Texas Plants for Landscaping
Texas has a unique climate; for those interested in cultivating a plant garden in unique climate challenges Texas, it may be worth reviewing the unique climate challenges Texas produces in terms of geography, plant heart, and variations in soil texture. Luckily, the beautiful and diverse state has many sturdy plants to choose from, and many require minimal care.
This article will narrow in on ten plants for Texas landscaping, all able to withstand the heat, drought, and snaps of cold Texas' weather. Choosing the right plants ensures the garden will be beautiful, resilient, and low maintenance.
Top 10 Plants for a Thriving Texas Garden
Here are a few of the most reliable native and adapted plants to ensure success in Texas like Eastern Redbud, Texas Coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, Wild Columbine, Spicebush, Blue Wild Indigo, Joe-Pye Weed, and Yellow Coneflower.
Lantana (Lantana spp.)
Lantana is another top-notch heat-tolerant heat-tolerant perennial. Lantana has a steady blooming season with multi-colored flowers blooming from Spring to frost. Lantana attracts various forms of life as the flowers attract and keep butterflies and hummingbirds around. Fast and easy to fit into any landscape (shown in the pic above), Lantana flowers in multiple colors including yellow, orange, pink, and purple. Also, Lantana is very drought-tolerant, saving time from maintenance and watering.
Agave (Agave spp.)
If you would like to add a uniquely captivating Agave is the one to go for with its rosette. Agave, like most succulents, needs very little water, especially in Arid regions like Texas. It's a very versatile plant that fits in a modern xeriscape or a rustic rock garden. The Agave species come in an incredible array of varieties. For instance, you can see the compact, blue, Parry's Agave (Agave parryi) or the well-known, bigger American Agave (Agave americana) or the century plant. A plant characterized by thriving in the full sun, they require fast-draining soil in order to avoid root rot.
Texas Sage (Leucophyllum spp.)
Also called cenizo or the barometer bush, Texas sage is a beloved native shrub with its purple flowers and silvery gray foliage. As the name suggests, the plant often puts on a shower of blooms after summer rain, which is an incredible sight to behold. Drought resistant and thriving in Texas, this plant is built for high heat and for the alkaline soils found in many parts of the state. For a low-water garden, this is a great option, to which you will need to care for very little and you will receive a pleasing array of colors and textures throughout the year. To obtain the highest foliage density and the most flowers, grow them in a spot where they can receive full sun.
Mexican Feathergrass (Nassella tenuissima)
One thing to consider when softening your landscape are plantings of Mexican feathergrass. It has thin green blades of grass that move delicately in the wind. This touch adds grace and charm to the landscaping. This grass is adapted to Texas' harsh dry climate and produces golden foliage in the fall. This greenery lasts the whole year!
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
The Black-eyed Susan is one of the most recognizable flowers in the United States as it features a beautiful large golden-yellow flower with a dark brown center that adds a positive touch to flower arrangements. The flowers bloom in swarms and provide a good touch of color and with foliage that balances it well. The flowers bloom in the summer and endure until the fall. The physical characteristics of the Black-eyed Susan also provide a good splash of color. Black-eyed Susan is also determined to grow in a variety of soil and is a great option for a dry and sunny spot, which makes it great for a cottage garden.
Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)
The Pride of Barbados is an extraordinary tropical decoration. It establishes very easily in Texas. It grows quickly and flowers all summer long! It has very beautiful red, orange, and yellow flowers. The leaves are very delicate and look like a fern. After being established, they are drought tolerant and can be pruned into shrubs, trees, or multi-trunked trees. It can be a very flashy and versatile addition to a garden!
Texas Bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis)
A comprehensive list of Texas plants must include the Texas Bluebonnet. This is the Texas state flower, and in the spring, all bluebonnet fields are covered with blue flowers. The bluebonnets will reseed themselves annually, meaning after the first year of planting, they will continue to bloom every year without the need for maintenance! To plant them in a garden, fall is the best time to sow seeds in an area with plenty of sunshine and good drainage. The flowers are only around for a short period, but they are very beautiful and need very little care.
Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)
Red yucca is actually not a yucca at all. This tough succulent actually belongs in the agave family. This plant can produce tall arching spikes with coral-red or salmon-pink, bell-shaped flowers in the spring. These flowers are also a favorite of hummingbirds. The plant's slender, evergreen leaves provide a nice touch all year. Red yucca is also drought-tolerant and can even survive in tough conditions with little moist soil and a lot of heat.
Flame Acanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii)
This is also known as the hummingbird bush. Flame Acanthus is a great plant to use to attract new pollinators. The plant is a very strong deciduous shrub, and can produce a lot of tubular, slender, and red-orange flowers all summer long and through the frost. These flowers are a favorite for a lot of pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies. This is also a very durable plant and is drought-tolerant, lives in the full sun, and also works well in native, gentle, or wildlife gardens.
Blackfoot Daisy (Melampodium leucanthum)
Blackfoot Daisy grows as a perennial that handles heat very efficiently. This native plant creates consolidated mounds of cover with soft honey aroma and white daisies in the blooming area of spring. The daisies should be exposed to sunlight on rocky soil as the condition must be dry. They are great for decoration as the remaining white flowers complement other bright flowers, and the Blackfoot daisies take very little care.
Find Your Perfect Texas Plants at TN Nursery
Do you need to remodel your scenery to fit Texas flora and endure the Texas climate? You need to pick the right plant, which establishes right off the bat. TN Nursery has an extreme amount of Texas native flora. Be constantly surrounded by nature, and create an eco-friendly space and garden. Order now for home delivery and pick from hand-grown and crafted native ornamental and perennial Texas flora.
FAQ
What are the famous plants in Texas?
Although Texas is home to a wide variety of famous plants, the Texas Bluebonnet may be the most famous. Other recognizable plants are the Pecan tree (this is the state tree), Texas Bluebonnet (this is also the state flower), the prickly pear cactus, the Texas sage, and the Indian paintbrush.
What are the 7 types of plants?
In the biological classification of plants, there are a lot of groups and subgroups. However, the most basic classification lists these seven types of plants: flowering plants (ex: roses), ferns, grasses, mosses, algae, conifers (ex: pine trees), and fungi (this one is a little tricky since fungi are now classified under their own kingdom), and of course the flowering plants. Each of them has different distinct features.
What plants are grown in Texas?
Texas has different types of climates and therefore is home to a wide range of cultivated plants. In addition to the native Bluebonnets and Texas sage, other plants that are commonly cultivated include crape myrtles, ornamental grasses, lantana, and agave. Texas also has a lot of home gardens, and in these gardens, vegetables, especially tomatoes and peppers, are very commonly grown.
How many plants are in Texas?
Texas has more than 5,000 native plant species. The Lone Star State has many different ecosystems, for example, the piney woods in the east, deserts in the west, and the Gulf coastline.
What are the top 10 most popular flowers?
Some worldwide famous flowers include roses, slippers, lilies, sunflowers, daffodils, daisies, gerberas, and even orchids. All these flowers, especially heat-resistant varieties, can be worked around in Texas gardens with care.
What is the prettiest flower in Texas?
Beauty is subjective. But a lot of chronic Texans would probably pick a Texas bluebonnet, especially in vast fields. Others would be the fiery blooms of the Pride of Barbados, the astonishing delicacy of a Blackfoot Daisy, the swell petals of the Pride of Barbados, or the surprising floral display of Texas sage.
