Landscape Architecture Insights

Native Planting in Houston

KW Landscape Architects April 5, 2022

Spring is here, which means many of us will be spending more time in our gardens. Adding landscape to your home or garden, filling it with pops of color, different textures & soft grass, can create a space of refuge. After a long day at the office, relaxing on my patio surrounded by lush landscape is the perfect way to unwind and decompress.

But, if you are like me and have failed to keep plants alive, you are probably put off by the idea—I don’t blame you! Through trial and error, you will figure out what works best for our HOT and humid Houston climate. Many plant species require fertilization and maintenance to keep them alive, which equates to finding the time to tend to their needs.

If you are looking for an easy and sustainable way of creating your own oasis with minimal maintenance and time, then planting native plant material is the way to go! These types of plants are indigenous to our location—they have adapted to our varying climates, require minimal watering and typically do not need any chemical fertilizers.

Low maintenance planting? Count me in!

I’ve compiled a list of my Top 15 Favorite Native Plants for the Houston area:

*NOTE: The first seven native plants mentioned can be seen all over Texas roadways & are popular plants for home gardening. The last eight native plants are common in commercially designed landscape.

Perennial

Brown-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia Triloba

Bloom Period: Late summer/early winter, blooms yellow/orange

Plant Requirements: Requires full sun/half shade lighting, very low maintenance, very low water requirement

Interesting Facts: Attracts butterflies & bees, serves as a pollinator, deadheading will make them bloom longer, can be used as an astringent for sores & swellings and is a native wildflower to Central Texas

Wildflower

Bluebonnet

Lupinus Texensis

Bloom Period: Spring

Plant Requirements: full sun/part shade lighting, low water requirement

Interesting Facts: Texas state flower, attracts butterflies, serves as a pollinator and is native to Central Texas

Perennial

Coral Bean

Erythrina herbacea

Bloom Period: Spring, blooms red/coral

Plant Requirements: requires full sunlight, very low maintenance, very low water requirements

Interesting Facts: blooms large bean-like pods, produces cat-claw thorns and a big floral display that attracts orioles, butterflies & hummingbirds

Wildflower

Purple Coneflower

Echinacea Purpurea

Bloom Period: Summer, blooms lavender purple

Plant Requirements: requires full sun/part shade lighting, low maintenance, very low water maintenance

Interesting Facts: performs very well in summer heat, attracts birds & butterflies, blooms beautifully by a Brown-Eyed Susan, known as a perennial flower because of its long life-span and its extracts can improve white blood cell counts

Wildflower

Mexican Hat

Ratibida Columnifera

Bloom Period: Summer/early fall, blooms yellow & red/brown

Plant Requirements: plant with any soil, requires full sunlight, low maintenance, very low water maintenance

Interesting Facts: has a sombrero shaped flower head, attracts birds & butterflies, acts as a pollinator, easy to grow from seed and is native to Central Texas

Wildflower

Indian Blanket

Gaillardia Pulchella

Bloom Period: Summer, blooms bright red & yellow

Plant Requirements: requires full sun/part shade lighting, very low maintenance, low water requirement

Interesting Facts: native to the Houston area, attracts butterflies, state flower of Oklahoma and is quick to grow

Palm

Texas Sabal Palm

Sabal Mexicana

Bloom Period: Spring, blooms white (Not known for its blooms)

Plant Requirements: requires full sun/half shade lighting, low water requirement, very low water maintenance

Interesting Facts: beautiful tree but takes time to grow, difficult to transplant so they are best grown when very young, grows dark purple fruit, attracts birds and is a native to South Texas & the Coast

Small Tree

Texas Olive Tree

Cordia Boissieri

Bloom Period: Year-round, blooms white

Plant Requirements: requires full sunlight, low maintenance, very low water requirement

Interesting Facts: has large dark, soft leaves but blooms white flowers, attracts deer, cattle, butterflies & birds, fast-growing tree and is native to South Texas

Tree

Black Cherry

Prunus Serotina

Bloom Period: Spring/early summer, blooms white

Plant Requirements: requires full sun/half shade lighting, low water requirements, low maintenance

Interesting Facts: The largest & most important native cherry, the wood found in the leaves can be used to make furniture and toys, the cherry (obtained from the bark) can be used to make cough syrup and it is native to Central & Eastern Texas

Large Tree

Texas Live Oak

Quercus Fusiformis

Bloom Period: Spring, blooms yellow

Plant Requirements: requires full sun/ half shade lighting, low maintenance, low water maintenance

Interesting Facts: Native to Central Texas, a popular shade tree, known for its picturesque branches, attracts birds & butterflies and typically acts as an evergreen in our Houston climate

Perennial

Texas Lantana

Lantana Urticoides

Bloom Period: Spring-fall, blooms red, orange & yellow

Plant Requirements: requires full sunlight, low maintenance, low water maintenance

Interesting Facts: Native to East Texas & can be seen roadside throughout almost all of Texas, grows really well in hot climates, attracts butterflies & birds, its branches/trunk can be used for weaving or crafts and its very deer resistant

Shrubs

Yellow Bells (Esperanza)

Tecoma Stans

Bloom Period: Spring-fall, blooms yellow

Plant Requirements: half sun/part shade lighting, low maintenance, low water maintenance

Interesting Facts: Native to South Central Texas, very heat & drought resistant, known to be long-blooming & very attractive and attracts bees, hummingbirds & small mammals

Agave

Agave, Century Plant

Agave Americana

Bloom Period: Summer, blooms yellow

Plant Requirements: requires full sunlight, low maintenance, low water maintenance

Interesting Facts: very large evergreen with lily-like foliage, making it a great focal point in landscape, tolerates cold winters very well and it attracts hummingbirds, birds & smalls mammals

Small Grass

Mexican Feathergrass

Nassella Tenuissima

Bloom Period: Summer, blooms white

Plant Requirements: requires half sun/part shade lighting, low maintenance, low water maintenance

Interesting Facts: native to west Texas, a great accent grass in landscaping and known for its delicate and thread-like leaves

Medium Grass

Gulf Muhly

Muhlenbergia Capillaris

Bloom Period: October, blooms pink/purple

Plant Requirements: requires full sunlight, low maintenance

Interesting Facts: grows easily, functions well in meadow gardens, creates a wispy haze in landscape and the plant’s family is named after an accomplished botanist named Henry Muhlenberg

So check out your local garden center and give native planting a try! Not only will it be easy to maintain, it’s great for the environment—win-win!

Keep in mind, some of the plants listed may not bloom as quickly as you’d like. If you don’t see a bloom right away, don’t feel discouraged. Some flowers take a year or so to develop but once established, your neighbors will be asking you for garden advice! Happy landscaping!

Resources:
www.gardenstylesanantonio.com
www.wildflower.org
www.chron.com/life/gardening/

To show off how beautiful native planting can be, below are a few images containing native plants from KW projects.