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. Below you will find– in separate sections with a heading above each name–, trees, evergreen shrubs and succulents/cactuses, perennials, grasses, groundcovers, and vines. And I have included a few annual wildflowers (which can be purchased as seed elsewhere), just because they are beautiful!
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 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
Native and Adapted Small to medium TREES
Two favorite all purpose ornamental trees: Yaupon and Texas Mountain Laurel
Yaupon: Evergreen, best bet for wildlife, any soil type, sun or shade, can be shrub or tree
Possumhaw in winter
Possumhaw: Deciduous, shade or sun, stunning red berries attract robins, waxwings, and more
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Texas Redbud
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Texas Redbud detail
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Yaupon
Goldenball Lead Tree; Sun or shade, excellent pollinator plant
Ashe Juniper; much maligned but evergreen, deer resistant, any soil, low water
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Goldenball Lead Tree detail
Goldenball Lead Tree
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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
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Texas Mountain Laurel
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Eve's Necklace: Not deer resistant, great blooms/pollinator plant
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Eve's Necklace detail
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Desert Willow: Great for xeriscaping, light foliage, beautiful flowers attract pollinators
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Desert Willow detail
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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.
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Cherry Laurel detail
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Retama: Light and airy, covered with yellow flowers in spring, great for full sun
Fast growing, deer-proof, evergreen, very little water… A best bet for landscaping
Weeping Yaupon, an ornamental cultivar good for a vertical look
Red/ Scarlet Buckeye
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Evergreen Succulents, Cactuses, and Shrubs
Red Yucca: Deer resistant leaves (not blooms). Shade or sun, low water, hummingbirds love it!
Whale's Tongue Agave
Blue Agave
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"Blue" Twistleaf Yucca (shade tolerant and deer resistant!)
Santa Rita Prickly Pear
Green Twistleaf Yucca
Agave lophantha:
Stays manageable and "neat".
When larger, produces easily removable and transplantable pups
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Green Twistleaf Yucca, good in shade, pots, borders
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!
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Careful of spiny leaves when picking berries!
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Skeletonleaf Goldeneye
Flame Acanthus, another best bet. Hummers and butterflies love it!
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Flame acanthus is a perfect hedge, ground cover, visual screen, or garden accent
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Old Mexico Prickly Pear: few spines, large flowers great for pollinators, excellent xeriscape plant
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Edible fruit forms after blooms!
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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
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Desert Mallow detail
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Common Tree Senna
Mexican Oregano
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Fragrant Mimosa
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Perennials
American Beautyberry (with Black-and-Yellow Garden Spider): Shade tolerant, unique berries can be made into yummy jelly (also loved by songbirds)
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Detail of Berries. Leaves are a great mosquito-repellent alternative to DEET!
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Autumn Sage (pink variety)
Salvia greggi, detail of "Lipstick" variety
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Mealy Blue Sage
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Indigo Spires
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Damianita
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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
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Turk's Cap detail (with Gulf Fritillary)
Perennial Mix
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Perennial Mix
Mexican Mint Marigold
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Mexican Mint Marigold
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Gregg's Blue Mistflower with Queen Butterfly
Four-nerve Daisy
Autumn Sage, "Hot Lips"
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Cedar Sage
Autumn Sage, "Hot Lips" detail
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Button Bush
Zexmenia
Damianita
Golden Groundsel
Mealy Blue Sage
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Button Bush detail with Buckeye butterfly
Hill Country Penstemon
Golden Groundsel
Gregg's Mistflower
Mealy Blue Sage
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Sangria Esperanza
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Sangria Esperanza
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Tropical Sage
Gaura
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Wright's Purple Skullcap: Tidy Perennial
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Native Texas Lantana (best for butterflies!) Avoid all other lantana
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Rock Penstemon
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Datura: great in xeriscape gardens
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Texas Betony
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Texas Star Hibiscus
Fragrant Mistflower; Does well in shade or sun and is highly deer resistant.
Fragrant Mistflower detail
Grasses
Gulf Muhly
Inland Sea Oats
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Visually interesting most of year, grows in shade, cut back to manage, if desired
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Webberville Sedge (with Woolly Stemodia)
Bamboo Muhly
Groundcovers
Heartleaf Skullcap
Straggler Daisy (Horse Herb)
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Bicolor Sage (Mexican native)
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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
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Gregg's Mistflower makes an excellent groundcover and, as a bonus, butterfly garden mainstay!
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Vines
Coral Honeysuckle
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Crossvine
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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
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Lemon Mint (Beebalm)
Basketflower
A bed of Beebalm
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Prairie Verbena
