Texas Native Plants for Gardens and Landscaping | Texas Native

One of the defining features of the Lone Star State is its rich diversity of native plants. From beloved wildflowers like Bluebonnets and Firewheels to the resilient Texas-native cacti that thrive in the state’s drier regions, Texas is home to an incredible array of plant life that flourishes in its unique climate.

For gardeners and nature enthusiasts, incorporating hardy Texas-native plants into your landscape is a fantastic way to celebrate the state’s natural beauty while adding vibrant, drought-resistant color to your property.

Not sure where to start? We’re here to help. At Texas Native, we take pride in supporting Texas gardens with locally sourced mulch, topsoil and compost crafted from recycled green waste, locally sourced organic matter and other all-natural ingredients to enrich your soil and promote healthy plant growth.  Shop our full selection today.

Ready to plant your perfect Texas native garden? Read on for more information about the best varieties, things to look out for and more from Texas Native.

What Texas Native Flowers and Plants Can I Grow In A Garden or As Part of My Landscaping?

There is a wide variety of native Texas plants available for sale as seeds online or at your local home improvement store. Many will grow well in most parts of Texas and are naturally hardy and drought resistant. For best results, however, be sure to read your seed packets and plant tags and do your research on which of Texas' 11 recognized ecoregions you're in.

A few of the more popular Texas native plants to use in flowerbeds or landscaping include:

• Texas Bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis)

Deep blue, with clusters of beautiful flowers and a touch of white at the top, Bluebonnet is Texas' official State Flower and can bring both beauty and native wildflower charm to your landscape. A favorite of pollinators like bees and butterflies, Bluebonnet blooms in spring and thrives in well-drained and even rocky soils with full sun. For spring blooms in your flowerbed or meadow, plant seeds in the fall by raking them into the earth.

• Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera)

As the name suggests, Mexican Hat flowers resemble a kind of hat, with long, thin stems topped with beautiful yellow/red petals surrounding a tall, cylinder-shaped center. Irresistible to bees and butterflies while being highly deer-resistant, Mexican Hat blooms from late spring through mid-fall, needs very little upkeep and watering and is perfectly happy even in sandy or rocky soil types.

• Eastern Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Looking to really kick the color up to 11 in your flowerbed or garden? Eastern Purple Coneflower has you covered. This hearty, Texas native flower features 2- to 4-foot stems topped in large, daisy-like blooms, with vibrant pink-purple petals surrounding a textured, orange-brown center. They flower basically all summer, prefer well-drained soil and tolerate everything from full sun to partial shade.

• Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens)

Known by many names, including Texas Ranger, Barometer Bush and Silverleaf, the name that really fits Texas Sage best is "beautiful." A hardy evergreen shrub that lends a unique and sophisticated pop to gardens and landscaping, Texas Sage features velvety, silver-green leaves and incredible flowers in stunning violet. Drought tolerant and resistant to foraging wildlife like deer, Texas Sage can grow up to eight feet tall, making it a striking showstopper in any Texas native garden.

• Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella)

Another beloved Texas-native wildflower, Indian Blanket, delivers beautiful blooms from April to September in a large portion of the state. Also known as Firewheel, each flower is a small explosion of loveliness, with a multicolored center surrounded by overlapping, deep red petals tipped in bright yellow. Mature blooms can reach between one and two inches across. Once well-rooted, Indian Blanket needs very little care and minimal water, though you can encourage blooming by regularly clipping the heads.

These are just a small sample of the hundreds of varieties of native plants, flowers and even cacti that thrive here in Texas and might be right at home in your garden, providing local color and support for pollinators like bees and butterflies.

For much more information about Texas native flowers and plants, visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center's online database.

What Kind of Care Do Texas Native Plants and Flowers Need?

Texas tends to be drier than many other states in the lower 48 and as a result, its native plants are exceptionally well-adapted to the climate and require minimal maintenance. These hardy species have evolved to withstand harsh conditions, from uncontrolled wildfires to the impact of large grazing herds like buffalo, making them incredibly resilient. However, with a little extra care and attention, they can truly thrive and enhance your landscape.

• Watering: Most Texas plants are naturally drought-tolerant, making them great for landscaping or gardens that don't need a lot of watering. New plantings will need regular watering until they get established, but once they're settled, many native plant species can get by on moisture levels that would make most plants keel over.

• Improving Soil Composition: Texas isn’t exactly known for rich, nutrient-dense soil, but native plants have evolved to thrive in even the most challenging conditions, including rocky and subpar soils. While they can survive independently, giving them the proper nutrients can take their growth to the next level. Enhance soil structure and maximize bloom potential by feeding your Texas-native plants with Texas Native Soil & Compost, designed to enrich the earth and support bigger, healthier, more vibrant growth.

• Mulching: By providing your Texas-native plants with the right balance of water and nutrients, you're not just helping them thrive—you're also celebrating Texas's natural heritage. A crucial part of this process is mulching, which protects plant roots, conserves moisture and regulates soil temperature, all while acting as a natural weed barrier. A quality layer of mulch ensures your landscape remains healthy, resilient and vibrant. Read more from Texas Native to discover the best mulching practices for your garden. Read our Complete Guide to Mulch.

• Pruning: It depends on which type of native plant you're growing, but many Texas native wildflowers and even plants like Texas Sage benefit from regular pruning of older blooms. You don't have to prune, but in many cases, it will encourage your plants to keep producing throughout the growing season.

• Fertilization: Because they're adapted to Texas' generally dry climate and poor soils, most Texas-native flowers and plants don’t require a lot of fertilizer. That's a real plus if you're planting a garden or flowerbed that you want to "set and forget." That said, adding compost is a sure-fire way to kick your Texas native garden up a notch, giving your flowers and plants the fuel to produce vibrant blooms and foliage.

READ TEXAS NATIVE'S COMPLETE GUIDE TO COMPOST

What are Some of the Benefits of Planting Texas Native Plants and Flowers in a Garden?

The benefits of including flowers and plants native to Texas in your garden, landscaping, or flower beds include:

• Beautifying Our State: Flowers and plants native to Texas include some of the most beautiful varieties in the U.S. and they can add real depth and interest to your landscaping.

• Water Conservation: With droughts and higher summer temperatures becoming more frequent, water conservation is on the mind of many Texans. Because flowers and plants native to Texas are well-adapted to a drier climate and frequent rainfall fluctuations, they often require much less water than other plants.

• Bird, Bee and Butterfly Support: It's no accident that many of the plants, flowers and cacti that are native to Texas produce beautiful blooms. Just like in the wild, those vibrant blossoms will attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and seed-eating birds, enhancing the biodiversity of your property.

• Low-Maintenance Curb Appeal: While any plant in your garden needs care, Texas-native flowers and plants are a low-effort, high-beauty way to garden, with most being drought resistant, pest resistant and self-reliant. Once established, they usually need very minimal watering and care.

Want to buy Texas Native mulch, soil, compost and other products by the truckload? Visit the following links to learn how to purchase Texas Native mulch and other products in bulk in Hutto, Fort Worth, or South Austin!

How Will Using Mulch or Compost Help My Texas Native Garden Grow?

We'd never Mess with Texas, but the truth is: the soil in much of the state isn't always that great for growing things. That makes mulch, soil and compost essential tools if you want to cultivate a beautiful and healthy garden that includes Texas native plants.

Compost

Adding compost to your garden or flowerbed improves the structure of soil, preventing hard clumps from forming while promoting the percolation of water and air down to plant roots. Compost is also the feed that your Texas native garden needs, providing nutrition to plants the natural way: through the decay of organic matter. For native plants that don't generally need a lot of nutrition, adding compost can promote robust growth and bloom production.

Soil

Healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving garden. Well-structured soil promotes strong root development, prevents compaction and improves water retention and drainage, ensuring plants get the moisture they need without becoming waterlogged. Rich, nutrient-balanced soil supports beneficial microbial activity, fostering a natural ecosystem that enhances plant health. Whether you're growing native Texas plants, flowers, or vegetables, high-quality soil provides the stability, aeration and nutrients needed for vigorous growth and long-lasting resilience.

Mulch

Mulch is another powerhouse product for gardens. A layer of mulch around the base of plants provides a tough, flexible layer that blocks sunlight, preventing weed growth. When you water, the organic mulch soaks up moisture like a sponge, keeping the soil underneath it moist while helping regulate the temperature of the soil. And at the end of the season, just till the mulch in. As it naturally decays over the winter, it will supply essential nutrients to the soil.

By creating compost and mulch from native trees, brush and other plant-life, Texas Native premium landscaping products create the perfect finish for your native garden. The journey from field to flower bed is an important one, even more so when sourced entirely right here in Texas.

Contact Texas Native

For over 35 years, Texas Native has been collecting organic materials and transforming them into sustainable landscaping products. We're focused on diverting green waste from landfills and burn piles while helping our local contractors and homeowners conserve water and promote soil health in their landscapes.

Today, the Texas Native brand offers more than 40 different premium mulch, soil, compost and aggregate products across the state of Texas.

Have questions? Contact us today through our convenient online form, phone (512)259-7430, or send an email to info@austinwoodrecycling.com.

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