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.
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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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Tuesday - February 17, 2009
From: Cleburne, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Perennial herbs and woody species for North Texas
Answered by: Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
I have recently moved to North Texas. It would be helpful to know some hardy perennial flowers to plant. Also what types of shrubs and trees that do well in the area. Thank you.ANSWER:
Among the many user-friendly features of the Native Plant Information Network website are the Recommended Species Lists in which you can do custom searches. When you go to the Recommended Species page, you will see that Texas has been divided into several regions. You are in the North Central Texas region. Clicking on that region produces a list of 105 plant species native to and recommended for landscaping in your area. Near the top of the page you will see a "Narrow Your Seach" tool. Click on the title and choose "Tree" from the "Habit" dropdown menu to find a list of 29 tree species for your area. You can do a similar search for shrubs. Or choose "Herb" in the "Habit" dropdown and "Perennial" in the "Duration" dropdown to get a list of 25 herbaceous perennials suitable for landscapes in North-central Texas.
Take some time to explore NPIN and discover some of the many useful tools at your disposal there!
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