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

Gulf Coast Muhly

Gulf Coast Muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is one of the most spectacular native ornamental grasses for Texas landscapes. In fall, airy clouds of pink to lavender flower stalks rise above the foliage, creating a soft, colorful display that glows in morning and evening light. The fine-textured foliage provides year-round interest and movement, adding beauty and contrast to gardens of all styles.

Gulf Coast Muhly thrives in full sun and adapts to a wide range of soils, including clay and occasionally moist conditions. It is drought tolerant once established, highly resistant to deer, and provides cover and nesting material for birds and other wildlife. Its low-maintenance nature and stunning fall color make it one of the finest ornamental grasses for Central Texas landscapes.

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

Gregg’s Mistflower

Gregg’s Mistflower (Conoclinium greggii) is one of the finest native plants for attracting butterflies to Central Texas gardens. Its clusters of soft lavender-blue flowers bloom from late summer through fall, often covering the plant with color when many other perennials have finished flowering. Butterflies, bees, and other pollinators are drawn to the abundant nectar produced by its blooms.

Gregg’s Mistflower thrives in full to part shade and is remarkably drought tolerant once established. It spreads gradually to form attractive colonies, making it an excellent choice for naturalized areas, pollinator gardens, and wildlife-friendly landscapes.

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

Anacacho Orchid

Anacacho Orchid Tree (Bauhinia lunarioides) is one of the most beautiful small native trees in Texas. In spring it produces a spectacular display of fragrant white, orchid-like flowers that often cover the tree before the leaves emerge, creating a striking focal point in the landscape. The distinctive two-lobed leaves add ornamental interest throughout the growing season.

Native to the limestone canyons of Southwest Texas, the Anacacho Orchid Tree thrives in well-drained soils and full sun to light shade. Once established, it is highly drought tolerant and well suited to water-wise landscapes. Its flowers attract bees and other pollinators, while its small size makes it ideal for courtyards, patios, and residential gardens.

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

Pigeonberry

Pigeonberry (Rivina humilis) is a graceful native perennial that thrives in the dappled shade of Central Texas woodlands and gardens. Its delicate white to pinkish flowers are followed by clusters of bright red berries that often persist for months, providing color and interest through much of the year.

Pigeonberry spreads slowly to form an attractive ground cover beneath trees and shrubs, where it helps soften the landscape while supporting wildlife. The flowers attract small pollinators, and the berries are eaten by birds and other wildlife. Its tolerance of shade, drought, and poor soils makes it an excellent choice for naturalistic and bird-friendly gardens.

Martin Byhower 6/18/26 Martin Byhower 6/18/26

Coralberry

Coralberry (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus) is a tough native understory shrub that produces clusters of bright pink to reddish-purple berries that often persist well into winter. The berries provide food for birds and other wildlife, while the dense branching habit offers valuable cover and nesting sites.

Coralberry grows best in part shade but will tolerate a range of conditions, including dry soils once established. Its modest flowers attract pollinators, and its attractive berries and wildlife value make it an excellent choice for naturalistic, bird-friendly landscapes.

Martin Byhower 6/18/26 Martin Byhower 6/18/26

Possumhaw Holly

Possumhaw Holly (Ilex decidua) is a hardy Texas native shrub or small tree valued for its brilliant display of red berries in fall and winter. After the leaves drop, the colorful berries remain on the bare branches, providing striking winter interest and an important food source for cedar waxwings, robins, mockingbirds, and many other birds.

Possumhaw grows in sun or part shade and tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, including periodic flooding. Female plants produce the berries, so a male plant must be nearby for pollination. Its wildlife value, seasonal beauty, and adaptability make it an excellent choice for naturalized landscapes and bird-friendly gardens.

Martin Byhower 6/18/26 Martin Byhower 6/18/26

American Beautyberry

American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is one of the most attractive native shrubs for Central Texas shade gardens. Its arching branches produce clusters of vivid purple berries in late summer and fall, creating a striking display and providing an important food source for mockingbirds, thrashers, robins, and many other songbirds.

Beautyberry grows best in part shade to filtered sun and is adaptable to a variety of soils. It is drought tolerant once established, deer resistant, and highly valuable for wildlife, making it an excellent choice for bird-friendly native landscapes.

Martin Byhower 6/18/26 Martin Byhower 6/18/26

Yaupon Holly

Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) is one of the most versatile and valuable native shrubs or small trees for Central Texas landscapes. Its dense evergreen foliage provides year-round beauty, nesting cover, and shelter for birds, while female plants produce bright red berries that are an important winter food source for many species. Yaupon Holly thrives in sun or shade, tolerates drought once established, and can be used as a screening plant, hedge, accent shrub, or small tree.

Martin Byhower 6/18/26 Martin Byhower 6/18/26

Texas Lantana

Texas Lantana (Lantana urticoides) is one of the toughest and most colorful native perennials for Central Texas landscapes. Its clusters of bright orange and yellow flowers bloom from spring until frost, attracting butterflies, bees, and other pollinators throughout the growing season. Texas Lantana thrives in full sun, tolerates heat, drought, and poor soils, and is highly resistant to deer, making it an excellent choice for low-maintenance, wildlife-friendly gardens.

Gardeners should take care not to confuse Texas Lantana with the many non-native lantana hybrids commonly sold in nurseries. While some cultivated lantanas are excellent landscape plants, others can be invasive, short-lived, or less beneficial to wildlife. For the greatest ecological value and reliability, I generally recommend the native Texas species whenever possible.

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

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.

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

Blackfoot Daisy

Blackfoot Daisy (Melampodium leucanthum) is a tough, long-blooming Central Texas native perennial prized for its cheerful white flowers and exceptional drought tolerance. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soils, often blooming from spring through fall with minimal care. Blackfoot Daisy attracts butterflies and other pollinators while remaining highly resistant to deer, making it an excellent choice for rock gardens, borders, and water-wise landscapes.

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.

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

Texas Sage

Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens) is one of the most dependable evergreen native shrubs for Central Texas landscapes. It tolerates heat, drought, and reflected sun while producing lavender-purple flowers after periods of humidity and rain. Deer resistant and often used near utility boxes.