appropriately and at the right time (usually around Valentine's Day)! Of course, if I help you plan your garden and/or provide your plants, I am available to offer advice or suggestions before, during, and after you plant them-contact me whenever you have any questions.
I can provide, in season, the plants below and many others. These include the deer-distasteful as well as "deer candy". Want a shade loving plant that produces red flowers, attracts hummingbirds, and can live in the worst possible soil? How about a deer resistant evergreen tree with bright berries in mid winter? A drought tolerant groundcover with velvety green leaves and lovely purple flower spikes? There are plants for every possible situation!
To get growing, contact me by calling me at 310-487-3353 or email me at avitropic@sbcglobal.net

 

Texas Redbud

Yaupon

Goldenball Lead Tree; Sun or shade, excellent pollinator plant

Ashe Juniper; much maligned but evergreen, deer resistant, any soil, low water

Goldenball Lead Tree detail

Goldenball Lead Tree

Yaupon with Cedar Waxwing

Texas Mountain Laurel: Best tree for our region! Relatively slow growing but does well in any soil type, sun or shade, low water, deer-resistant

Texas Mountain Laurel

Eve's Necklace: Not deer resistant, great blooms/pollinator plant

Eve's Necklace detail

Desert Willow: Great for xeriscaping, light foliage, beautiful flowers attract pollinators

Desert Willow detail

Mexican Buckeye: Deciduous, quick growing, lovely blooms attract pollinators, interesting seed pods. Moderate deer resistance

Texas Redbud

 

Mexican Plum: Small edible fruit, early showy bloom, excellent for pollinators, not deer-resistant

Cherry Laurel: Fast growing, deer resistant, birds and pollinators love it.

Cherry Laurel detail

Texas Persimmon-A good substitute for Crape Myrtle

Weeping Yaupon, an ornamental cultivar good for a vertical look

Red/ Scarlet Buckeye

Evergreen Succulents, Cactuses, and Shrubs

Red Yucca: Deer resistant leaves (not blooms). Shade or sun, low water, hummingbirds love it!

great xeriscape plant

Whale's Tongue Agave

"Blue" Twistleaf Yucca (shade tolerant and deer resistant!)

Green Twistleaf Yucca

Blue Agave

Twistleaf Yucca great in sun or shade, hardy, deer proof!

Green Twistleaf Yucca, good in shade, pots, borders. This one in my backyard was a bit battered by the big freeze, but it’s doing fine now!

Green Texas Sage: This and other Texas Sages are best bet for screening. Deer resistant, beautiful blooms after rains.

Green Texas Sage: Best evergreen + color option!

Compact and manageable, Compact Texas Sage

Agarita: Native, evergreen, deer resistant, and more! Delicious berries, early flowers, early spring pollinator magnet!

Careful of spiny leaves when picking berries!

Skeletonleaf Goldeneye

Flame Acanthus, another best bet. Hummers and butterflies love it!

Flame acanthus is a perfect hedge, ground cover, visual screen, or garden accent

Texas Sotol

Texas Dwarf Palmetto: Great for shade, deer resistant

Big Bend Yucca

Wax Myrtle and "poodled" Dwarf Yaupon

“Un-poodled” Dwarf Yaupon

Desert Mallow

Desert Mallow detail

 

Common Tree Senna

Gold Star Esperanza. Great shrub for sunny locations, Perennial, you can trim to shape.

Mexican Oregano

Fragrant Mimosa

Perennials

American Beautyberry (with Black-and-Yellow Garden Spider): Shade tolerant, unique berries can be made into yummy jelly (also loved by songbirds)

Detail of Berries. Leaves are a great mosquito-repellent alternative to DEET!

Autumn Sage (pink variety)

Salvia greggi, detail of "Lipstick" variety

Mealy Blue Sage

Indigo Spires

Damianita

Turk's Cap, a best bet! Sun or shade, any soil, low water, deer-resistant, pollinators and hummingbirds love it!

Turk's Cap is great for low maintenance shade in a native landscape

Turk's Cap

Perennial Mix

Turk's Cap detail (with Gulf Fritillary)

Perennial Mix

Perennial Mix

Mexican Mint Marigold

Mexican Mint Marigold

Gregg's Blue Mistflower with Queen Butterfly

Four-nerve Daisy

Autumn Sage, "Hot Lips"

Cedar Sage

Autumn Sage, "Hot Lips" detail

 

Button Bush

Zexmenia

Damianita

Golden Groundsel

Mealy Blue Sage

Button Bush detail with Buckeye butterfly

Hill Country Penstemon

Golden Groundsel

Gregg's Mistflower

Mealy Blue Sage

Sangria Esperanza

Sangria Esperanza

Tropical Sage

Gaura

Wright's Purple Skullcap: Tidy Perennial

Native Texas Lantana (best for butterflies!) Avoid all other lantana

Rock Penstemon

Datura: great in xeriscape gardens

Texas Betony

Texas Star Hibiscus

Fragrant Mistflower; Does well in shade or sun and is highly deer resistant.

Fragrant Mistflower detail

​Grasses
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Gulf Muhly

Inland Sea Oats

Visually interesting most of year, grows in shade, cut back to manage, if desired

Webberville Sedge (with Woolly Stemodia)

Woodland Sedge

Bamboo Muhly

 

Groundcovers

Heartleaf Skullcap

 

Straggler Daisy (Horse Herb)

Bicolor Sage (Mexican native)

Woolly Stemodia: perfect low-growing native groundcover for full sun. Low water, deer resistant

Fall Obedient Plant, can be used as a tall groundcover or as an accent perennial

Gregg's Mistflower makes an excellent groundcover and, as a bonus, butterfly garden mainstay!

Vines

Coral Honeysuckle

Crossvine

Nothing better than Virginia Creeper for fall color

Alamo Vine

 

Annuals (many now available in flats)

Eryngo

Texas Bluebonnet (with Prairie Verbena)

Firwheel (Indian Blanket)

Mexican Hat

Lemon Mint (Beebalm)

Basketflower

A bed of Beebalm

Prairie Verbena