Native Plants
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
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Tuesday - October 13, 2009
From: Plano, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like, Herbs/Forbs, Shrubs, Trees
Title: Plants for area around pool in Plano, Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I just built an in ground pool in Plano, Texas and now want to landscape around it on my own. I am curious what plants/shrubs you recommend. There will be plants/shrubs on three sides of the pool. Thanks!ANSWER:
You can find a list of commercially available native plants for landscaping in your area in Texas-North Central Recommended on our Recommended Species page. You can use the NARROW YOUR SEARCH option to specify General Appearance, Soil Moisture, Light Requirements, etc., for the plants you want. Here are a few from that list that should make an attractive area around your pool:
SHRUBS/SMALL TREES
Amorpha fruticosa (desert false indigo)
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii (Wright's desert honeysuckle)
Cercis canadensis var. texensis (Texas redbud)
Hesperaloe parviflora (redflower false yucca)
Lantana urticoides (West Indian shrubverbena)
HERBACEOUS PLANTS
Aquilegia canadensis (red columbine)
Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed)
Conoclinium coelestinum (blue mistflower)
Echinacea purpurea (eastern purple coneflower)
Glandularia bipinnatifida var. bipinnatifida (Dakota mock vervain)
Melampodium leucanthum (plains blackfoot)
Oenothera speciosa (pinkladies)
Phlox drummondii (annual phlox)
Rudbeckia hirta (blackeyed Susan)
There are many more and you can find them in the list recommended above. You can match their characteristics to the requirements of your site by reading the "Growing Conditions" for each species.
Here are photos for some of the species above:
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