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 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 Shrubby Boneset, White Mistflower, White Shrub Mistflower, Havana Snakeroot Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Dry
Allowissadula holosericea Velvet-leaf Mallow, Chisos Mountain False Indianmallow 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 Doze-daisy Annual Herb Sun Dry
Aquilegia canadensis Eastern Red Columbine, Wild Red Columbine Perennial Herb Shade, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Asclepias asperula Antelope-horns, Spider Milkweed, Green-flowered Milkweed, Spider Antelope-horns, 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, Subshrub Sun, Part-shade Moist
Chrysactinia mexicana Damianita Perennial Subshrub, Shrub Sun Dry
Conoclinium dissectum 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, Purple Prairie Clover Perennial Herb
Dalea wrightii Wright's Prairie Clover Perennial Herb
Datura wrightii Jimsonweed, Sacred Thorn-apple, Thorn-apple, Angel Trumpet, Sacred Datura, Western Jimson Weed Perennial 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, False Purple Thistle 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
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 Perennial Shrub Sun Dry
Lesquerella fendleri Fendler's Bladderpod, Popweed Perennial Herb Part-shade Dry
Leucophyllum frutescens Cenizo, Purple Sage, Texas Ranger, Texas Barometer Bush, Texas Silverleaf, Texas Sage, Silverleaf Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Dry
Lithospermum incisum Fringed Puccoon, Golden Puccoon, Narrowleaf Puccoon, Narrow-leaved Puccoon, Puccoon, Narrowleaf Gromwell, Fringed Gromwell, Narrowleaf Stoneseed Perennial Herb Sun Dry
Machaeranthera tanacetifolia Tahoka Daisy, Tansy-aster, Tansey-leaf Tansy-aster, Tansyleaf Tansyaster Annual Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Marshallia caespitosa Barbara's-buttons, Puffballs, White Barbara's-buttons, Barbara's Buttons Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Melampodium leucanthum Blackfoot Daisy, Rock Daisy, Plains Blackfoot, Arnica Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Melochia tomentosa Pyramid Bush, Teabush, Red Rope, Velvety Melochia, Kidney Bush, Woolly Pyramidflower Perennial Subshrub, Shrub Sun Moist, Dry
Menodora longiflora Showy Menodora, Twinpod Perennial Herb Part-shade Dry
Muhlenbergia capillaris Gulf Muhly, Hair-awn Muhly, Hairy-awn Muhly, Hair Grass, Pink Muhly Perennial Grass/Grass-like Sun Moist, Dry
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 lindheimeri White Gaura, Butterfly Gaura, Lindheimer's Beeblossom, Lindheimer's Gaura Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist
Oenothera macrocarpa Bigfruit Evening-primrose, Missouri Evening-primrose, Fluttermill, Big-fruit Evening-primrose, Missouri Primrose, Bigfruit Evening Primrose Perennial Herb Sun Dry
Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri Texas Prickly Pear, Lindheimer's Prickly Pear, Lindheimer 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, Rock Beardtongue, Cut-leaf Penstemon, Cut-leaf Beardtongue, Baccharis-leaf Penstemon, Baccharis-leaf Beardtongue Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Dry
Penstemon cobaea Prairie Penstemon, Prairie Beardtongue, Foxglove Penstemon, Foxglove Beardtongue, False Foxglove, Large-flowered Penstemon, Large-flowered Beardtongue, Cobaea Penstemon, Cobaea Beardtongue, Wild Foxglove Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Dry
Penstemon triflorus Hill Country Penstemon, Hill Country Beardtongue, Scarlet Penstemon, Scarlet Beardtongue, Heller's Penstemon, Heller's Beardtongue Perennial Herb Sun Dry
Rudbeckia hirta Black-eyed Susan, Common Black-eyed Susan, Brown-eyed Susan, Blackeyed Susan Annual, Biennial, Perennial Herb Sun 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 Dry
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 Dry
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 Prairie Goldenrod, Gray Goldenrod, Oldfield Goldenrod, Grayleaf Goldenrod, Gray-leaved Goldenrod, Dyersweed Goldenrod, Dwarf Goldenrod, Field Goldenrod Perennial Herb Sun, Shade, Part-shade Dry
Sporobolus airoides Alkali Sacaton, Zacate Alcalino Perennial Grass/Grass-like Part-shade Moist
Tecoma stans Yellow Bells, Yellowbells, Esperanza, Yellow Trumpetbush, Yellow Trumpetflower, Trumpetbush, Trumpetflower, Yellow Elder, Hardy Yellow Trumpet, Yellow Trumpet Bush 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, San Pedro Matchweed, Gummy Snakeweed Annual Herb
Yucca treculeana Spanish Dagger, Spanish Bayonet, Don Quixote's Lance, Palma Pita, Palma De Datil, Palmito Perennial Cactus/Succulent Part-shade Dry