Wildflowers of Central Texas

Central Texas, also known as the Hill Country, encompasses a marvelous diversity of wildflowers. Comprising portions of the Edwards Plateau and Blackland Prairie, this region contains flora representing north, south, east, and west sections of the state. The plant life corresponds directly to the variety of soil types. Shallow, well-drained limestone soils are typical of the rugged hills and canyons of the Edwards Plateau; while dark, calcareous clays and gray, sandy loams characterize prairie soils. The diverse topography and varying amounts of rainfall create many habitats for plants. The species in this collection include some of the most common spring wildflowers in the area.


Scientific Name Common Name Duration Habit Sun Water
Allium drummondii Drummond's onion, Wild Garlic, Drummond wild onion Perennial Herb Sun Dry
Anemone berlandieri Tenpetal thimbleweed, Ten-petaled anemone, Wind-flower Perennial Herb Part-shade
Aquilegia canadensis Eastern red columbine, Wild red columbine Perennial Herb Shade, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Argemone albiflora Bluestem pricklypoppy, White pricklypoppy Annual Herb Part-shade Dry
Asclepias asperula Spider milkweed, Antelope horns, Green-flowered milkweed, Spider antelope-horns Perennial Herb Sun Moist, 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
Castilleja indivisa Entireleaf indian paintbrush, Texas paintbrush, Indian paintbrush, Scarlet paintbrush, Entire-leaf indian-paintbrush Annual Herb Sun Dry
Centaurea americana American star-thistle, Basket-Flower, Star thistle, Shaving brush, American basket-flower Annual Herb Part-shade Dry
Commelina erecta Whitemouth dayflower, Widow's tears, Day flower, White-mouth dayflower Perennial Herb Part-shade Dry
Cooperia pedunculata Hill Country rain lily, Prairie lily, Rain lily Perennial Herb Sun Moist
Coreopsis tinctoria Plains coreopsis, Golden tickseed, Goldenwave, Calliopsis Annual Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist
Engelmannia peristenia Engelmann's daisy, Engelmann Daisy, Cutleaf Daisy Perennial Herb Sun Dry
Eustoma exaltatum Catchfly prairie gentian, Bluebell gentian, Western blue gentian, Blue marsh lily, Small bluebell, Catchfly gentian, Seaside gentian Annual Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist
Gaillardia pulchella Firewheel, Indian Blanket Annual Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Glandularia bipinnatifida Purple prairie verbena, Prairie verbena, Dacota vervain, Dakota mock vervain, Moradilla Perennial Herb, Subshrub Part-shade Moist, Dry
Lindheimera texana Texas yellowstar, Texas star, Lindheimer daisy, Texas yellow star Annual Herb Sun Dry
Lobelia cardinalis Cardinal flower Perennial Herb Sun, Shade, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Lupinus texensis Texas bluebonnet, Bluebonnet, Texas lupine, Buffalo clover, Wolf-flower Annual Herb Sun Dry
Melampodium leucanthum Blackfoot Daisy, Rock daisy, Plains blackfoot Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Monarda citriodora Lemon beebalm, Horsemint, Purple horsemint, Lemon mint, Plains horsemint, Lemon horsemint Annual Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Oenothera speciosa Pink evening primrose, Showy evening primrose, Mexican evening primrose, Showy primrose, Pink ladies, Buttercups, Pink buttercups Perennial Herb Sun Moist, Dry
Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri Texas pricklypear, Prickly Pear, Texas Prickly Pear Perennial Cactus/Succulent 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
Phlox drummondii Annual phlox, Phlox, Drummond phlox Annual Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Ratibida columnifera Mexican hat, Prairie coneflower, Upright prairie coneflower, Red-spike mexican-hat, Long-headed coneflower, Thimbleflower Perennial Herb Sun Moist, Dry
Rudbeckia hirta Black-eyed Susan, Common black-eyed Susan, Brown-eyed Susan Annual Herb Sun, Shade, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Salvia farinacea Mealy blue sage, Mealy sage, Mealycup sage Perennial Herb Sun Moist
Sisyrinchium minus Dwarf blue-eyed grass, Pink-Eyed Grass Annual Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Tradescantia gigantea Giant spiderwort Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist
Verbena halei Slender verbena, Texas verbena, Texas vervain Perennial Shrub Sun Dry