Native Plants

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Saturday - May 02, 2009
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Shade Tolerant
Title: Native shade-loving container plant for Austin
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
What is a good plant that works well in a container, is shade-loving and produces some blooms?ANSWER:
Since you live in the same town as we do, we're sure you already know that the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is dedicated to the care, protection and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which the plant is being grown. If you would like a little extra help with native plants in containers, read our How-To Article Container Gardening with Native Plants. We will go to our Recommended Species section, click on Central Texas on the map, and then use the Narrow Your Search function to select on "herbs" (herbaceous blooming plants) for habit and "part shade" and "shade" for Light Requirements. We will not select anything under "Duration." You might choose perennials that will stay in the same pot over time, but will die back all or partially during the winter, or annuals that can be kept in the pot while they are blooming, and then replaced by something that blooms later. These plants are all commercially available; if you have difficulty locating them, go to our Native Plant Suppliers section, type your town and state into the Enter Search Location box, and you'll get a list of native plant nurseries, seed suppliers, and landscape and environment consultants in your general area.
Herbaceous blooming plants for container gardening in Austin
Callirhoe involucrata (purple poppymallow) - evergreen, sprawling up to 3', thick mat up to 1 ft., blooms white, pink, purple March to June, sun or part shade
Conoclinium coelestinum (blue mistflower) - perennial to 3 ft. tall, blooms blue, purple July to November, sun, part shade
Coreopsis lanceolata (lanceleaf tickseed) - perennial, evergreen, to 2-1/2 ft. tall, blooms yellow April to June, sun, part shade or shade
Echinacea purpurea (eastern purple coneflower) - perennial, 2 to 5 ft., blooms pink, purple April to September, sun or part shade
Ipomopsis rubra (standing-cypress) - biennial, to 6 ft. tall, blooms red, orange, yellow, May to July, sun or part shade
Lobelia cardinalis (cardinalflower) - perennial, 1 to 6 ft. tall, blooms red, orange, yellow, May to July, sun or part shade
Machaeranthera tanacetifolia (tanseyleaf tansyaster) - annual, spreading, 6 to 12" tall, blooms purple May to October, sun or part shade
Melampodium leucanthum (plains blackfoot) - perennial, mounded 6 to 12" tall, blooms white, yellow March to November, sun or part shade
Phlox drummondii (annual phlox) - annual, 12 to 20" tall, blooms white, red, pink, purple March to June, sun or part shade
Salvia coccinea (blood sage) - annual/perennial, 1 to 3 ft. tall, blooms white, red, pink February to October, sun, part shade, or shade
Salvia engelmannii (Engelmann's sage) -perennial to 1-1/2 ft. tall, blooms blue, purple April and May, sun or part shade
Salvia roemeriana (cedar sage) - perennial to 2 ft. tall,blooms red March to August, part shade
More Shade Tolerant Questions
Groundcover to prevent erosion in Florida
November 04, 2012 - I live on a hill and put in a new side driveway and now I am seeing erosion along the driveway and can see the bottom of my concrete. Grass won't grow because its all shaded. What would be the best g...
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Perennial phlox for partial shade
April 16, 2008 - I am planting a butterfly garden in a plot that gets sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon. I read that phlox does well in partial-shade areas, and was wondering which native, perennial phlox ...
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Small evergreen shrubs for part shade in Texas
January 31, 2015 - Mr. Smarty Pants,
I'm, for some reason, at odds with myself about a shrub decision. I have need about 8 ft of hedge-like evergreen shrub(s) that I can maintain around 4ft to go under a window. It...
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Vines for shade in Central Texas
February 04, 2008 - We'd like to fill in our long expanse of yard fencing with climbing vines. We are limited by 40' live oaks that cut off the sun but surely something works in the shade and heat!
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Groundcover for shade in Paris, Texas
November 02, 2009 - I have a south exposure with 2 large sycamore trees. Noon sun in patches and mainly dappled shade but not dense. I'm consideering planting asian ivy. The soil is "sandy loam" but it's very sand...
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