Texas Ecoregion
Post Oak Savannah
10 native plants suited to the Post Oak Savannah of Texas.
The Post Oak Savannah is a transitional ecoregion that sits between the wetter Pineywoods to the east and the drier Blackland Prairie and Cross Timbers to the west. It is characterized by mixed sandy loam soils, scattered post oak woodlands, and grassland openings. Plants that do well here tolerate variable soil and a bit more rainfall than the prairies but less than East Texas.
Conditions: Sandy loam soils, mildly acidic to neutral, 35–45 inches annual rainfall, oak-dominated savannah-and-woodland mix.
Cities and areas: Bryan, College Station, Brenham, Bastrop, Lufkin, Tyler.
10 Native Plants for the Post Oak Savannah
All non-toxic per the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center plant database. Click a plant for full ecoregion-specific maintenance and HOA-friendly notes.
Crossvine
Bignonia capreolata
Dwarf Palmetto
Sabal minor
Frogfruit
Phyla nodiflora
Gulf Muhly
Muhlenbergia capillaris
Horseherb
Calyptocarpus vialis
Inland Sea Oats
Chasmanthium latifolium
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Mexican Plum
Prunus mexicana
Spiderwort
Tradescantia ohiensis
Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
885 More Natives for the Post Oak Savannah
From our full plant database, HOA-friendly picks first. Pet-safety status varies by species; each plant page shows its sourced ASPCA status.
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
Butterfly Milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa
Rattlesnake Master
Eryngium yuccifolium
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
New Jersey-tea
Ceanothus americanus
Purple Lovegrass
Eragrostis spectabilis
Mallow-rose
Hibiscus moscheutos
Brown-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia triloba
Sideoats Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula
Whorled Milkweed
Asclepias verticillata
Narrowleaf Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Soft rush
Juncus effusus
Indiangrass
Sorghastrum nutans
Pale Purple Coneflower
Echinacea pallida
Purple Prairie Clover
Dalea purpurea
American Fox Sedge
Carex vulpinoidea
Coral Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Tall Blazing Star
Liatris aspera
Aromatic Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Narrowleaf Blue-eyed Grass
Sisyrinchium angustifolium
Azure Sage
Salvia azurea
River Birch
Betula nigra
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
Eastern Red Cedar
Juniperus virginiana
Southern Blue Flag Iris
Iris virginica
Leadplant
Amorpha canescens
Red Maple
Acer rubrum
White Oak
Quercus alba
Eastern Bluestar
Amsonia tabernaemontana
Black Gum
Nyssa sylvatica
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
Lyre Leaf Sage
Salvia lyrata
Hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana
Fragrant Phlox
Phlox pilosa
Mexican Hat
Ratibida columnifera
Prairie Petunia
Ruellia humilis
American Solomon's-seal
Polygonatum biflorum
Calico Aster
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum
Winecup
Callirhoe involucrata
Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpa
Prairie Gayfeather
Liatris pycnostachya
Scarlet Sage
Salvia coccinea
Showing 48 of 885. Enter your ZIP for the natives matched to your yard.
Fall care in the Post Oak Savannah
What to do right now for plants commonly grown here. Each links to the full regional care guide for that species, with sources.
- Short beak sedge
Fall brings cooler weather and a burst of growth.
- Winecup
Fall is a quiet time, and some tags mention a few fall flowers.
- Esperanza
Fall is the last bloom push before frost.
- Big muhly
Fall is plume season, so enjoy it and leave it alone.
- Flame acanthus
Fall is still bloom time, so just keep it tidy.
- Purple coneflower
Fall is for leaving a few seedheads and enjoying the birds.
- Autumn sage
Fall is a second bloom season, so keep things simple.
- Prairie spiderwort
Cooling fall weather in College Station can bring a lighter second bloom, and the plant spreads by seed if flowers are left to go to seed.
- Four nerve daisy
Fall often brings a second wave of bloom along with another round of Gulf Coast rain, so fall care looks a lot like spring care: enjoy the flowers, keep watching the drainage.
- Hairy grama
Seed production keeps going into fall, and the clump fades from green to pale yellow as it heads toward dormancy. The first freeze in the Bryan-College Station area typically lands by late November, which is what finally browns the whole plant for the year. Leave the seed heads and stems up rather than cutting back now.
Build a plan for the Post Oak Savannah
Pollinator Patch turns plants like these into a front-yard plan tuned for the soil, climate, and HOA expectations of the Bryan area.