Helpful Landscape Information For Houston, TX
For Harris & Adjacent Counties
These Native Plants are recommended based upon a combination of their regional suitability for landscaping AND their value to wildlife. These plants grow well in the soil conditions of Harris and surrounding counties, including gumbo, AND provide value to wildlife such as birds, butterflies and beneficial insects. Each species is hardy for the Gulf Coast climate. Most plants do not require fertilizing, or any special treatment, except proper care until established. Naturally, if the plant becomes stressed or diseased, special treatment is recommended. Please see other references for growth characteristics (height, width, evergreen, etc.) and appropriate planting conditions (sun, shade, moisture, etc.) for each species. Appropriate planting yields a healthier and more attractive plant.
Ten Big Trees: Swamp Chestnut Oak, Live Oak, Willow Oak, Loblolly Pine, Bald Cypress, Sweetgum, American Elm, White (Upland) Ash, Green (Swamp) Ash, Drummond Red Maple
Ten Small Trees: American Holly, Yaupon Holly, American Fringe Tree, Laurel Cherry, Eastern Redbud, Green Hawthorn, Carolina Buckthorn, Rusty Black-haw Viburnum, Farkleberry, Texas Persimmon
Ten Large Woody Shrubs (can grow to small tree size): Southern Wax Myrtle, Deciduous Holly, Yaupon Holly (thicket former), Rough Leaf Dogwood (thicket former), Elderberry (thicket former), Flame Leaf Sumac (thicket former), Parsley Hawthorn, Ohio Buckeye, Red Buckeye, Buttonbush
Ten Small Shrubs: American Beautyberry, Texas Lantana, Arrowwood Viburnum, Virginia Sweetspire, Red Chokecherry, Coralberry, Fragrant Sumac, Narrow Leaf Yucca, Yellow Sophora, Dwarf Palmetto
Ten Perennials For Sun: Purple Coneflower, Scarlet Sage, Maximilian Sunflower, Kansas Gayfeather, Eastern Gamagrass, Switch Grass, Indian Grass, Pink Evening Primrose, Gaura, Texas Coneflower
Ten Perennials For Shade: Turk’s Cap, Strawberry Bush, Cardinal Flower, Farkleberry, Blue Mistflower, Big Thicket Hibiscus, Gulf Coast Penstemon, Spring Obedient Plant, Fall Obedient Plant, Arkansas Yucca
Ten Vines For Sun: Coral Honeysuckle, Purple Passionflower, Carolina Jessamine, Carolina Snailseed, Globe Berry, Common Greenbriar, Mustang Grape, Prairie Rose, Trumpet Creeper, Curly Clematis
Ten Vines For Shade: Virginia Creeper, Cross Vine, Yellow Passionflower, Saw Greenbriar, Wooly Pipevine, Texas Dutchman’s Pipe, Pitcher Clematis, Leather Clematis, Climbing Milkweed, Virginia Dutchman’s Pipe
Ten Groundcovers For Sun: Frog Fruit, Knotroot Bristlegrass, Gulf Coast Muhly, Prairie Verbena, Little Bluestem, Indian Blanket, Winecup, Pink Powderpuff (mimosa strigulosa) , Creeping Spotflower, Carolina Ponyfoot
Ten Groundcovers For Shade: Pigeonberry, Coralberry, Wood Fern, Spiderwort, Cherokee Sedge, Horseherb, Carolina Elephant Foot, Partridgeberry, White Avens, Missouri Violet
References:
Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Texas, by Hatch, Gandhi, Brown, American Wildlife & Plants: A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits, by Martin, Zim, Nelson, Butterflies of Houston & Southeast Texas, by John and Gloria Tveten, Trees Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southwest, by R. A. Vines, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, by Wasowski, Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Texas, by Turner, Nichols, Denny, Doron, Guide to Native Trees, Shrubs & Vines, Published by Houston Chapter of NPSOT, Life Histories of North American Birds, by A. C. Bent, A Checklist of the Native and Naturalized Plants of Houston and Vicinity, by R.A Vines and Frederick W. Thurow, Informal Survey of Some Chapter Members with Personal Observations of the Compiler; Compiled for the Native Plant Society of Texas – Houston Chapter by Glenn Olsen from an informal survey of chapter members and the references listed above.
