Sun Garden Plants for Central Texas

The plants in this list will provide a visually dramatic display of native plants appropriate for a full sun garden in Central Texas.


Scientific Name Common Name Duration Habit Sun Water
Abronia ameliae Amelia's sand verbena, Heart’s delight, Amelia's sand-verbena, Sand verbena Perennial Herb Part-shade Dry
Agave havardiana Havard's century plant, Havard agave Perennial Subshrub Sun Dry
Agave parryi Parry's agave, Century plant, Parry agave Perennial Cactus/Succulent Sun Dry
Agave parryi ssp. neomexicana Parry's agave, New Mexico agave Perennial Cactus/Succulent Sun Dry
Ageratina havanensis Havana snakeroot, Mistflower, Shrubby boneset, White mistflower, White shrub mistflower Perennial Shrub Sun Dry
Allowissadula holosericea Chisos Mountain false Indianmallow, Chisos Mtn. False Indian-mallow, Velvet-leaf Mallow Perennial Shrub Part-shade Moist
Alophia drummondii Propeller flower, Purple pleat-leaf, Pinewoods lily, Prairie iris, Pleatleaf iris Perennial Herb Part-shade Dry
Amsonia tabernaemontana Eastern bluestar, Blue dogbane, Willow amsonia, Woodland bluestar Perennial Herb Part-shade Wet
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii Flame acanthus, Hummingbird bush, Wright's desert honeysuckle, Wright acanthus, Mexican flame, Wright's Mexican flame Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Aphanostephus skirrhobasis Lazy daisy, Arkansas lazy daisy, Arkansas dozedaisy Annual Herb Sun Dry
Aquilegia canadensis Eastern red columbine, Wild red columbine Perennial Herb Shade, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Asclepias asperula Spider milkweed, Antelope horns, Green-flowered milkweed, Spider antelope-horns Perennial Herb Sun Moist, Dry
Baileya multiradiata Desert marigold, Showy desert marigold, Paper daisy, Desert baileya Annual Herb Part-shade Dry
Callirhoe involucrata Winecup, Purple poppy mallow Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Calylophus berlandieri Berlandier's sundrops, Square-bud primrose, Sundrops Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist
Chrysactinia mexicana Damianita Perennial Shrub Sun Dry
Conoclinium greggii Gregg's mistflower, Palmleaf thoroughwort, Palm-leaf mistflower, Palm-leaf thoroughwort, Purple palmleaf mistflower, Purple palmleaf eupatorium Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Coreopsis tinctoria Plains coreopsis, Golden tickseed, Goldenwave, Calliopsis Annual Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist
Dalea compacta var. pubescens Compact prairie clover Perennial Herb
Dalea wrightii Wright's prairie clover Perennial Herb
Datura wrightii Sacred thorn-apple, Jimsonweed, Thorn apple, Datura, Angel Trumpet, Sacred datura Annual Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Dyschoriste linearis Snake herb, Polkadots, Narrowleaf dyschoriste Perennial Herb Sun Wet, Moist
Echinacea purpurea Eastern purple coneflower, Purple coneflower Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Engelmannia peristenia Engelmann's daisy, Engelmann Daisy, Cutleaf Daisy Perennial Herb Sun Dry
Erigeron modestus Plains fleabane, Prairie fleabane Perennial Herb Sun Dry
Eryngium leavenworthii Leavenworth's eryngo, Eryngo Annual Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist
Euphorbia marginata Snow on the mountain, Snow-on-the-mountain Annual Herb Part-shade Moist
Froelichia floridana Plains snakecotton, Snake-cotton Annual Herb
Gaura lindheimeri Lindheimer's beeblossom, White gaura, Butterfly gaura Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist
Glandularia bipinnatifida var. bipinnatifida Prairie verbena, Purple prairie verbena, Dakota mock vervain, Dakota vervain Annual, Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Helianthus maximiliani Maximilian sunflower, Max sunflower Perennial Herb Sun Moist, Dry
Hibiscus martianus Heartleaf rosemallow, Tulipan del Monte, Heartleaf Hibiscus Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Ipomopsis rubra Standing cypress, Texas plume, Red Texas star, Red gilia Biennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Lantana urticoides Texas lantana, Calico bush, West Indian shrub-verbena Perennial Shrub Sun Dry
Lesquerella fendleri Fendler's bladderpod, Fendler’s bladderpod, Popweed Perennial Herb Part-shade Dry
Leucophyllum frutescens Cenizo, Purple sage, Texas ranger, Texas barometer bush, Texas silverleaf, Texas sage Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Dry
Liatris mucronata Cusp gayfeather, Gayfeather, Blazing star, Narrow-leaf gayfeather, Texas gayfeather, Cusp blazing star Perennial Herb Sun Dry
Lithospermum incisum Narrowleaf stoneseed, Puccoon, Fringed puccoon, Narrowleaf gromwell, Fringed gromwell, Narrow-leaved puccoon Perennial Herb Sun Dry
Machaeranthera tanacetifolia Tanseyleaf tansyaster, Tahoka Daisy, Tansy Aster Annual Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Marshallia caespitosa Barbara's-buttons, Puffballs, White Barbara’s-buttons Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Melampodium leucanthum Blackfoot Daisy, Rock daisy, Plains blackfoot Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Melochia tomentosa Teabush, Pyramid Bush Perennial Subshrub, Shrub
Menodora longiflora Showy menodora, Twin-pod Perennial Herb Part-shade Dry
Monarda fistulosa Wild bergamot, Beebalm Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Muhlenbergia capillaris Gulf muhly, Hair-awn muhly, Hairy-awn muhly, Hair grass, Pink muhly Perennial Grass/Grass-like Sun Moist
Muhlenbergia dubia Pine muhly Perennial Grass/Grass-like Sun Dry
Muhlenbergia emersleyi Bullgrass, Bull muhly Perennial Grass/Grass-like Sun, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Nemastylis geminiflora Prairie celestials, Celestials, Prairie pleatleaf Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Oenothera macrocarpa Bigfruit evening-primrose, Missouri evening-primrose, Fluttermill, Big-fruit evening-primrose, Missouri Primrose Perennial Herb Sun Dry
Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri Texas pricklypear, Prickly Pear, Texas Prickly Pear Perennial Cactus/Succulent Sun, Part-shade Dry
Pavonia lasiopetala Rock rose, Rose pavonia, Rose mallow, Pavonia Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Dry
Penstemon baccharifolius Rock penstemon, Cut-Leaf Penstemon, Baccharis-leaf beardtongue, Beard Tongue Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Dry
Penstemon cobaea Wild foxglove, Prairie penstemon, Foxglove penstemon, False foxglove, Large-flowered beardtongue, Large-flowered penstemon, Prairie beardtongue, Cobaea penstemon Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Penstemon triflorus Hill Country Penstemon, Scarlet Penstemon, Heller's beardtongue Perennial Herb Sun Dry
Rudbeckia hirta Black-eyed Susan, Common black-eyed Susan, Brown-eyed Susan Annual Herb Sun, Shade, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Salvia azurea Pitcher sage, Big blue sage, Azure sage, Giant blue sage, Blue sage Perennial Herb Part-shade Dry
Salvia ballotiflora Shrubby blue sage, Blue Shrub Sage, Mejorana Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Dry
Salvia engelmannii Engelmann's sage, Engelmann’s salvia Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Salvia farinacea Mealy blue sage, Mealy sage, Mealycup sage Perennial Herb Sun Moist
Salvia greggii Autumn sage, Cherry sage, Gregg salvia Perennial Shrub Sun Dry
Salvia pentstemonoides Big red sage, Penstemon sage Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist
Salvia regla Mountain sage, Royal sage Perennial Shrub Shade, Part-shade Dry
Sedum nuttallianum Yellow stonecrop Annual Herb Sun
Senna lindheimeriana Lindheimer's senna, Velvet leaf senna, Velvetleaf senna, Velvet-leaf wild sensitive-plant, Puppy-dog ears Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Dry
Silphium simpsonii Simpson's rosinweed, Tall Rosinweed Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Solidago nemoralis Gray goldenrod, Prairie goldenrod, Old field goldenrod Perennial Herb Sun, Shade, Part-shade Dry
Sporobolus airoides Alkali sacaton Perennial Grass/Grass-like Part-shade Moist
Tecoma stans Yellow bells, Yellowbells, Esperanza, Yellow trumpetbush, Yellow trumpetflower, Trumpetbush, Trumpetflower, Yellow elder Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Dry
Tetraneuris scaposa var. scaposa Four-nerve daisy, Hymenoxys, Stemmy four-nerve daisy, Bitterweed Perennial Herb Sun Dry
Vernonia marginata Plains ironweed Perennial Herb
Xanthocephalum gymnospermoides Gummy broomweed, Gummy snakeweed, San Pedro matchweed Annual Herb
Yucca treculeana Spanish Dagger, Don Quixote's Lance, Palma Pita Perennial Cactus/Succulent Part-shade Dry