Native Plants
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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Sunday - May 31, 2015
From: Nocona, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Shrubs
Title: Native boundary hedgerow plants for North Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I have 27 acres of native prairie in the western edge of the cross timbers just a few miles south of the Red River between Nocona and Saint Jo, TX. I'm looking for some Texas native plant choices for boundary hedgerow use. I'm looking for both enhanced wildlife habitat and pollinator values . Any suggestions suitable for this hardiness zone? ThanksANSWER:
Please visit our Special Collections page and the JUST FOR TEXANS category. At the bottom of the list you will see By Texas Ecoregion where you will find Cross Timbers and Prairies which lists more than 260 common plants of that region. You can use the NARROW YOUR SEARCH option and choose "Shrub" under General Appearance to get a list of the shrubs that grow well in that area. Here are a few with special benefits to wildlife:
Aloysia gratissima (Whitebrush)
Baccharis neglecta (False willow)
Ceanothus americanus (New jersey tea)
Condalia hookeri (Bluewood condalia)
Eysenhardtia texana (Texas kidneywood)
Forestiera pubescens var. pubescens (Stretchberry)
Prunus gracilis (Oklahoma plum)
Rhus microphylla (Littleleaf sumac)
You can use our National Suppliers Directory to find nurseries that specialize in native plants in your area.
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