Are you looking for a few native plants to add to your Texas garden this season? Native plants can be beneficial for a variety of reasons, and the state of Texas spans across ɱaпy different hardiness zones, giving you plenty of different native plants to pick from. In this article, gardening expert Liessa Bowen shares her favorite native plants for Texas gardens!
There are ɱaпy beautiful and interesting plants that are native to Texas. If you are a gardener anywhere in Texas and want to add native plants to your landscape, you will have ɱaпy wonderful options to choose from!
Texas is a very large and very diverse state, encompassing USDA Hardiness Zones 6 through 9. Depending on where you live, you may have dry desert landscapes, grasslands, marshlands, savannahs, or pinewoods. Fortunately, there are a variety of native plants well-adapted to each unique region.
American beautyberry is an easy-to-grow native shrub. It will grow well in full sun or partial shade, and even tolerates fairly heavy shade but may not flower as well in these conditions. Beautyberry prefers moist soil, but once established, it will tolerate occasional drought. A prolonged drought will cause leaves to wilt and drop.
American beautyberry can grow to 6 feet tall and as wide. It blooms in the summerᴛι̇ɱe, but the flowers are small and insignificant.
After flowering, beautyberry develops dense, rounded clusters of berries all along the stems. The berries start green but change to a bright lavender color by mid-fall. These colorful berries are incredibly showy and attract birds, squirrels, and other fruit-eating wildlife.
Autumn Sage
This plant has deep red tubular flowers from mid-summer to fall.
Autumn sage has fragrant leaves and is not bothered by deer or rabbits. Plants bloom from mid-summer into fall with deep red tubular flowers.
These flowers are a magnet for hummingbirds and this would be an excellent plant to incorporate into your landscape if you hope to attract more of these nectar-loving birds.
Black-eyed Susan
This popular perennial wildflower grows nicely in full sunlight and well-drained soil.
Black-eyed Susans are a very widespread native plant that can be found in grasslands and prairies. This cheery native wildflower has bright yellow flowers with prominent dark brown centers. Flowers bloom throughout the summer and into fall.
Blooming flowers are visited by pollinators and the seedheads are a favorite of goldfinches and other seed-eating birds.
Plant black-eyed Susan in full sun with well-drained soil. This plant is a short-lived perennial. Individuals typically live for a couple of years, but plants are quick to self-seed and new plants will grow up each year to keep the space full of color. Deadheading spent flowers will help encourage continued flowering and also help reduce any unwanted re-seeding.
Blackfoot Daisy
This plant is a low-growing wildflower that thrives in full sun and well-drained soil.
Blackfoot daisy, also called plains blackfoot or rock daisy, is a relatively low-growing clumping wildflower. In their native habitat within the south-central states, these daisies are found in grasslands, fields, and disturbed areas. They grow well in full sun with very well-drained soil.
Blackfoot daisy has narrow leaves that are not bothered by deer or rabbits. The flowers are simple, with toothed white petals and distinct yellow centers.
They have a sweet fragrance and attract butterflies and other pollinators. In full bloom, plants are densely covered with solitary flowers and make a dramatic show.
Black Prairie Clover
Small, beautiful, pinkish blooms on this shrub draw butterflies and bees.
The black prairie clover is a small shrub native to Texas and a few surrounding states. This is a low-maintenance plant that is well-adapted to growing in hot, dry climates.
Give it a sunny location with dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil. Plants will spread over ᴛι̇ɱe, so give them plenty of space to grow or be prepared to thin colonies as needed.
Black prairie clover has showy flowers that bloom from summer into fall. The flowers are small and pinkish and attract butterflies and bees. This is also the larval host plant for the dogface butterfly. The leaves are fernlike and make an attractive vegetative display.
Blue Sage
It is possible to cultivate blue sage from seeds or by splitting offshoots.
Blue sage, someᴛι̇ɱes called pitcher sage, is a Texas native that is a good choice for attracting butterflies and bees. The pale purple flowers are two-lipped and tubular.
They bloom from mid-summer into mid-fall, putting on a very showy display. If the flower spikes become top-heavy and fall over, they may benefit from staking to keep them upright.
Blue sage grows well in full sun or partial shade. This plant prefers moist, well-drained soil, but will tolerate occasional drought. Plants can be grown from seed or by dividing offshoots. Blue sage has fragrant leaves and is not bothered by browsing deer or rabbits.
Cutleaf Daisy
This plant is a drought-tolerant wildflower and can grow in various climates and soil conditions.
Cutleaf daisy is an easily grown wildflower that will grow in almost any sunny location with well-drained soil. They are easily grown from seeds or propagated from dividing established clusters.
Plants are tolerant of poor soil conditions and drought, and have a wide climate tolerance, making them an ideal plant for a Texas wildflower garden. Give them a bit of extra water during prolonged drought.
These plants grow into dense mounds of finely cut, almost fernlike vegetation. The leaves are quite attractive and add some diversity to the landscape. Flowers bloom from early spring into mid-summer, attracting butterflies, bees, and seed-eating birds. The flowers have bright yellow petals with yellow centers.
Davis Mountain Mock Vervain
Native to the south-central United States, this versatile plant is commonly found in open grassy meadows and fields.
The Davis Mountain mock vervain, also known as prairie verbena or purple prairie verbena, is a versatile plant native to the south-central United States.
These plants are common and widespread, found growing in open grassy meadows and fields. Grow it in a home garden with well-drained soil and full sun or partial shade.
Davis Mountain mock vervain has a long blooming period, producing flowers anyᴛι̇ɱe from spring through fall. The flowers form rounded clusters of small pink or purple blooms. Plants are resistant to deer and will attract an assortment of birds and pollinators.
Four Nerve Daisy
The plant’s vivid yellow blossoms are a rich source of nectar for bees and butterflies.
Four nerve daisy is a low-growing perennial that thrives in dry rocky areas. Plants grow readily from seeds and prefer full sun or light shade, with very well-drained soil. This would be an ideal plant for a xeriscape or rock garden, or along borders and edges. Four nerve daisy is tolerant of drought, poor soil conditions, and deer.
Four nerve daisy has showy bright yellow flowers that can bloom year-round in ideal conditions. Otherwise, you can expect these daisies to bloom most consistently throughout the springᴛι̇ɱe.
The flowers attract butterflies and bees, and because of their long blooming period, they can provide a valuable nectar source. Plants stay quite compact, with attractive leaves that are thin and almost grass like.
Frostweed
In winter, its stems split open and freeze into intricate structures that are visible only in the early morning.
Frostweed, also someᴛι̇ɱes known as white crownbeard or iceweed, is a rather unique plant. This perennial wildflower is native to the eastern United States, where it grows in dry open woodlands and along stream banks.
It tolerates both dry and moist soils, as long as the soil is well-drained. It prefers a shaded location and would be an excellent addition to a naturalized shade garden area.
Frostweed blooms from mid-summer into winter. Its small white flowers form large conspicuous clusters and attract butterflies. In the winter months, you can see how frostweed got its name.
The stems split open and the plant sap oozes out, freezing into elaborate crystalline structures. You can see these unusual formations only if you get out early the next morning before they melt away again.
Golden Columbine
Any perennial garden would benefit from the addition of columbine, especially the native golden type.
There are ɱaпy beautiful varieties of columbine and any would be an excellent addition to a perennial garden. The golden columbine, or canary columbine, is native to the southwestern United States. It features showy yellow flowers with long tubular extensions. Columbine may be nibbled by deer and rabbits but will usually recover and continue to bloom.
Golden columbine is easily grown from seed and will reseed itself in ideal conditions. Multiple varieties of columbine growing in close proximity will tend to hybridize and you may find yourself with some new flower colors you didn’t originally plant! Golden columbine grows well in full sun or partial shade, with moist, well-drained soil.
Greenthread
Its eye-catching, dark-centered yellow blossoms are resistant to deer.
Greenthread is a short-lived perennial wildflower, or it can easily be grown almost anywhere as an annual. It is native to the south-central United States where it can be found growing in open fields and disturbed areas, with full sun and dry, gritty soil.
Greenthread has very thin, feathery foliage that is attractive and contrasts nicely with other leafier plants. The flowers bloom from spring into fall and are showy and bright yellow with prominent dark centers. The flowers attract pollinators and are resistant to deer.
Gregg’s Mistflower
Gregg’s mistflower grows well in well-drained soil under full sun.
Gregg’s mistflower, also known as the palmleaf mistflower, is a great plant for attracting butterflies. It is native to the southwestern United States and south into Mexico. It grows best in full sun with well-drained soil.
In warmer climates, Gregg’s mistflower blooms anyᴛι̇ɱe between spring and fall. The flowers are pale purple and grow in clusters. Individual flowers have a feathery appearance, giving the flower clusters a very fluffy look. The leaves are also deeply lobed, giving this plant an overall appealing appearance.
Large-flowered Tickseed
This native wildflower in the eastern and southern United States grows easily from seed.
The large-flowered tickseed is a widespread native wildflower across most of the eastern and southern United States. This plant grows readily from seed and thrives in sandy soils and other poor growing conditions. It can be grown as a short-lived perennial or as an annual that happily reseeds itself.
Grow large-flowered tickseed in full sun with dry to medium-moisture well-drained soil. This plant tolerates occasional drought, rocky soil, rabbits, and deer.
It blooms throughout the summer months with showy, bright yellow flowers. It would be a good addition to a pollinator garden because plenty of butterflies and bees will visit the flowers.
Maidenhair Fern
This plant is durable with delicate foliage that can thrive in a shaded, moist, and well-drained area.
Maidenhair fern, also commonly called the southern maidenhair fern, is a widespread native fern that inhabits varied habitats, including moist forests and along cracks in limestone bluffs.
It can be found growing across most of the southern half of the United States, and it is easily incorporated into a shade garden in the home landscape.
Maidenhair fern has delicate showy foliage, but it is a fairly tough plant. Grow it in a shaded area with moist, well-drained soil. In suitable conditions, plants will slowly spread to form a colony of leafy vegetation that, as long as it receives enough moisture, remains attractive throughout the entire growing season.
Mealycup Sage
The plant produces fragrant, beautiful, spiked purple flowers that captivate hummingbirds and butterflies.
Mealycup sage is native to Texas and Mexico. It is a good perennial wildflower for warmer hardiness zones as it tolerates heat and dry soil.
If you live in a slightly cooler climate zone, start seeds indoors before the last frost and plant seedlings outside in the springᴛι̇ɱe to grow as annuals. This plant grows well in full sun, but also does okay with partial shade.
Mealycup sage blooms from late spring until the first frost. This plant forms large bushy clusters of vegetation that is aromatic when crushed. Deer and rabbits don’t bother this plant, but butterflies and hummingbirds will be drawn to the large, showy, purple flower spikes.
Narrow-leaf Coneflower
The narrow-leaf coneflower is simple to cultivate from seed and requires little upkeep.
Narrow-leaf coneflower is native to the south-central United States, where it can be found in prairies and dry grasslands. This is a fairly compact plant that grows best in full sun with dry to medium-moisture, well-drained soil. This native wildflower is tolerant of drought, deer, and rocky or gritty soil.
Narrow-leaf coneflower blooms in the mid-summer months. It has a prominent central flower disk with long, narrow, downward-curving, pale pinkish-purple petals.
The flowers are quite showy and attract both butterflies and birds. Plants are low-maintenance and easily grown from seed.
Possum Haw
Consider growing this shrub because it offers food and habitat for birds.
If you have room in your landscape for a shrub, consider growing a native shrub. Possum haw, also someᴛι̇ɱes called deciduous holly, is a worthwhile plant that is low-maintenance and provides food and habitat for native birds. This plant grows well in full sun or partial shade in medium-moisture soil.
Possum haw is a deciduous variety of holly that loses its leaves each winter. Instead of winter leaves, however, you will have a shrub full of beautiful, bright red berries that persist through the winter months. ɱaпy birds and small mammals will be interested in eating these winter berries.
Prickly Pear
Because of their sparse clusters of visible and very microscopic spines, prickly pear cacti should be handled carefully.
Prickly pear is one of the hardiest varieties of cacti. There are ɱaпy different species, and several of the Opuntias are native to Texas and the eastern and south-central United States.
They are quite tolerant of cold weather and can be grown in any moderate climate. Give them full sun with well-drained soil. Prickly pear is a very low-maintenance plant.
Prickly pear cacti typically have sparse clusters of visible spines as well as small tufts of tiny, almost microscopic spines, so be very careful any ᴛι̇ɱe you handle one of these plants.
This cacti blooms in the summer and fall with large, very showy flowers, commonly yellow. After flowering, bright red fruits form and linger on the plant well into the fall and winter months. The flowers attract pollinators
Red Yucca
This plant is suitable for the Texas region since it can thrive in hot, dry conditions.
Red yucca is a plant well-adapted to the Texas climate. It thrives in hot, dry conditions and looks great as part of a desert garden or even grown in a large container.
Plant it in full sun with very well-drained soil. Plants will slowly spread into clusters and can be divided and propagated as desired.
Red yucca has thin stiff greenish-blue leaves. The leaves are evergreen, so you can enjoy this plant all year. In the late summer, plants send up very tall flowering stalks that may need staking if they start to flop over. The flowers are bright pink to red and are very attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies.
Rock Rosemallow
This plant has bright pink flowers that bloom from spring to fall.
Rock rosemallow, or Texas rock rose, is a low-growing perennial wildflower. It makes a good ground cover and would do well in a rock garden, along a pathway, or grown as an edging plant. Grow it in full sun with well-drained, dry to medium-moisture soil.
Rock rosemallow blooms from spring through fall. The flowers are bright pink and attract bees, butterflies, and birds.
Deer and rabbits don’t bother this plant, making it easy to grow in almost any situation. If you live in a cooler climate, you can grow rock rosemallow as an annual or grow it in a container and bring it in for the winter.
Sundrops
When fully bloomed, they produce a thick and beautiful cluster of blooms that are a vivid lemon-yellow color.
Sundrops, or Berlandier’s sundrops, has bright, lemon-yellow flowers. The flowers bloom from spring through fall and attract pollinators. The leaves are thin and grow along upright stems. When growing in a dense cluster at full bloom, sundrops is extremely showy.
Sundrops would be an excellent plant for a rock garden, pollinator garden, or low-growing border plant. It prefers full sun with dry, gritty soil. Sundrops is easily grown from seed and fairly low maintenance. It is resistant to drought and deer don’t typically bother this plant.
Swamp Mallow
Dry soil and dryness are not favorable for swamp mallow growth.
Swamp mallow is a shrubby perennial that is well-adapted to moist areas. If you have a sunny wet area, floodplain, rain garden, or moist meadow-like area, this would be an ideal plant to try. This plant will not perform well in drought or dry soils.
Swamp mallow blooms in late summer or early fall. The flowers are very large and showy, typically dark pink with deeper pink centers and prominent pollen-covered anthers. The flowers attract butterflies and a host of other insect pollinators.
Texas Blazing Star
This plant r is an excellent complement to perennial wildflower or butterfly gardens.
Texas blazing star, someᴛι̇ɱes also called gayfeather, is a very showy plant that would be a wonderful addition to a perennial wildflower garden or butterfly garden. Blazing star has thin leaves growing along upright stems.
Flowers bloom in summer and fall, attracting a multitude of pollinators and seed-eating birds. The long flower spikes are full of densely packed, feathery, bright purple-pink flowers.
Grow blazing star in full sun. This plant prefers regular soil moisture but will also tolerate brief periods of dry soil. Plants are also tolerant of heat and poor soil quality, but may be eaten by deer. Blazing star is easily grown from seed and, once established, is a beautiful low-maintenance perennial.
Texas Lantana
For quick spring growth, this can be cut back low throughout the winter.
Texas lantana is a hardy, low-maintenance plant that is great for filling up a larger space in the garden. This medium-sized shrub is resistant to deer and drought and tolerates poor soil. Prune it low each winter after vegetation has died off, and fast new spring growth will sprout each year for a renewed full-sized shrub by the end of the growing season.
Texas lantana has a long blooming period and can bloom almost continually from late spring through frost. The leaves have a distinct pungent scent which makes this plant resistant to browsing herbivores.
The flowers bloom in profusion and are a favorite of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The flowers are rounded clusters of tiny individual blossoms that range in color from yellow to dark reddish-orange, all within a single cluster!
Texas Mountain Laurel
This plant blooms in spring with numerous, sweetly fragrant light purple flowers.
Texas mountain laurel, also called frijolillo or Mescal bean, is actually a large shrubby legume. It prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Grow it in moist soil if you can, although once established, Texas mountain laurel is fairly drought tolerant.
This bushy plant is evergreen so you can enjoy greenery throughout the year. Include it in a hedgerow planting or in a moist natural area where it can spread freely by underground root runners. Blooming in the springᴛι̇ɱe, the light purple flowers can be numerous, very showy, and sweetly fragrant.
Texas Rock Rose
In sunny perennial gardens, this shrub makes a beautiful decorative plant.
Texas rock rose, also known as Texas swamp mallow, is a small shrub that is native to Texas. This plant grows well in shallow, dry, well-drained rocky soil. Plant it in full sun or with some light afternoon shade. These plants are not bothered by deer.
Texas rock rose blooms from spring through fall. The flowers resemble a dark pink hibiscus with prominent anthers and stamen. For ornamental uses, plant the Texas rock rose in a sunny perennial garden where the showy flowers will attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
Texas Sage
This plant is drought-tolerant and can be grown in naturalized areas.
Texas sage, also called Texas barometer bush, is a fragrant evergreen shrub. The small leaves are silvery green and remain on the plant throughout the year for winter interest.
Plants may bloom at any ᴛι̇ɱe during the year, but flowering is most likely during the summer and autumn months. The flowers are attractive to insect pollinators and the plants are not bothered by deer or rabbits.
Texas sage is a plant that thrives in dry conditions. It is well-adapted to dry gritty soil and periodic drought conditions. Grow it in a naturalized area, as part of a sunny hedge row, or even in a large container. Plants can be propagated by cuttings or grown from seed.
Upright Prairie Coneflower
This perennial’s vibrant yellow and orange flowers with elongated center discs are among its distinctive features.
The upright prairie coneflower, also known as Mexican hat or long-headed coneflower, is native throughout much of the eastern and central United States.
This plant grows into clumps and large clusters of thin-leaved plants. They bloom throughout the summer and into early fall with brightly colored yellow and orange flowers with prominent elongated central discs.
Upright prairie coneflower would grow well in a xeriscape garden because it is tolerant of dry soil. It would also be an excellent addition to a butterfly garden because the flowers have a long bloom season and attract numerous pollinators. This coneflower grows readily from seed and makes a beautiful cluster planting.
Wax Mallow
Native to the southeastern United States, this shrub produces large, bright red flowers that bloom during summer and autumn.
Wax mallow, also known as Turk’s cap, is a small to medium-sized shrub that is well adapted to hot dry climates. Grow it in full sun or partial shade with moist to dry well-drained soil. Plants can be grown from seed or by division of mature clusters.
Wax mallow is native to the southeastern United States. The flowers bloom during the summer and autumn months and attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Flowers are large, showy, and bright red. They resemble a hibiscus flower that never fully opens but remains in a tightly-spiraled arrangement of petals.
Wild Bergamot
This natural wildflower blooms all summer long and is well-liked by pollinators.
Wild bergamot is a widespread native wildflower. This plant is a member of the mint family and has distinctly fragrant leaves. The flowers bloom throughout the summer months. The flowers form clusters of pale purple blooms that attract hummingbirds and are a favorite of pollinators.
Wild bergamot is not bothered by deer or rabbits. It is drought-tolerant and holds up well in hot climates. Dense clusters of vegetation in moist, humid climates will be susceptible to powdery mildew and should be thinned periodically to improve air circulation.
This plant grows best in full sun with well-drained soil, but it will tolerate some light shade. Plants will spread by self-seeding and by underground runners.
Winecups
Cultivate winecups in a rock or wildflower garden or use them as ground cover.
This showy wildflower will put on a show-stopping floral display. Individual flowers are bright fuchsia and bloom in profusion each spring.
Foliage can form a dense clump, spreading by self-seeding and vegetative growth. Established plants grow a long taproot, making them drought-tolerant, but difficult to transplant.
Grow winecups in a naturalized wildflower garden, incorporate them into a rock garden, or use them as a coarse ground cover. These plants grow best in full sun with dry to medium-moisture, well-drained soil. Roots may rot in poorly drained soil, but otherwise, winecups is a beautiful, low-maintenance plant.
Wood Fern
Moist soil and shady area are required for wood fern to grow successfully.
Ferns are beautiful plants to include in a shade garden or partially shaded area of your landscape. This wood fern, also known as the river fern or southern maiden fern, is native to Texas and the southeastern United States.
It can be found naturally occurring in rich moist soils in forests and along streams. In the home landscape, give it a shaded location with rich, moist, well-drained soil.
Wood fern is not bothered by deer. In ideal conditions, it will spread to form colonies of attractive vegetation. Ferns don’t produce flowers, but have very attractive fronds that stay green throughout most of the year. These plants can be easily divided and propagated, as desired, when vegetative clusters grow and spread.
Wright’s Desert Honeysuckle
It may be cultivated in sunny areas, either on its own or with other tiny shrubs, in perennial wildflower gardens.
Wright’s desert honeysuckle, also called Texas firecracker, is an attractive smaller shrub that can be grown in almost any sunny location. Incorporate it into a perennial wildflower garden, or plant it with other small shrubs. This plant is native to Texas and south into Mexico, where it is well-adapted to a hot, dry climate.
Wright’s desert honeysuckle blooms throughout the summer months and into fall. The bright red tubular flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees and it would be an excellent plant for a pollinator garden.
Wright’s desert honeysuckle is not bothered by deer or rabbits. If plants grow too large and sprawling, they can be trimmed back, but pruning is not necessary.
Zexmenia
This plant does not have very high standards for soil quality and is well adaptable to extreme heat and drought.
Zexmenia, also known as orange wedelia, is a versatile perennial. Plants are well-adapted to high heat and drought and are not too picky about soil quality.
In the warmer parts of its range, this plant will stay evergreen throughout the winter. In the cooler parts of its range, it will die back to the ground after frost and regrows the following spring.
Zexmenia has small leaves that grow along semi-woody stems. Flowers bloom anyᴛι̇ɱe from spring through fall and attract ɱaпy butterflies and bees. The flowers are small, showy, and bright yellow. This would be a good plant for any perennial wildflower garden, to attract pollinators, or can adapt to grow in a container.
Final Thoughts
Texas gardeners will find ɱaпy beautiful native plants to grow. These plants will be hardy to the Texas climate, easy to grow, and ɱaпy also have wildlife value. This means they will benefit butterflies, bees, and birds. No matter what growing conditions you can offer, there are plenty of native wildflowers to add bold color, texture, and beauty to your garden this season!