Crossvine
There are so many Texas native plants blooming right now – it’s wonderful!
If you are in the Austin, Texas, Dripping Springs, Hill Country area you have no doubt been wowed by some amazing flowers as of late. There are an incredible number of beautiful and vibrant Texas native plants currently blooming.
With so many to choose from, where does one even begin?
Blackfoot Daisy
Some of the standouts include the stunning Blackfoot Daisy and the lush and colorful Crossvine (pictued above). The Blackfoot Daisy is a low mounding perennial that has small white blooms with yellow centers. They have a light fragrance some say smell like honey.
The Blackfoot Daisy are excellent border plants or fillers in the landscape. They prefer full sun to part sun but would get very leggy in too much shade.
Crossvine is a vine that can take full sun or even a good amount of shade. It will bloom more in a full sun to part sun setting. (let’s be honest, here in Austin, half a day of sun is still a lot of sun!)
The Crossvine will have a heavy bloom cycle in the spring and again in the fall. However do not worry, they will bloom sporadically here and there the rest of the year. It is typically an evergreen vine making it a favorite of many.
American Beautyberry
The charming American Beautyberry is a very unique plant. It is a great understory plant and grows naturally along the riverbanks. The American Beautyberry gets small pink flowers along the branches that develop into bright purple berries.
The birds and other wildlife love the berries summer thru winter.
Subsequently in the wintertime, the leaves will turn yellow and drop off leaving sticks covered in berries. The bold and striking berries are a sight to see! It is truly a beautiful sight to see sprawling branches covered in berries. You can also find them with white berries, though not as common. They are similar and have white blooms that turn into berries.
Turk’s Cap
Next, we have the unique and intriguing Turk’s Cap. This is an unusual bloom that looks has a Hibiscus look to it and ruffled blooms. The Turk’s Cap is a Texas native deciduous perennial that grows in the full sun or in the shade.
Red is the most common variety though similarly there is a soft pink variety that is equally as striking. The hummingbirds flock to the Turk’s Cap and it is not hard to see why!
In general, they get to be around 4 feet +/- tall and wide and make a wonderful addition to any landscape design or butterfly garden. They are easily maintained with a little bit of pruning or let them grow naturally.
Gregg’s mistflower
Last but not least is my personal favorite, the Gregg’s mistflower.
At first glance, it appears to be a delicate plant but in fact is quite tough. The Gregg’s mistflower looks like little pin cushion clusters of frilly flowers all bunched up creating the perfect landing pad for the butterflies. The bright green leaves are frilly as well creating a nice subtle color pairing.
The mistflower has a sprawling habit compared to other plants but is easily maintained with some light pruning. On the other hand, maybe you like the natural look, in which case, leave it and let it spread.
It can get up to about 2 feet tall and will bloom spring thru fall. The bees and butterflies area attracted to this plant, so it is a great choice if you are creating a butterfly garden. Likewise, as with other Texas native plants, these look great pruned and maintained as well as left alone.
It’s hard to go wrong with any of these gorgeous Texas native plants. If you’re looking for some surefire standouts, consider these in your next garden.
In conclusion, if you’re interested in attracting pollinators to your garden, these blooms (and berries) are favorites of bees, butterflies and equally important the birds. No matter which Texas native plants flowers and blooms you choose to incorporate into your garden, you’re sure to create a beautiful and vibrant space.
Maybe you are on to the new re-wilding trend? If so, this is a great group to start with!
