Texas Ecoregion
3 native plants suited to the Coastal Prairies of Texas.
The Coastal Prairies stretch along the Gulf Coast from Louisiana through Houston down to Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Delta. It is humid, low-elevation, and historically dominated by tallgrass prairie and salt marsh. Plants here tolerate humidity, occasional flooding, and salt spray near the coast.
Conditions: Sandy to clay loam, mostly neutral to slightly alkaline, 35–55 inches annual rainfall, humid subtropical climate, hurricane risk.
Cities and areas: Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Beaumont, Port Arthur, Victoria.
All non-toxic per the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center plant database. Click a plant for full ecoregion-specific maintenance and HOA-friendly notes.
From our full plant database, HOA-friendly picks first. Pet-safety status varies by species; each plant page shows its sourced ASPCA status.

Schizachyrium scoparium

Lobelia cardinalis

Rudbeckia hirta

Asclepias tuberosa

Eryngium yuccifolium

Panicum virgatum

Coreopsis lanceolata

Ceanothus americanus

Eragrostis spectabilis

Hibiscus moscheutos

Bouteloua curtipendula

Asclepias verticillata

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium

Chasmanthium latifolium

Juncus effusus

Tradescantia ohiensis

Carex vulpinoidea

Sorghastrum nutans

Echinacea pallida

Sisyrinchium angustifolium

Salvia azurea

Lonicera sempervirens

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Juniperus virginiana

Amsonia tabernaemontana

Nyssa sylvatica

Salvia lyrata

Acer rubrum

Carpinus caroliniana
Ruellia humilis

Ratibida columnifera

Phlox pilosa

Quercus alba

Symphyotrichum lateriflorum

Quercus macrocarpa

Liatris pycnostachya

Hibiscus laevis

Salvia coccinea

Callirhoe involucrata

Liquidambar styraciflua

Ptelea trifoliata

Elymus virginicus

Elymus canadensis

Tilia americana

Dalea candida

Viola sororia

Chionanthus virginicus

Monarda citriodora

Carex brevior

Liatris punctata

Gaillardia pulchella

Teucrium canadense

Solidago rigida

Symphyotrichum ericoides

Carex cherokeensis

Lythrum alatum

Quercus velutina

Thelypteris kunthii

Capsicum annuum

Rivina humilis

Andropogon ternarius

Carex albicans

Baptisia sphaerocarpa

Carex blanda

Coreopsis grandiflora
Bouteloua dactyloides

Asclepias perennis

Helianthus mollis

Tradescantia occidentalis
Lupinus texensis

Calyptocarpus vialis

Mimosa strigillosa

Engelmannia peristenia

Helianthus occidentalis

Helenium flexuosum

Quercus michauxii

Viburnum rufidulum

Carex texensis

Prunus caroliniana

Hibiscus lasiocarpos

Eupatorium hyssopifolium

Sporobolus junceus

Quercus lyrata

Rhynchospora colorata

Atriplex canescens

Prunus mexicana

Dyschoriste linearis

Penstemon tenuis

Ruellia strepens

Hypericum densiflorum

Gleditsia triacanthos

Castanea pumila

Vernonia baldwinii

Ungnadia speciosa

Vaccinium arboreum

Helianthus debilis

Marsilea macropoda

Eupatorium rotundifolium

Oenothera lindheimeri

Marshallia caespitosa

Ruellia caroliniensis

Lantana urticoides

Eustoma exaltatum

Borrichia frutescens

Hypericum hypericoides

Wedelia acapulcensis var. hispida

Asclepias viridiflora

Phacelia congesta

Clematis pitcheri

Manfreda virginica

Quercus nigra

Diospyros texana

Simsia calva

Bacopa monnieri

Asclepias oenotheroides

Pediomelum tenuiflorum

Quercus texana

Dalea compacta

Yucca aloifolia

Sporobolus cryptandrus

Forestiera angustifolia

Carya cordiformis

Carex cephalophora

Verbesina encelioides

Sideroxylon lanuginosum

Dalea multiflora

Celtis laevigata

Carex flaccosperma

Quercus stellata

Carex tribuloides

Bidens laevis

Thelesperma filifolium

Phlox drummondii

Carex annectens

Rhamnus caroliniana

Symphyotrichum dumosum

Baptisia leucophaea

Heliotropium angiospermum

Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii
Rudbeckia amplexicaulis

Bouteloua hirsuta

Coleataenia rigidula

Gaillardia suavis

Baptisia lactea

Carex leavenworthii

Frangula caroliniana

Coreopsis basalis

Opuntia engelmannii

Senegalia wrightii

Eriochloa sericea

Juncus biflorus

Symphyotrichum patens

Carex bushii

Zephyranthes chlorosolen

Helenium amarum

Nymphaea mexicana

Bouteloua rigidiseta

Silphium radula

Salvia texana

Sporobolus wrightii

Echinodorus cordifolius

Carex crus-corvi

Senegalia greggii

Hypoxis hirsuta

Crataegus mollis

Cirsium texanum

Viola missouriensis

Gaillardia aestivalis

Ruellia nudiflora

Muhlenbergia schreberi

Chasmanthium laxum

Erioneuron pilosum

Sisyrinchium atlanticum

Heterotheca subaxillaris

Tradescantia humilis

Sphenopholis obtusata

Panicum amarum

Rubus trivialis

Amblyolepis setigera

Helianthus hirsutus

Polytaenia texana

Teucrium cubense

Iris brevicaulis

Plectocephalus americanus
Hydrolea ovata

Carex meadii

Acmella repens

Solidago nitida

Dichondra carolinensis

Eustoma grandiflorum

Symphyotrichum racemosum

Lenophyllum texanum

Sida lindheimeri

Mecardonia acuminata

Chaptalia texana

Liatris acidota

Palafoxia texana

Hymenopappus scabiosaeus

Rudbeckia texana

Eryngium hookeri

Indigofera miniata

Krameria lanceolata

Phanopyrum gymnocarpon

Carex oxylepis

Conoclinium betonicifolium

Aristida longespica
Pappophorum bicolor

Prosopis reptans var. cinerascens

Nyctaginia capitata

Penstemon laxiflorus

Dichanthelium lanuginosum

Carex retroflexa
Monarda clinopodioides

Lithospermum incisum

Setaria scheelei

Lythrum californicum

Leptochloa dubia

Mecardonia procumbens

Crataegus spathulata

Thymophylla pentachaeta

Symphyotrichum pratense

Oenothera berlandieri

Urtica chamaedryoides

Eragrostis secundiflora

Neptunia pubescens

Dichanthelium lindheimeri

Xanthisma texanum

Berlandiera betonicifolia

Physostegia pulchella

Sisyrinchium rosulatum

Chloris cucullata

Ratibida peduncularis

Castilleja indivisa

Havardia pallens

Paspalum plicatulum

Linum medium

Setaria parviflora

Melica mutica

Acacia angustissima

Aphanostephus skirrhobasis

Abronia ameliae

Carex louisianica

Euphorbia cyathophora

Oenothera hartwegii

Ziziphus obtusifolia

Rudbeckia grandiflora

Justicia pilosella

Bradburia pilosa

Nassella leucotricha

Carex caroliniana

Iresine rhizomatosa

Solanum triquetrum

Acourtia runcinata

Carex joorii

Agalinis heterophylla

Adelia vaseyi

Juncus diffusissimus

Lygodesmia texana

Palafoxia rosea

Asplenium platyneuron

Echeandia chandleri

Digitaria californica

Hymenocallis liriosme

Polygala alba

Asclepias linearis

Nemastylis geminiflora

Linum berlandieri

Zanthoxylum hirsutum

Stachys drummondii

Sideroxylon celastrinum

Juncus marginatus

Rhus copallinum

Karwinskia humboldtiana

Bothriochloa saccharoides

Eragrostis intermedia

Oxalis drummondii

Helenium microcephalum

Paspalum setaceum

Verbena halei

Mirabilis albida

Lobelia puberula
Tridens albescens

Portulaca pilosa

Dichanthelium dichotomum

Cyperus haspan

Callirhoe leiocarpa

Rayjacksonia phyllocephala

Carex festucacea

Dichanthelium scoparium

Juncus torreyi

Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon

Xanthisma spinulosum

Dichanthelium linearifolium

Anemone berlandieri

Tridens strictus

Monarda lindheimeri

Yucca louisianensis

Vachellia rigidula

Ranunculus hispidus var. nitidus

Triplasis purpurea

Cyperus pseudovegetus

Carex alata

Juncus interior

Sporobolus pyramidatus

Cordia boissieri

Hedeoma drummondii

Andropogon gerardii

Cephalanthus occidentalis

Physostegia virginiana

Sambucus canadensis

Conoclinium coelestinum

Cercis canadensis

Monarda punctata

Diospyros virginiana

Silphium laciniatum

Amorpha fruticosa

Callicarpa americana

Cornus florida

Taxodium distichum

Chamaecrista fasciculata

Wisteria frutescens

Platanus occidentalis

Asclepias viridis
Helianthus angustifolius

Passiflora incarnata

Juncus tenuis

Pontederia cordata

Andropogon virginicus

Tridens flavus

Coreopsis tinctoria

Ilex decidua
Desmanthus illinoensis
Salix nigra

Boltonia asteroides

Saururus cernuus

Bignonia capreolata

Helianthus maximiliani

Symphoricarpos orbiculatus

Morus rubra

Solidago odora

Prunus angustifolia

Prunella vulgaris

Tripsacum dactyloides

Verbesina virginica

Carex lurida

Oenothera speciosa

Ilex vomitoria

Sassafras albidum

Carex lupulina

Andropogon glomeratus

Ulmus americana

Morella cerifera

Quercus shumardii

Equisetum hyemale

Euphorbia corollata

Gelsemium sempervirens

Claytonia virginica

Ageratina altissima

Vernonia missurica

Acer negundo

Cornus drummondii

Leucophyllum frutescens

Carya illinoinensis

Ilex opaca

Juglans nigra

Salix exigua

Baccharis halimifolia

Quercus phellos

Ulmus crassifolia

Catalpa speciosa

Campsis radicans

Vachellia farnesiana
Nymphaea odorata

Aralia spinosa

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium

Kosteletzkya pentacarpos

Arnoglossum plantagineum

Pinus taeda

Heliotropium curassavicum

Aristida purpurea

Asclepias hirtella

Quercus virginiana

Prunus umbellata

Prosopis glandulosa

Crataegus marshallii

Eysenhardtia texana

Solidago altissima

Quercus falcata

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Zanthoxylum clava-herculis

Oenothera serrulata

Manfreda maculosa

Lycium carolinianum

Magnolia grandiflora

Passiflora lutea

Halesia diptera

Ulmus alata

Pluchea odorata

Sporobolus airoides

Delphinium carolinianum

Symphyotrichum praealtum

Allium canadense

Malvaviscus arboreus

Maurandella antirrhiniflora

Eupatorium serotinum

Solidago gigantea

Cladium jamaicense

Uniola paniculata

Dermatophyllum secundiflorum

Cornus foemina

Eleocharis palustris

Clematis crispa

Typha latifolia

Arisaema dracontium

Sagittaria lancifolia

Clematis drummondii

Lantana horrida

Maclura pomifera

Berberis trifoliolata

Eleocharis macrostachya

Iva frutescens

Distichlis spicata

Oenothera filiformis

Nelumbo lutea

Rhus copallina

Zanthoxylum fagara

Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani

Oxalis violacea

Schoenoplectus pungens

Ceratophyllum demersum

Yucca treculeana

Pteridium aquilinum

Senegalia roemeriana

Ambrosia artemisiifolia

Buddleja sessiliflora

Quercus laurifolia

Symphyotrichum lanceolatum

Triodanis perfoliata

Yucca torreyi

Opuntia macrorhiza

Dicliptera brachiata

Carex muehlenbergii

Salvia ballotiflora

Potamogeton nodosus

Coleataenia anceps

Funastrum cynanchoides

Panicum capillare

Sesuvium portulacastrum

Eleocharis acicularis
Spartina cynosuroides

Viola sagittata

Elephantopus carolinianus

Marsilea vestita

Ludwigia octovalvis

Rhexia mariana

Parkinsonia texana

Thalia dealbata

Phyla lanceolata

Spartina alterniflora

Oenothera laciniata

Heteranthera limosa

Celtis reticulata

Daucus pusillus

Crataegus crus-galli
Strophostyles leiosperma

Aloysia gratissima

Carex intumescens

Cyperus erythrorhizos

Ranunculus fascicularis

Euthamia gymnospermoides

Agrostis hyemalis

Ehretia anacua

Juncus bufonius

Euphorbia hypericifolia

Mimosa quadrivalvis

Ipomoea pes-caprae

Argemone albiflora

Ipomoea imperati

Erigeron philadelphicus

Rhynchospora globularis

Clinopodium brownei

Cocculus carolinus

Juncus dudleyi

Cylindropuntia leptocaulis
Euphorbia marginata

Desmodium paniculatum

Matelea reticulata

Phytolacca americana

Carya aquatica

Arundinaria gigantea

Mimosa nuttallii

Silene antirrhina

Linum rigidum

Ludwigia leptocarpa

Dichanthelium longiligulatum

Physostegia intermedia

Myriophyllum pinnatum

Eragrostis pectinacea

Gossypium hirsutum

Croton michauxii

Herissantia crispa

Lactuca ludoviciana

Physalis longifolia

Houstonia pusilla

Bulbostylis capillaris

Sagina decumbens

Colubrina texensis
Bidens bipinnata

Pluchea foetida

Carex lupuliformis

Anemone caroliniana

Euphorbia prostrata

Solanum ptychanthum

Gamochaeta argyrinea

Gamochaeta purpurea

Sida ciliaris

Spiranthes vernalis

Euphorbia maculata

Euphorbia serpens

Heteranthera dubia

Digitaria cognata

Euphorbia heterophylla

Polygala incarnata

Eleocharis flavescens

Agalinis fasciculata

Houstonia micrantha

Ranunculus pusillus

Oxalis dillenii

Croton texensis

Eupatorium capillifolium

Celtis pallida

Melothria pendula

Sabatia campestris

Rhynchospora perplexa

Nothoscordum bivalve
Rorippa palustris

Proserpinaca palustris

Boerhavia coccinea

Fimbristylis puberula

Amaranthus retroflexus

Allowissadula holosericea

Baccharis neglecta

Persicaria bicornis
Eleocharis albida

Cnidoscolus texanus

Persicaria hydropiperoides

Cyperus strigosus

Toxicodendron radicans

Eragrostis capillaris

Cyperus squarrosus

Berchemia scandens

Froelichia floridana

Gratiola virginiana

Symphyotrichum subulatum

Persicaria punctata

Hopia obtusa

Paspalum distichum

Physalis angulata

Eriochloa contracta

Fraxinus berlandieriana

Croton capitatus

Ruppia maritima

Geranium carolinianum

Fimbristylis vahlii

Erechtites hieraciifolius
Pleopeltis polypodioides

Rumex hastatulus

Cicuta maculata

Quercus fusiformis

Croton cortesianus

Sagittaria platyphylla

Crataegus viridis

Cyperus polystachyos

Drosera brevifolia

Leersia virginica

Lantana achyranthifolia
Amaranthus polygonoides

Sabal mexicana

Ambrosia psilostachya

Diodia teres

Heimia salicifolia

Paspalum laeve

Callitriche heterophylla

Vulpia octoflora

Ibervillea lindheimeri

Croptilon divaricatum

Plantago rhodosperma

Lycopodiella appressa

Ophioglossum engelmannii

Ipomoea cordatotriloba

Euphorbia nutans

Chaetopappa asteroides

Cenchrus spinifex

Eleocharis tenuis

Chenopodium berlandieri

Spermacoce glabra

Lippia alba

Utricularia gibba

Euphorbia dentata

Scutellaria parvula

Randia obcordata

Ptilimnium nuttallii

Leersia hexandra

Plantago virginica

Amphiachyris dracunculoides

Bacopa rotundifolia

Hordeum pusillum
Limnosciadium pinnatum

Trixis inula

Plantago elongata

Cuscuta gronovii

Lemna minor

Vitis aestivalis

Eragrostis hypnoides

Galactia volubilis

Eleocharis rostellata

Ammannia coccinea

Cyperus acuminatus

Sanicula canadensis

Forestiera acuminata

Cyperus retrorsus

Parietaria pensylvanica

Paspalum vaginatum

Galium tinctorium

Spartina spartinae

Typha domingensis

Ophioglossum crotalophoroides

Salix interior

Eurybia hemispherica

Stenaria nigricans

Conyza canadensis

Fimbristylis autumnalis

Polypremum procumbens

Juncus scirpoides

Alopecurus carolinianus

Portulaca umbraticola

Galium obtusum

Eleocharis quadrangulata

Eleocharis parvula

Lechea tenuifolia

Cyperus echinatus

Cyperus compressus
Samolus parviflorus

Eriocaulon decangulare

Mirabilis linearis

Suaeda linearis

Scleria pauciflora

Isoetes melanopoda

Cabomba caroliniana

Amyris madrensis

Juncus dichotomus

Amaranthus palmeri

Cocculus diversifolius

Sesbania vesicaria

Amaranthus tuberculatus

Cyperus articulatus

Euphorbia glyptosperma

Ophioglossum petiolatum

Spirodela polyrhiza

Commelina erecta

Cyperus esculentus

Croton glandulosus

Cyperus odoratus

Lespedeza repens

Ptilimnium capillaceum

Krigia dandelion

Solanum elaeagnifolium

Lepidium lasiocarpum

Aletris aurea

Eclipta prostrata

Senna obtusifolia

Ebenopsis ebano

Physalis heterophylla

Iva annua

Cirsium horridulum

Hedeoma hispida

Coursetia axillaris

Desmodium ciliare

Persicaria glabra

Descurainia pinnata

Palafoxia hookeriana

Fuirena pumila

Eleocharis obtusa

Xylosma flexuosa

Lechea mucronata

Mitreola sessilifolia

Cynanchum racemosum

Smilax smallii

Veronica peregrina

Amyris texana

Solanum carolinense

Rotala ramosior

Polygonella americana

Astragalus nuttallianus

Parietaria floridana

Vitis rotundifolia

Vitis mustangensis

Verbena xutha

Triodanis biflora

Fleischmannia incarnata

Cladium mariscus

Thymophylla tenuiloba

Acalypha gracilens

Schaefferia cuneifolia

Juncus brachycarpus

Aristida purpurascens

Leptochloa panicea

Bowlesia incana

Eleocharis geniculata

Ludwigia palustris

Diplachne fusca

Myosotis macrosperma

Condalia hookeri

Citharexylum berlandieri

Hybanthus verticillatus

Euphorbia spathulata

Lycium berlandieri

Boerhavia erecta

Oenothera curtiflora

Lepidium virginicum

Mikania scandens

Smilax rotundifolia

Ludwigia decurrens

Nuttallanthus canadensis

Acer rubrum var. drummondii

Echinodorus berteroi

Lindernia dubia

Spiranthes tuberosa

Ipomoea sagittata

Buchnera floridana

Ambrosia trifida

Solidago tortifolia

Rubus argutus

Panicum hemitomon

Ranunculus sceleratus

Leucospora multifida

Carex microdonta

Physalis pumila

Cyperus virens

Centrosema virginianum

Bouteloua barbata

Strophostyles helvola

Hydrocotyle ranunculoides

Aristida oligantha

Helianthus petiolaris

Xanthium strumarium

Fuirena squarrosa

Desmodium sessilifolium

Physalis pubescens

Azolla caroliniana

Oplismenus compositus

Anredera vesicaria

Grindelia lanceolata

Isolepis carinata

Rhynchospora inexpansa

Phaulothamnus spinescens

Ampelopsis cordata

Justicia lanceolata

Nemophila aphylla

Packera tampicana

Dichanthelium acuminatum

Solanum rostratum

Rorippa teres

Melochia pyramidata

Cardamine parviflora

Desmanthus virgatus

Ludwigia glandulosa

Tephrosia onobrychoides

Plantago heterophylla

Corydalis micrantha

Kallstroemia californica

Senecio ampullaceus

Cardamine pensylvanica

Senegalia berlandieri

Dichanthelium aciculare

Polygala mariana

Paspalum floridanum

Myosotis verna
Echinochloa walteri

Physalis cinerascens

Guaiacum angustifolium

Dichanthelium oligosanthes

Echinodorus tenellus

Sida spinosa

Chrysopsis gossypina

Sesbania drummondii

Eragrostis hirsuta

Thalictrum dasycarpum

Croton punctatus
Phalaris caroliniana

Chasmanthium sessiliflorum

Tricerma phyllanthoides

Gleditsia aquatica

Arnoglossum ovatum

Avicennia germinans
What to do right now for plants commonly grown here. Each links to the full regional care guide for that species, with sources.
Fall is a strong second season for zinnias in Houston, with disease pressure easing as humidity drops.
Fall is when the tan seed plumes mature and give sea oats its showiest look, and it is a low-effort season since the plant is slowing down for winter.
Esperanza keeps blooming into fall in the Houston area, with flowers continuing until the first real cold snap.
Fall is when Lindheimer's senna earns its keep, covered in spikes of bright yellow flowers that draw butterflies and later feed birds through its seed pods.
Fall is often the heaviest bloom period, giving the plant its common name.
Fall is azure sage's peak season in Houston, with striking blue flower spikes from September into November.
Bloom continues into early fall before the plant is prepared for winter.
Fall keeps the show going for pigeonberry in Houston, with pink flowers and scarlet berries often on the plant together into October.
Fall arrives late in Houston, so rock rose usually keeps flowering longer here than it would farther inland.
Fall in Houston brings maypop's egg shaped fruit to ripeness and a gradual slowdown in growth, though the vine can stay green later into the year than it would farther north.
Pollinator Patch turns plants like these into a front-yard plan tuned for the soil, climate, and HOA expectations of the Houston area.