mainstreetlawn

North Texas Native Plants

March 13, 2019
, Plants

As residents and business owners in the North DFW area, we can say with absolute certainty that we live in one of the most landscaped areas. With a majority of our neighborhoods regulated by strict HOA (Home Owners Association) restrictions, the requirements for landscaping in our front yards far exceeds that of other cities. This means that homeowners with little to no experience (and interest, perhaps) are being asked to maintain and install landscaping plants to keep up with property values. The importance of providing homeowners with low-maintenance and hearty plants is crucial. Installing north Texas native plants and adapted plants will be of vital importance to ensure the longevity of your landscaping.

What is a Native Plant?

Native plants are considered indigenous to a given geologic time. This is a fancy way of saying that plants can be called “native” if they have developed or occurred naturally in a given region and have survived over the span of many, many years.

Benefits of North Texas Native Plants

Because north Texas native plants have become fully adapted to our specific environment, the plant can survive very easily and thrive in our native conditions. North Texas native plants will require less water and will need minimal fertilizing to sustain. In addition, these native plants are less likely to develop diseases or be prone to pest infestations. With less required watering, a homeowner will definitely be saving time and money, not to mention preserving more of a natural resource. Without the need for fertilization, pest and disease control, using north Texas native plants will also cut back on the number of chemical herbicides and pesticides being used in our community. Finally, planting native plants will also provide a vital and natural habitat for birds and many other species of wildlife.

North Texas Adapted Plants

It’s not always possible to create a landscape that suits your needs using all north Texas native plants. If this is the case, we would recommend including adapted plants. While native plants have developed in an area, adapted plants have done exactly that…they have adapted to our local conditions. This means that they are highly reliable plants for surviving our local climate and soil conditions. Any reputable local landscaping company will be well-versed in both native and adapted plants and can assist in the plant selection process if you hire them to design your landscaping project. To find a complete list of native and adapted plants, Texas Smartscapes is a non-profit educational site that provides a very helpful online plant searching tool.

Popular North Texas Native Plants

Shade Trees:

American Elm
Bald Cypress
Bur Oak
Cedar Elm
Chinquapin Oak
Common Persimmon
Pecan
Southern Live Oak and Live Oak
Southern Magnolia
Texas Ash
Soapberry

Ornamental Trees:

Mexican Buckeye
Carolina Buckthorn
Desert Willow
Redbud (Eastern, Mexican and Texas)
Hawthorn
Mesquite
Possumhaw Holly
Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum
Texas Mountain Laurel
Wax Myrtle
Yaupon Holly

Shrubs:

Agarita
Agave
American Beautyberry
Coralberry
Dwarf Palmetto
Dwarf Wax Myrtle
Sumac (Evergreen and Smooth)
Texas Sage
Yucca

Ornamental Grasses:

Deer Muhly
Gulf Muhly
Linheimers Muhly
Mexican Feathergrass