'Henry Duelberg' Salvia
Name: Salvia farinacea 'Henry Duelberg'
Zones: 7-9
Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Size: 2-3 feet tall
Description: A drought-tolerant native Texas perennial with purplish-blue flower spikes up to 1 foot long. It attracts hummingbirds and butterflies and blooms throughout the season. Regularly removing spent flowers encourages continued blooming. It tolerates heat well once established but does not tolerate excess moisture.
Lacey Oak
Name: Quercus laceyi (syn. Quercus glaucoides)
Zones: 7-9
Size: 25-35 feet tall and wide
Description: A smaller Texas native oak resembling a miniature white oak. It makes an excellent shade tree for residential landscapes and is especially well adapted to the Texas Hill Country and cultivated areas of West Texas. Once established, it tolerates heat, drought, and high-pH soils.
'Texas Gold' Columbine
Zones: 5-8
Growing Conditions: Partial shade, well-drained soil, and consistent moisture
Size: 2-3 feet tall
Description: A rare Hinckley variety with buttercup-yellow flowers, long graceful spurs, and delicate fern-like foliage. It can be short-lived, but allowing seedlings to grow can help maintain the plant in the garden. It tolerates occasional heat.
'Lord Baltimore' Hibiscus
Zones: 5-9
Growing Conditions: Moist soil
Size: About 5 feet tall and wide
Description: A tropical-looking perennial with enormous bright scarlet flowers that bloom from July until frost. It works well in large containers, perennial borders, and butterfly or hummingbird gardens. The plant dies back to the ground in winter and regrows quickly in spring.
Turk's Cap
Name: Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
Zones: 7b-11
Size: 3-6 feet tall and wide
Description: A fast-growing native shrub suited to shady locations. Its red, pink, or white flowers resemble hibiscus but remain partially closed, giving them a turban-like appearance. The flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Once established, it is drought-tolerant.
Cape Plumbago
Name: Plumbago auriculata
Zones: 8-11
Growing Conditions: Full sun and light, sandy, well-drained soil
Description: A tender perennial with sky-blue flowers that bloom from May until the first frost. It attracts butterflies and other pollinators and is generally less attractive to deer. It can be used as a groundcover, allowed to cascade over walls, shaped into a mound, or trained onto a trellis.
'Mystic Spires Blue' Salvia
Name: Salvia longispicata × farinacea 'Mystic Spires Blue'
Zones: 7-11
Growing Conditions: Full sun
Description: A compact salvia that produces abundant blue flowers with silver accents throughout the growing season. It tolerates heat and humidity and is generally resistant to pests and diseases. Deer usually avoid it. Use fertilizer and water sparingly. Cut back to about 1 foot after the first frost.
'John Fanick' Phlox
Name: Phlox paniculata 'John Fanick'
Zones: 4-9
Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and moderately fertile, well-drained soil
Size: About 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide
Description: A compact perennial with attractive lavender-and-pink flowers. Its waxy foliage provides good resistance to powdery mildew. It tolerates heat and humidity and works well in the middle or back of perennial borders. The flowers are also suitable for cutting.
Chinkapin Oak
Name: Quercus muehlenbergii
Zones: 5-7
Size: 30-50 feet tall in Texas
Growing Conditions: Neutral to somewhat alkaline soil
Description: An underused native oak with vibrant green foliage that may turn yellow, orange-brown, or rich brown in fall. It tolerates heat and, once established, drought. It adapts to different conditions but prefers neutral to alkaline soils. The tree also provides benefits for hummingbirds and butterflies.
Deciduous Holly
Name: Ilex decidua
Zones: 5-9
Growing Conditions: Sun or part shade and moist, acidic soil
Description: A small native tree with long-lasting seasonal interest. Female plants produce striking orange-red berries that remain on the bare gray branches through winter. The berries attract birds and other wildlife. Plant both male and female trees to ensure good berry production.
'Lowery's Legacy' Cenizo
Name: Leucophyllum langmaniae 'Lowery's Legacy'
Zones: 8-11
Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Size: About 5 feet tall
Description: A slow-growing woody shrub with silvery foliage and violet-blue, bell-shaped flowers. It was selected for frequent and prolific flowering and is less dependent on humidity changes than many other Texas sage varieties. Avoid overwatering.
'Grandma's Yellow' Rose
Name: Rosa 'Nacogdoches'
Zones: 6-9
Growing Conditions: At least 6 hours of sunlight daily and regular watering
Size: 4-5 feet tall and about 3 feet wide
Description: Produces full, deep yellow, fragrant flowers repeatedly from spring until the first hard frost. It makes an attractive garden plant and excellent cut flower. In Zone 6, some winter protection may be necessary.
'Blue Princess' Verbena
Name: Verbena × hybrida 'Blue Princess'
Zones: 7b-10
Growing Conditions: Full sun and very well-drained soil
Size: About 1 foot tall
Description: A heat-tolerant perennial with lavender flowers. It needs plenty of sunlight for abundant flowering. Prune after the first major flush of blooms to encourage another round of flowers and prevent lanky growth.
Dwarf Mexican Petunia
Name: Ruellia brittoniana
Zones: 8-11
Growing Conditions: Full sun; tolerates wet or dry soil
Size: About 1 foot tall
Description: Produces trumpet-shaped violet-blue flowers that attract butterflies. Cutting the plant back by about half after its first flowering period encourages another flush of blooms. It tolerates both wet and dry conditions and produces fewer flowers in shade. The dwarf form is less aggressive than larger varieties.
'Belinda's Dream' Rose
Zones: 5-9
Growing Conditions: Full sun
Size: About 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide
