Martin Byhower 7/26/26 Martin Byhower 7/26/26

Cedar Sage

Cedar Sage (Salvia roemeriana) is a beautiful native Texas perennial that brings brilliant red flowers to shady gardens from spring through early summer, with occasional reblooming after rains. One of the best hummingbird plants for Central Texas, it also attracts butterflies and native bees while thriving beneath trees and in limestone soils where many flowering plants struggle. Its lush green foliage forms an attractive mound, making it an excellent choice for woodland gardens, shaded borders, and naturalized landscapes. Once established, Cedar Sage is easy to grow, deer resistant, and a dependable source of color and wildlife value.

Martin Byhower 7/26/26 Martin Byhower 7/26/26

Texas Star Hibiscus

Texas Star Hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus) is a spectacular native perennial that makes a dramatic statement with its enormous, brilliant scarlet flowers and distinctive star-shaped foliage. Blooming from midsummer into early fall, it attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators while adding a bold tropical look to ponds, rain gardens, and moist landscape beds. Although it thrives in consistently moist soils, Texas Star Hibiscus is surprisingly easy to grow and returns reliably each year. Its striking blooms and architectural form make it one of the most eye-catching native wildflowers for Central Texas gardens where supplemental water is available.

Martin Byhower 7/21/26 Martin Byhower 7/21/26

Pride of Barbados

Pride of Barbados Caesalpinia pulcherrima is a spectacular tropical shrub known for its brilliant orange, red, and yellow flowers that bloom from late spring until frost. It thrives in full sun and tolerates heat, drought, and alkaline soils once established. Although it freezes to the ground during most Central Texas winters, it quickly returns in spring and often reaches 5–8 feet tall in a single growing season. It is highly attractive to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, providing abundant nectar during the hottest months when many other plants have stopped blooming. While I generally recommend native plants whenever possible, Pride of Barbados is one of the few non-native species I consistently endorse because it is exceptionally well adapted to our climate, is not considered invasive, requires very little supplemental water once established, and offers outstanding value to pollinators and hummingbirds. For gardeners seeking dramatic summer color with relatively little maintenance, it is an excellent choice.

Martin Byhower 7/15/26 Martin Byhower 7/15/26

Coral Honeysuckle

Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) is one of the finest native vines for Central Texas, producing clusters of brilliant red tubular flowers from spring through fall that are irresistible to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. This vigorous but well-behaved vine thrives in full sun to part shade, tolerates drought once established, and is perfect for covering fences, arbors, pergolas, and trellises while adding beauty and wildlife value to the landscape.

Martin Byhower 6/19/26 Martin Byhower 6/19/26

Red Yucca

Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) is one of the most reliable and widely used native plants for Central Texas landscapes. Its graceful, arching flower stalks produce coral-red blooms from spring through fall, attracting hummingbirds and other pollinators for months at a time. Unfortunately deer eat the blooms, so caging during blooming is recommended if you want to feed hummingbirds. The evergreen, grass-like foliage provides year-round structure and beauty while thriving in heat, drought, and poor soils.

Red Yucca performs best in full sun and requires very little maintenance once established. Its exceptional drought tolerance, deer resistance, and long bloom period make it an outstanding choice for water-wise gardens, rock gardens, and wildlife-friendly landscapes.

Martin Byhower 6/17/26 Martin Byhower 6/17/26

Autumn Sage

Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii) is a versatile native perennial that provides colorful blooms from spring through fall in shades of red, pink, coral, and white. Its nectar-rich flowers are highly attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Autumn Sage thrives in full sun to part shade, tolerates heat and drought, and is one of the most reliable flowering plants for Central Texas landscapes.

Martin Byhower 6/17/26 Martin Byhower 6/17/26

Turks Cap

Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii) is one of the best native plants for shaded and partially shaded gardens in Central Texas. Its distinctive red flowers resemble unopened hibiscus blooms and provide nectar for hummingbirds from spring through fall. Turk’s Cap is easy to grow, tolerant of heat and drought once established, and spreads gradually to form an attractive wildlife-friendly groundcover.

Martin Byhower 6/17/26 Martin Byhower 6/17/26

Flame Acanthus

Flame Acanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii) is one of the finest native shrubs for attracting hummingbirds to Central Texas gardens. Its bright orange-red tubular flowers bloom from summer into fall, providing color during the hottest months when many other plants have stopped flowering. Flame Acanthus thrives in full sun, tolerates drought and poor soils, and is highly resistant to deer, making it an excellent choice for wildlife-friendly, low-maintenance landscapes.