Martin Byhower 7/24/26 Martin Byhower 7/24/26

Blue Agave/ Century Plant

Blue Agave

Agave americana ‘Mediopicta’

Blue Agave is a bold, architectural succulent prized for its broad blue-gray leaves that form a dramatic, symmetrical rosette. Its striking color and sculptural form make it an outstanding focal point in xeriscapes, rock gardens, and Southwestern landscapes. Once established, Blue Agave is exceptionally drought tolerant and thrives in full sun with excellent drainage. Mature plants eventually produce a spectacular flowering stalk before completing their life cycle, while offsets continue the colony.

Martin Byhower 7/24/26 Martin Byhower 7/24/26

Texas Green Sotol

Dasylirion texanum

Texas Green Sotol is a rugged, evergreen native of Central and South Texas that forms a bold, symmetrical rosette of narrow green leaves. Its architectural shape provides year-round interest and serves as a striking focal point in rock gardens, xeriscapes, and native landscapes. Mature plants may produce an impressive flowering stalk that rises well above the foliage, attracting bees and other pollinators. Exceptionally heat and drought tolerant, Texas Green Sotol thrives in full sun and well-drained soils with very little maintenance.

Martin Byhower 7/24/26 Martin Byhower 7/24/26

Blue Twist-Leaf Yucca

Blue Twist Yucca
Yucca ‘Blue Twist’ (Y. rupicola × Y. pallida)

Blue Twist Yucca is a striking hybrid that combines the graceful, twisting foliage of Yucca rupicola with the powdery blue coloration of Yucca pallida. It forms a compact, evergreen rosette of soft, blue-gray leaves that add year-round texture and color to the landscape. In late spring, tall flower stalks emerge with creamy white, bell-shaped blooms that attract pollinators. Exceptionally heat and drought tolerant once established, Blue Twist is an outstanding choice for xeriscapes, rock gardens, and water-wise gardens with well-drained soils.

Martin Byhower 7/23/26 Martin Byhower 7/23/26

Agave lophantha

Agave lophantha ‘Splendida’ Agave lophantha ‘Splendida’ is a striking variegated selection of the native Texas agave, prized for its symmetrical rosettes of dark green leaves accented by bright lime-green center stripes. White-edged teeth and a sharp terminal spine add bold architectural character, making it an outstanding focal point in rock gardens, xeriscapes, and modern landscapes. This compact agave thrives in full sun and excellent drainage, tolerates drought and limestone soils once established, and slowly forms attractive clumps by producing offsets. Like other agaves, each individual rosette flowers only once late in its life, but the surrounding pups continue the colony for many years.

Martin Byhower 7/19/26 Martin Byhower 7/19/26

Texas Prickly Pear

Texas Prickly Pear
Opuntia engelmannii
Texas Prickly Pear is an iconic native cactus that adds bold texture, year-round interest, and outstanding drought tolerance to Central Texas landscapes. Its broad blue-green pads are topped in spring with large, cheerful yellow flowers that often develop orange centers as they mature, followed by colorful reddish-purple fruits that provide food for birds and other wildlife. Thriving in full sun and well-drained soils, Texas Prickly Pear is an excellent choice for rock gardens, xeriscapes, wildlife gardens, and natural landscapes where its striking form creates a dramatic focal point.

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.