01 · Wildflower
Texas bluebonnet
Lupinus texensis
Full sun
Very low water
Blue, March to April
1 ft tall
Sow seed in fall. Needs full sun and good drainage.
Plant library
30 natives we plant most.
Filter by your yard's light and how much water you want to give. Save plants to your list and we will start your design from it.
02 · Wildflower
Indian blanket
Gaillardia pulchella
Full sun
Very low water
Red and yellow, May to August
1 to 2 ft tall
Reseeds on its own in sunny, open ground.
03 · Perennial
Mexican hat
Ratibida columnifera
Full sun
Very low water
Red and yellow, May to July
1 to 3 ft tall
Tough on dry, rocky soil. Cut back after bloom for a second flush.
04 · Wildflower
Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Full sun, part shade
Low water
Yellow, May to July
1 to 3 ft tall
Finches eat the seed heads. Leave them standing in fall.
05 · Perennial
Winecup
Callirhoe involucrata
Full sun
Low water
Magenta, March to June
6 to 12 in tall
Low and spreading. Dies back in summer heat and returns in fall.
06 · Perennial
Blackfoot daisy
Melampodium leucanthum
Full sun
Very low water
White, March to November
6 to 12 in tall
Thrives in limestone and gravel. Rots in rich, wet soil.
07 · Perennial
Prairie verbena
Glandularia bipinnatifida
Full sun
Very low water
Purple, March to June
6 to 12 in tall
Short-lived but reseeds. Good between steppingstones.
08 · Perennial
Mealy blue sage
Salvia farinacea
Full sun, part shade
Low water
Blue, April to October
2 to 3 ft tall
Blooms most of the year. Trim spent spikes to keep it full.
09 · Perennial
Cedar sage
Salvia roemeriana
Part shade, shade
Low water
Red, April to July
1 to 2 ft tall
One of the few red bloomers for dry shade under oaks and junipers.
10 · Perennial
Turk's cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
Full sun, part shade, shade
Low water
Red, May to November
3 to 5 ft tall
Fills dry shade fast. Birds eat the small red fruit.
11 · Shrub
Flame acanthus
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii
Full sun, part shade
Very low water
Orange-red, June to October
3 to 5 ft tall
Hummingbird favorite. Cut to 12 inches in late winter.
12 · Perennial
Aromatic aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Full sun, part shade
Low water
Purple, October to November
1 to 3 ft tall
Late fuel for migrating monarchs. Trim in early summer to keep it compact.
13 · Perennial
Antelope horns milkweed
Asclepias asperula
Full sun
Very low water
Green and white, April to June
1 to 2 ft tall
Monarch caterpillars feed on it. Needs sun and fast drainage.
14 · Groundcover
Pigeonberry
Rivina humilis
Part shade, shade
Low water
Pink flowers, red berries
1 to 2 ft tall
Flowers and berries at the same time. Spreads in shade.
15 · Groundcover
Horseherb
Calyptocarpus vialis
Full sun, part shade, shade
Low water
Small yellow, spring to fall
4 to 6 in tall
A lawn substitute for shade. Takes light foot traffic.
16 · Groundcover
Frogfruit
Phyla nodiflora
Full sun, part shade
Low water
White, spring to fall
3 to 6 in tall
Host plant for phaon crescent and buckeye butterflies. Mow it like a lawn.
17 · Grass
Little bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Full sun
Low water
Copper fall color
2 to 3 ft tall
Blue-green in summer, copper all winter. Cut back in February.
18 · Grass
Lindheimer's muhly
Muhlenbergia lindheimeri
Full sun, part shade
Low water
Silver plumes, September to November
3 to 5 ft tall
A native alternative to pampas grass for big screens.
19 · Grass
Inland sea oats
Chasmanthium latifolium
Part shade, shade
Medium water
Flat seed heads, summer to fall
2 to 4 ft tall
Grows thick along creeks and under trees. Spreads by seed.
20 · Grass
Buffalograss
Bouteloua dactyloides
Full sun
Very low water
Fine blue-green turf
4 to 8 in tall
A native lawn grass. Mow monthly or let it go shaggy.
21 · Shrub
Agarita
Berberis trifoliolata
Full sun, part shade
Very low water
Yellow, February to March
3 to 6 ft tall
Spiny evergreen. Red berries in spring feed birds.
22 · Shrub
Cenizo
Leucophyllum frutescens
Full sun
Very low water
Lavender after rain
4 to 6 ft tall
Silver leaves. Blooms in waves a few days after rain.
23 · Shrub
Texas lantana
Lantana urticoides
Full sun
Very low water
Orange and yellow, spring to frost
2 to 5 ft tall
Heat-proof color for the hottest strip of the yard.
24 · Shrub
American beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
Part shade, shade
Low water
Purple berries, September to November
3 to 6 ft tall
Bright purple berry clusters in fall. Mockingbirds love them.
25 · Tree
Texas redbud
Cercis canadensis var. texensis
Full sun, part shade
Low water
Pink, February to March
15 to 20 ft tall
Early nectar for bees. Glossy, heat-tolerant leaves.
26 · Tree
Possumhaw
Ilex decidua
Full sun, part shade
Low water
Red berries, November to February
15 to 20 ft tall
Bare branches covered in red berries all winter.
27 · Tree
Mexican plum
Prunus mexicana
Full sun, part shade
Low water
White, February to March
15 to 25 ft tall
Fragrant white flowers before the leaves. Small plums in summer.
28 · Vine
Coral honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Full sun, part shade
Low water
Coral red, March to June
Climbs 10 to 15 ft
Covers a fence without taking over the yard.
29 · Succulent
Twistleaf yucca
Yucca rupicola
Full sun, part shade
Very low water
White, April to June
1 to 2 ft tall
A Hill Country native with curly blades. Thrives on rocky slopes.
30 · Succulent
Red yucca
Hesperaloe parviflora
Full sun
Very low water
Coral pink, April to September
2 to 3 ft tall
No spines. Flower stalks rise 4 to 5 feet all summer.
No plants match every filter. Clear one or two and try again.
Light and water ratings follow the City of Austin Grow Green plant guide and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center plant database. Water needs are for established plants. Everything needs regular water through its first summer.
Bring your list to a site walk.
We check each plant against your soil, sun and drainage, then build the design around the ones that fit.