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

Mexican Mint Marigold

Mexican Mint Marigold (Tagetes lucida) is one of the finest fall-blooming native plants for Central Texas, prized for its clouds of golden-yellow flowers and sweet anise-scented foliage. This drought-tolerant perennial thrives in full sun to part shade, attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, and is generally ignored by deer. Its aromatic leaves can even be used as a culinary substitute for French tarragon, making it as useful as it is beautiful. Blooming from late summer into fall, Mexican Mint Marigold adds brilliant color to native landscapes when many other plants are fading.

Martin Byhower 7/25/26 Martin Byhower 7/25/26

Horseherb/ Straggler Daisy

Horseherb (Straggler Daisy) (Calyptocarpus vialis) is a tough, low-growing native groundcover that thrives in the dappled shade and partial sun common beneath Central Texas trees. Its cheerful yellow daisy-like flowers appear from spring through fall, providing nectar for small pollinators while its dense green foliage helps suppress weeds and reduce erosion. Exceptionally drought tolerant once established and able to handle light foot traffic, Horseherb spreads naturally to create a lush, low-maintenance living carpet that’s perfect for replacing patches of turf in native landscapes.

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

Yellow Bells

Yellow Bells Tecoma stans is a fast-growing shrub or small tree that produces clusters of brilliant golden-yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers from late spring until frost. It thrives in full sun, tolerates heat, drought, and a variety of soils once established, making it an excellent choice for Central Texas landscapes. Its nectar-rich blooms are especially attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and native bees, providing color and wildlife value through the hottest months of the year. Although it may freeze back during unusually cold winters, established plants usually recover quickly from the roots. With its long bloom season, ease of care, and vibrant display, Yellow Bells is an outstanding focal point or background shrub for water-wise gardens.

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 7/20/26 Martin Byhower 7/20/26

Orange Zexmenia

Orange Zexmenia (Wedelia acapulcensis var. hispida) is a tough, long-blooming Texas native perennial that lights up the garden with cheerful golden-orange, daisy-like flowers from spring through fall. Adapted to the heat, drought, and limestone soils of Central Texas, it thrives in full sun and asks for very little care once established. Its bright blooms attract a wide variety of native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, while its spreading habit makes it an excellent choice for naturalized plantings, meadows, slopes, and informal borders. Orange Zexmenia combines exceptional resilience with months of color, making it one of the most dependable native wildflowers for water-wise landscapes.

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 7/16/26 Martin Byhower 7/16/26

Damianita

Damianita ( Chrysactinia mexicana) is one of the brightest little native shrubs for Central Texas landscapes. This compact evergreen forms a tidy mound covered with cheerful golden-yellow daisy-like flowers from spring through fall, often blooming after rains. Its fine, aromatic foliage stays attractive year-round, and once established it thrives in hot, dry conditions with very little maintenance. Damianita is an excellent choice for rock gardens, borders, pathways, and pollinator gardens where its long bloom season provides nectar for native bees and butterflies. It performs best in full sun and well-drained limestone soils and is highly deer resistant.

Martin Byhower 7/12/26 Martin Byhower 7/12/26

Goldenball Leadtree

Goldenball Leadtree (Leucaena retusa) is a distinctive native Texas small tree prized for its bright golden-yellow, ball-shaped flowers that bloom repeatedly from late spring through summer. Its fine, fern-like foliage gives the tree a light, airy appearance while providing filtered shade for smaller landscapes. The nectar-rich blossoms attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, adding vibrant color and wildlife activity to the garden. Exceptionally heat and drought tolerant once established, Goldenball Leadtree thrives in full sun and well-drained soils, including the limestone soils common throughout Central Texas. Its long bloom season, unique flowers, and low-maintenance nature make it an outstanding choice for native, pollinator-friendly, and water-wise landscapes.

Martin Byhower 6/20/26 Martin Byhower 6/20/26

Skeletonleaf Goldeneye

Skeletonleaf Goldeneye (Viguiera stenoloba) is a dependable native perennial that brightens Central Texas gardens with masses of cheerful golden-yellow flowers from late summer through fall. Its long bloom season provides valuable nectar for butterflies, bees, and other pollinators at a time when many flowering plants are beginning to fade.

Skeletonleaf Goldeneye thrives in full sun and is highly tolerant of heat, drought, and poor soils. Its attractive dark green foliage and profusion of blooms make it an excellent choice for pollinator gardens, naturalized landscapes, and low-maintenance native plantings.

Martin Byhower 6/20/26 Martin Byhower 6/20/26

Agarita

Agarita (Mahonia trifoliolata) is a tough, evergreen native shrub prized for its holly-like foliage, fragrant yellow flowers, and bright red berries. Blooming in late winter and early spring, it provides an important nectar source for early pollinators, while the tart berries are enjoyed by birds and other wildlife.

Agarita thrives in full sun to part shade and is exceptionally drought tolerant once established. Its dense, thorny branches make it an excellent choice for wildlife cover, natural hedges, security plantings, and low-maintenance landscapes adapted to Central Texas conditions.

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

Esperanza/ Yellow Bells

Esperanza (Yellowbells) (Tecoma stans) is a fast-growing native shrub that produces brilliant golden-yellow trumpet-shaped flowers from late spring through fall. Its long blooming season makes it one of the best plants for adding continuous color to Central Texas landscapes while attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Esperanza thrives in full sun, tolerates heat and drought once established, and can be grown as a large shrub or small ornamental tree.

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

Damianita

Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana) is one of the most dependable small native shrubs for Central Texas gardens. Its cheerful yellow flowers appear over a long season, while its aromatic evergreen foliage remains attractive year-round. Damianita thrives in heat, drought, and limestone soils and is highly attractive to bees and butterflies.