Chinkapin Oak
The Perfect Plants for Every Garden
By Sandra Gray, Fort Bend Master Gardener
If you could design the perfect plant for your garden, what characteristics would you want it to have? Would you want it to be hardy in your climate? How about drought resistant? Would you ask for a plant that is resistant to pests and disease? Maybe you would also want something that is attractive to wildlife? Perhaps you are like me and you want it all! Have I got good news for you! Such a thing exists. You can find it in the plants that are native to your area.
Native plants have developed in your environment. Consequently, they are adapted to the rainfall, heat and cold in your part of the world. You know they can thrive despite the hardships of your weather because they have for hundreds or perhaps thousands of years. This means you can save money on irrigation (and perhaps on plant replacement when non-native plants die).
Native plants are adapted to the wildlife in your area and native wildlife are adapted to these plants. So, pests that might be a problem for other plants are less likely to harm these plants. This will reduce the amount of pesticides you need to use saving you additional money and reducing your environmental footprint. Further, native wildlife thrive on native plants so native plants will naturally attract more native wildlife for food or nesting.
Beautyberry
You might wonder if native plants are attractive enough to appeal to your garden’s standard of beauty. Fortunately, native plants are very diverse. There are native trees, shrubs, annuals, biennials, perennials, groundcovers, succulents, grasses, and vines. The flowering native plants come in all the colors of the rainbow and there are varieties that bloom in every season. When you think of native plants, remember the beauty of the Texas Redbud, Texas Sage, Texas Bluebonnet or Texas Mountain Laurel.
If you are interested in selecting a native plant for your garden, here are a couple of excellent resources to help you learn more:
In honor of Texas Native Plant Week October 20 – 27, 2019, here is a starter set of Texas natives you might consider adding to your garden. Each of these is a Texas native perennial plant, serves wildlife in some capacity and has a Texas Earth-Kind rating of 8.0 (designated with EK= x) or higher out of 10. Some are also Texas Superstars (designated by SS).
Shade Tree
The Chinquapin Oak (Quercus muhlenbergii) grows to height of 80 feet with a width of 60 feet. This tree is very drought resistant, grows well in most soil types, and can withstand construction activity making it good for urban settings. It is attractive to birds and animals who prefer the fruit of this tree to the extent that the nursery industry sometimes finds it difficult to obtain seed for this plant. SS / EK = 10.0
Turks Cap
Ornamental Tree
The Possumhaw Holly (Ilex decidua) grows to a height of about 20 feet and a width of about 15 feet. In the fall the female possumhaw holly trees have small attractive red or orange berries that are attractive to songbirds and other wildlife. In the spring, its flowers attract butterflies. It is very drought resistant, grows in most soil types and tolerates poorly drained soils, unlike many other plants. SS / EK = 10.0
Flowering Perennial
Here is a Texas native plant that is also a Texas Superstar and has an Earth-Kind rating of 10.0: Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus v. drummondii). It is a food source for birds, including hummingbirds, and butterflies. This deciduous shrub grows to a height of 4 feet (but may grow taller in certain environments) and a width of 3 feet, has low water needs, and has red, pink or white blooms from spring through fall. SS / EK = 10.0
Texas Sage
Garden Focal Point
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa Americana) is a deciduous shrub with an irregular weeping form. In the fall, it has purple or white berries that provide food to birds and are very striking. It can grow in full or part sun or in full shade, tolerates heat well, has low water requirements, and grows in most soils. This plant is so undemanding you can find it growing wild in many Southern climates. EK = 10.0
Flowering Hedge
Texas Sage or Purple Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens) is known for its silver foliage despite being an evergreen. The flowers may be lavender, blue, white, purple or pink, are attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, and bloom from spring through fall. It grows to a height and width of about 5 to 6 feet but can be pruned to your desired hedge height. It is very drought tolerant and needs well-drained soil. EK = 8.2
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Rock or Container Garden Plant
If you have a rock or container garden, you might want to consider Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolate) to add some color. This flowering, deciduous perennial sports yellow or red-brown flowers on 1- to 3-foot stalks throughout the spring and summer. It is a nectar source for bees and butterflies and has low water and fertilization needs. EK = 10.0
Vine
Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) may be the Texas native plant your arbor longs for. It grows to a height of 15 feet and a spread of 6 feet with red, coral, or yellow flowers through summer and fall. It attracts hummingbirds and its evergreen foliage can provide shade or privacy throughout the year. In the winter it has berries. Coral honeysuckle is heat tolerant and has low water needs. EK = 10.0
Coral Honeysuckle
Photo Credits:
- texassuperstar.com
- txsmartscape.com
- Virginia Native Plant Society