You love local food, music, business, and art — so while you’re planning your garden this spring, why not choose local plants, too?
Native plants are naturally adapted to the local climate, provide sustenance to native wildlife, and save water by thriving on normal rainfall. Plus, they’re more visually diverse than, say, lawn grass.
Consider planting some Central Texas flora this spring. We’ll get you started.
Blackfoot daisy
Melampodium leucanthum
- Water needs: dry
- Light needs: sun, part shade
- Bloom time: March-November
- Attracts: bees, butterflies, insects, granivorous birds
Growing tips: These petite white flowers are sturdy and do very well in rock gardens, but need well-draining soil to thrive.
Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
- Water needs: moist, dry
- Light needs: sun
- Bloom time: March-November
- Attracts: birds, butterflies (Bordered Patch + Gorgone Checkerspot)
Growing tips: Black-eyed Susan can become aggressive without competition, so consider planting it alongside other plants on this list.
Blue mistflower
Conoclinium coelestinum
- Water needs: moist
- Light needs: sun, partial shade
- Bloom time: July-November
- Attracts: birds, bees, butterflies (Monarchs + Swallowtails)
Growing tips: The blue mistflower provides nectar for late-season butterflies, but it also spreads quickly, which can either create good ground cover or become overwhelming.
Butterfly milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa
- Water needs: moist, dry
- Light needs: sun, shade, partial shade
- Bloom time: May-September
- Attracts: hummingbirds, butterflies (Monarch + Grey Hairstreak)
Growing tips: Butterfly weed attracts aphids, which you can deal with by spraying soapy water, blasting them with high-pressure streams, or by leaving the aphids for ladybugs.
Pink evening primrose
Oenothera speciosa
- Water needs: moist, dry
- Light needs: sun
- Bloom time: February-October
- Attracts: mammals, bees, birds (finches)
Growing tips: Also known as “pink ladies,” these flowers don’t like complete dryness, and sometimes go dormant until rainfall comes.
Prairie verbena
Glandularia bipinnatifida
- Water needs: moist, dry
- Light needs: partial shade
- Bloom time: March-October
- Attracts: birds, butterflies
Growing tips: Prairie verbena is common in open grassy areas around the state and prefers well-draining soil including sand, loam, clay, and limestone.
Purple coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
- Water needs: dry
- Light needs: sun, partial shade
- Bloom time: April-September
- Attracts: hummingbirds, butterflies
Growing tips: Suited to northeast Texas, purple coneflowers thrive in lean soil with ~six hours of direct sunlight daily.
Texas bluebonnet
Lupinus texensis
- Water needs: dry
- Light needs: sun
- Bloom time: March-May
- Attracts: bees, butterflies (Gray Hairstreak + Elfin)
Growing tips: While bluebonnets only bloom their signature flower heads in spring and summer, they also form rosettes in the winter.
Wild red columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
- Water needs: moist, dry
- Light needs: shade, partial shade
- Bloom time: February-July
- Attracts: hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, hawk moths, finches, and buntings
Growing tips: Plant columbine in thin, well-drained soil to ensure a long lifespan. This flower struggles in heat, so plant it in the shade before temperatures climb in spring.
Winecup
Callirhoe involucrata
- Water needs: dry, moist
- Light needs: sun, partial shade
- Bloom time: Year-round
- Attracts: bees, butterflies (Gray Hairstreak)
Growing tips: Also known as the “purple poppy mallow,” the winecup needs well-draining soil to thrive, and is recognized to have special value to native bees.
Ready to plant? You can easily source seeds from Native American Seed.
