Native Plants

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Monday - March 13, 2006

From: Leander, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: List of native perennial Texas flowers
Answered by: Nan Hampton and Dean Garrett

QUESTION:

Good day, I am searching for a list of native Texas flowers (preferably perennials) for a flower garden. Thank you.

ANSWER:

Living in Leander, you'll have many plant options to choose from. Here's a starter list for Central Texas perennials culled primarily from the Hill Country landscape plan in Andy and Sally Wasowski's Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region, an excellent book that should be easy for you to find at your local library, bookstore, or garden center. The Kerrville Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas also provides an extensive list of Native Plants for Landscaping in the Texas Hill Country. The list here is limited to plants that prefer full sun, but the resources listed above offer several options for shady beds as well.

PERENNIALS, SUN

Perennial Winecups (Callirhoë involucrata)
Sundrops (Calylophus berlandieri)
Cutleaf Daisy (Engelmannia peristenea)
Purple Prairie Verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida)
Gayfeather, Blazing Star (Liatris mucronata)
Blackfoot Daisy (Melampodium leucanthum)
Pink Evening Primrose (Oenothera speciosa)
Foxglove Penstemon (Penstemon cobaea)
Mealy Blue Sage (Salvia farinacea)
Velvetleaf Senna (Senna lindheimeriana)
Four-Nerve Daisy (Tetraneuris scaposa)
Greenthread (Thelesperma filifolia)
Zexmenia (Wedelia texana)

LOW, FLOWERING SHRUBS, SUN

Flame Acanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii)
Texas Lantana (Lantana urticoides)
Rose Pavonia (Pavonia lasiopetala)

You can look for nurseries in your area that specialize in native plants and seeds in the National Suppliers Directory.