Texas Native Pond Plants

Texas Native Pond Plants by Andrea DeLong-Amaya, Director of Horticulture, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. These plants are all native to the Texas region and are suitable for ponds and water gardens. If you live outside of Texas, these may or may not be native to your area.


Scientific Name Common Name Duration Habit Sun Water
Asclepias incarnata Swamp Milkweed, Pink Milkweed Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Bacopa monnieri Herb-of-grace, Water Hyssop, Coastal Water-hyssop Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Canna glauca Water Canna, Louisiana Canna, Maraca Amarilla Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Cladium mariscus ssp. jamaicense Jamaica Swamp Sawgrass, Jamaican Saw-grass, Saw-grass Perennial Grass/Grass-like Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Echinodorus berteroi Upright Burrhead Annual Herb
Echinodorus cordifolius Creeping Burhead, Lance-leaf Burhead, Radican Sword, Burhead, Creeping Water-plantain Annual Herb Shade Wet
Eleocharis quadrangulata Squarestem Spikerush Perennial Grass/Grass-like Sun
Equisetum hyemale Scouring-rush Horsetail, Horsetail, Scouring Rush, Canuela Perennial Herb Sun, Shade, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Fuirena simplex Western Umbrella-sedge, Umbrellagrass, Western Umbrella Sedge Perennial Grass/Grass-like
Heteranthera dubia Grassleaf Mudplantain, Water Stargrass Annual Herb
Hibiscus laevis Halberdleaf Rosemallow, Halberdleaf Hibiscus, Scarlet Rose Mallow, Halberd-leaved Hibiscus, Halberd-leaved Rose-mallow Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Moist
Hibiscus moscheutos Crimson-eyed Rose-mallow, Marshmallow Hibiscus Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Hydrolea ovata Blue Waterleaf, Ovate False Fiddleleaf, Hairy Hydrolea Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Hymenocallis liriosme Texas Spiderlily, Spring Spiderlily, Spiderlily, Louisiana Spiderlily, Western Marsh Spiderlily Perennial Herb Part-shade Moist
Iris virginica Virginia Iris, Great Blue Flag, Southern Blue Flag Perennial Herb Sun Wet
Juncus effusus var. solutus Lamp Rush, Soft Rush Perennial Herb Part-shade Wet
Justicia americana American Water-willow, Water-willow Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Kosteletzkya virginica Virginia Saltmarsh Mallow, Virginia Fen-rose, Saltmarsh Mallow, Seashore Mallow Perennial Subshrub Sun Moist
Lobelia cardinalis Cardinal Flower Perennial Herb Sun, Shade, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Ludwigia octovalvis Mexican Primrose-willow, Narrow-leaf Water Primrose, Seedbox, Mexican Primrose Willow Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Moist
Ludwigia peploides Floating Primrose-willow, Water-primrose, Creeping Water-primrose Perennial Herb Sun
Marsilea macropoda Bigfoot Water-clover, Water-clover, Clover-fern, Largefoot Pepperwort Perennial Herb, Fern Sun, Shade, Part-shade Wet
Najas guadalupensis Common Water Nymph, Southern Water Nymph, Najas Annual Herb Sun Wet
Nelumbo lutea American Lotus, Yellow Water Lotus, Yellow Lotus Perennial Herb Sun Wet
Nuphar lutea Yellow Pond Lily, Yellow Cow Lily, Cow Lily, Spatter Dock, Wakas Perennial Herb Part-shade Wet
Nymphaea odorata American White Water-lily, Fragrant White Water-lily, Fragrant Water-lily, White Water-lily, Sweet-scented White Water-lily, Sweet-scented Water-lily, Beaver Root Perennial Herb Sun, Shade, Part-shade Wet
Physostegia intermedia Spring Obedient Plant, Marsh Obedient Plant, Slender False Dragonhead, Intermediate False Dragonhead Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist
Pluchea odorata var. odorata Sweetscent, Marsh Fleabane, Southern Marsh Fleabane Perennial Herb Sun Moist
Pontederia cordata Pickerelweed, Pickerel Rush Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Potamogeton diversifolius Waterthread Pondweed, Threadleaf Pondweed Perennial Herb Sun
Potamogeton nodosus Longleaf Pondweed, Knotty Pondweed Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Wet
Rhynchospora colorata Whitetop Sedge, White-topped Sedge, Starrush Whitetop, Star Sedge, Star Rush Perennial Grass/Grass-like Sun, Part-shade Wet
Rhynchospora corniculata Shortbristle Horned Beaksedge, Horned Beakrush Perennial Grass/Grass-like Sun
Sagittaria platyphylla Delta Arrowhead Perennial Herb Part-shade Wet
Saururus cernuus Lizard's Tail, Lizard Tail, Breastweed, Water Dragon Perennial Herb Shade, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Schoenoplectus americanus Chairmaker's Bulrush, Olney Three-square Perennial Grass/Grass-like
Schoenoplectus californicus California Bulrush, California Club-rush, Giant Bulrush Perennial Herb Sun
Thalia dealbata Powdery Alligator-flag, Powdery Thalia, Water Canna Perennial Herb Part-shade Wet
Vallisneria americana American Eelgrass, Water Celery, Eelgrass, Tapegrass Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Wet