Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
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.
rate this answer
Tuesday - November 13, 2007
From: Van Alstyne, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Drought Tolerant, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Drought-tolerant plants for landscaping
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, Our HOA is wanting to change the landscaping to Drought-tolerant plants and flowers. The area is Grayson County, south of Sherman Texas. What plants and flowers would you suggest? Thank youANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants has assembled this list of drought-tolerant plants that are native to Grayson County. Please realize, however, for the trees and shrubs especially, initially the plants will require water until their roots are well-established.
Trees
Quercus muehlenbergii (chinkapin oak)
Quercus shumardii (Shumard's oak)
Small Trees/Shrubs
Acacia angustissima (prairie acacia)
Cercis canadensis var. mexicana (Mexican redbud)
Prunus mexicana (Mexican plum)
Rhus aromatica (fragrant sumac)
Forestiera pubescens (stretchberry)
Yucca arkansana (Arkansas yucca)
Artemisia ludoviciana (white sagebrush)
Grasses
Bouteloua dactyloides (buffalograss)
Bouteloua curtipendula (sideoats grama)
Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)
Vines
Campsis radicans (trumpet creeper)
Flowers
Calylophus berlandieri (Berlandier's sundrops)
Glandularia bipinnatifida var. bipinnatifida (Dakota mock vervain)
Thelesperma filifolium (stiff greenthread)
Lupinus texensis (Texas bluebonnet)
Engelmannia peristenia (Engelmann's daisy)
Liatris mucronata (cusp blazing star)
From the Image Gallery
More Herbs/Forbs Questions
Transplant shock in Achillea millefolium
May 28, 2007 - I had a clump of yarrow in my garden and was worried that it would become very aggressive to the other plants. I decided to transplant it into large clay pots to control it. Immediately after the tran...
view the full question and answer
Weak stems on asters and ironweed from Woodbridge ON
June 06, 2012 - My question is in regards to plants flopping over. My smooth asters and ironweeds never seem to have strong stems.
Is because the soil is too fertile or maybe too shallow?
view the full question and answer
Creekside Groundcover for Upstate New York
October 22, 2015 - I live in Upstate New York in Rochester. Our winters can have lows of -10 at night at times. I have 1,300 linear feet of creekside land that seniors can view from their homes. Because of the brush, it...
view the full question and answer
Establishing wildflowers on a slope in Virginia
August 18, 2012 - From Roanoke Virginia. I have a steep bank rising from one side of my driveway to woods above. Different areas vary from full sun, to half day shade. It is possible to carefully walk/stand on it, we a...
view the full question and answer
Alternative to swamp sunflower for Austin
June 15, 2011 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
I love this forum and have learned so much from it!
Do you know of an alternative to Helianthus angustifolius L. (Swamp sunflower) that requires less water and would be m...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |