Texas Ecoregion
South Texas Plains (Brush Country)
13 native plants suited to the South Texas Plains of Texas.
The South Texas Plains, also called the Brush Country, runs from south of San Antonio down through the Rio Grande Valley. It is hot, semi-arid, and dominated by drought-adapted native shrubs and small trees that supply nectar, fruit, and cover for wildlife. Plants here handle alkaline soils, low rainfall, and intense summer heat.
Conditions: Sandy to clay loam over caliche, alkaline pH, 20–30 inches annual rainfall, very hot summers with mild winters.
Cities and areas: San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen, Brownsville, Eagle Pass.
13 Native Plants for the South Texas Plains
All non-toxic per the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center plant database. Click a plant for full ecoregion-specific maintenance and HOA-friendly notes.

Autumn Sage
Salvia greggii
Blackfoot Daisy
Melampodium leucanthum

Desert Willow
Chilopsis linearis

Flame Acanthus
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii

Frogfruit
Phyla nodiflora
Gregg's Mistflower
Conoclinium greggii
Gulf Muhly
Muhlenbergia capillaris

Horseherb
Calyptocarpus vialis
Plateau Goldeneye
Viguiera dentata
Prairie Verbena
Glandularia bipinnatifida

Rain Lily
Zephyranthes drummondii

Texas Ranger
Leucophyllum frutescens

Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
324 More Natives for the South Texas Plains
From our full plant database, HOA-friendly picks first. Pet-safety status varies by species; each plant page shows its sourced ASPCA status.

Black-eyed-susan
Rudbeckia hirta

Longhead-coneflower
Ratibida columnifera

Low Poppymallow
Callirhoe involucrata

Wafer-ash
Ptelea trifoliata

Dotted Gayfeather
Liatris punctata

Firewheel
Gaillardia pulchella

American Germander
Teucrium canadense

Horsemint
Monarda citriodora

Mealy Blue Sage
Salvia farinacea

White Heath Aster
Symphyotrichum ericoides

Pigeonberry
Rivina humilis

Chile Pequin
Capsicum annuum
Buffalo Grass
Bouteloua dactyloides

Prairie Spiderwort
Tradescantia occidentalis

Powderpuff
Mimosa strigillosa

Engelmann's Daisy
Engelmannia peristenia
Texas Bluebonnet
Lupinus texensis

Four-nerve Daisy
Tetraneuris scaposa

Anacacho Orchid Tree
Bauhinia lunarioides

Whitetop Sedge
Rhynchospora colorata

Berlandier's sundrops
Calylophus berlandieri

Mexican Buckeye
Ungnadia speciosa

Bigfoot Waterclover
Marsilea macropoda

Cedar Sage
Salvia roemeriana

Cucumberleaf sunflower
Helianthus debilis

Black Dalea
Dalea frutescens

Snakeherb
Dyschoriste linearis

Four-wing Saltbush
Atriplex canescens

Bush Sunflower
Simsia calva

Zizotes Milkweed
Asclepias oenotheroides

Texas Persimmon
Diospyros texana

Prairie-Gentian
Eustoma exaltatum

Water Willow
Justicia americana

Flame acanthus
Anisacanthus quadrifidus

Pitcher's Clematis
Clematis pitcheri

Blue Curls
Phacelia congesta

Texas lantana
Lantana urticoides

Drummond's Phlox
Phlox drummondii

Texas Craglily
Echeandia texensis

Correll's false dragonhead
Physostegia correllii

Golden Prairie-clover
Dalea aurea

Chittamwood
Sideroxylon lanuginosum

Scorpion's Tail
Heliotropium angiospermum

Pink fairy duster
Calliandra eriophylla

Goldenball Leadtree
Leucaena retusa

Hairy Grama
Bouteloua hirsuta

Gregg's Mistflower
Conoclinium dissectum

Cowpen Daisy
Verbesina encelioides

Sugar Hackberry
Celtis laevigata

Fragrant Gaillardia
Gaillardia suavis

Greenthread
Thelesperma filifolium

Sand Dropseed
Sporobolus cryptandrus

Narrow Leaf Elbow Bush
Forestiera angustifolia

Texas cupgrass
Eriochloa sericea

Texas Walnut
Juglans microcarpa

Camphorweed
Heterotheca subaxillaris

Huisache Daisy
Amblyolepis setigera

Texas Thistle
Cirsium texanum

Skeleton-leaf goldeneye
Sidneya tenuifolia

Texas Grama
Bouteloua rigidiseta

False Dayflower
Tinantia anomala

Texas Blue Sage
Salvia texana

Wild Petunia
Ruellia nudiflora

Lanceleaf Blanketflower
Gaillardia aestivalis

Big sacaton
Sporobolus wrightii

Cane Bluestem
Bothriochloa barbinodis

Texas Snakeweed
Gutierrezia sarothrae

Gregg Catclaw Acacia
Senegalia greggii

Engelmann's prickly pear
Opuntia engelmannii

Hairy woollygrass
Erioneuron pilosum

Texas Spiderwort
Tradescantia humilis

Wright acacia
Senegalia wrightii

Texas Yellowstar
Lindheimera texana

Evening Rain Lily
Zephyranthes chlorosolen

American Basketflower
Plectocephalus americanus

Coast Germander
Teucrium cubense

Devil's Bouquet
Nyctaginia capitata

Trailing Ratany
Krameria lanceolata

Showy Fanpetals
Sida lindheimeri
Pink Pappusgrass
Pappophorum bicolor

Texas Silverpuff
Chaptalia texana

Narrowleaf Puccoon
Lithospermum incisum

Texas Palafox
Palafoxia texana

Southwestern Bristlegrass
Setaria scheelei

Carolina Woollywhite
Hymenopappus scabiosaeus

Scarlet Pea
Indigofera miniata

Heartleaf Nettle
Urtica chamaedryoides

Hoary False Goldenaster
Heterotheca canescens

Dwarf Screwbean
Prosopis reptans var. cinerascens

Naked Mexican Hat
Ratibida peduncularis

Tenaza
Havardia pallens

Feather Pennisetum
Setaria parviflora

Texas Almond
Prunus minutiflora

California Loosestrife
Lythrum californicum

Green Sprangletop
Leptochloa dubia

Rosy Palafox
Palafoxia rosea

Baby Jump-up
Mecardonia procumbens

Parralena
Thymophylla pentachaeta

Sundrops
Oenothera berlandieri

Coma
Sideroxylon celastrinum

Red Lovegrass
Eragrostis secundiflora

Tropical Puff
Neptunia pubescens

Sleepy Daisy
Xanthisma texanum

Hooded Windmill Grass
Chloris cucullata

Smallhead Sneezeweed
Helenium microcephalum

Thin Paspalum
Paspalum setaceum

Texas Verbena
Verbena halei

Indian Paintbrush
Castilleja indivisa
White Tridens
Tridens albescens

Chisme
Portulaca pilosa

Purple Groundcherry
Quincula lobata

Common Maidenhair Fern
Adiantum capillus-veneris

Small Palafox
Palafoxia callosa

Tall Poppymallow
Callirhoe leiocarpa

Lazy Daisy
Aphanostephus skirrhobasis

Torrey's Rush
Juncus torreyi

Western Primrose
Oenothera hartwegii

Lotebush
Ziziphus obtusifolia

Hairy Tube-tongue
Justicia pilosella

Texas Wintergrass
Nassella leucotricha

Cut-Leaf Ironplant
Xanthisma spinulosum

Two Leaved Senna
Senna roemeriana
Runyon's Water Willow
Justicia runyonii

Texas Nightshade
Solanum triquetrum

Featherleaf Desertpeony
Acourtia runcinata

Showy Menodora
Menodora longiflora

Tenpetal Thimbleweed
Anemone berlandieri

Navajo Tea
Thelesperma simplicifolium

Blackbrush Acacia
Vachellia rigidula

Texas Skeleton Plant
Lygodesmia texana

Curly Mesquite
Hilaria belangeri

Barreta
Helietta parvifolia

Wild Shrimp Plant
Yeatesia platystegia

Arizona Cottontop
Digitaria californica

White Milkwort
Polygala alba

Bush Croton
Croton fruticulosus

Slim Milkweed
Asclepias linearis

Berlandier'S Yellow Flax
Linum berlandieri

Madagascar Dropseed
Sporobolus pyramidatus

Coyotillo
Karwinskia humboldtiana

Anacahuita
Cordia boissieri

New Mexico Pennyroyal
Hedeoma drummondii

Squarebud Daisy
Tetragonotheca texana

Plains Love Grass
Eragrostis intermedia

Drummond's Woodsorrel
Oxalis drummondii

Common Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis

Horse-mint
Monarda punctata

Partridge Pea
Chamaecrista fasciculata

Calliopsis
Coreopsis tinctoria
Black Willow
Salix nigra

Louisiana Sagewort
Artemisia ludoviciana

White Evening-primrose
Oenothera speciosa

Bushy Bluestem
Andropogon glomeratus

Huisache
Vachellia farnesiana

Cedar Elm
Ulmus crassifolia

Kidneywood
Eysenhardtia texana

Purple Threeawn
Aristida purpurea

Honey Mesquite
Prosopis glandulosa

Live Oak
Quercus virginiana

Fragrant Mimosa
Mimosa borealis

Clammyweed
Polanisia dodecandra

Lindheimer's Senna
Senna lindheimeriana

Smooth Heliotrope
Heliotropium curassavicum

False Aloe
Manfreda maculosa

Saltmarsh Fleabane
Pluchea odorata

Alkali Sacaton
Sporobolus airoides

Snapdragon Vine
Maurandella antirrhiniflora

Carolina Larkspur
Delphinium carolinianum

Creosote Bush
Larrea tridentata

Buckley's Yucca
Yucca constricta

Texas Virgin's Bower
Clematis drummondii

Lime Prickly-Ash
Zanthoxylum fagara

Spanish Dagger
Yucca treculeana

Creeping Spike-rush
Eleocharis palustris

Texas Mountain Laurel
Dermatophyllum secundiflorum

Arkansas Yucca
Yucca arkansana

Pale Spikerush
Eleocharis macrostachya

Agarita
Berberis trifoliolata

Chickenweed
Euphorbia hypericifolia

Sandpaper Tree
Ehretia anacua

Longleaf Pondweed
Potamogeton nodosus

Lindheimer's Morning Glory
Ipomoea lindheimeri

Hairy Clover Fern
Marsilea vestita

Torrey Yucca
Yucca torreyi

Clasping Venus's-looking-glass
Triodanis perfoliata

Texas Paloverde
Parkinsonia texana

Beebrush
Aloysia gratissima

Fringed Twinevine
Funastrum cynanchoides

Copper Globe-mallow
Sphaeralcea angustifolia

Cut-leaf Evening-primrose
Oenothera laciniata

White Prickly Poppy
Argemone albiflora

Monterrey Oak
Quercus polymorpha

Fragrant Mimosa
Mimosa texana

Pearl Milkweed Vine
Matelea reticulata

Fourvalve Mimosa
Mimosa quadrivalvis

Little Leaf Sumac
Rhus microphylla

Texas Beargrass
Nolina texana

Netleaf Hackberry
Celtis reticulata

Mexican Primrose Willow
Ludwigia octovalvis

Montezuma Cypress
Taxodium mucronatum

Rattlesnake-weed
Daucus pusillus

Muhlenberg's Sedge
Carex muehlenbergii

Christmas Cactus
Cylindropuntia leptocaulis

Catclaw Acacia
Senegalia roemeriana

Shrubby Blue Sage
Salvia ballotiflora

Roman-wormwood
Ambrosia artemisiifolia

Field Sandbur
Cenchrus spinifex

Warty Caltrop
Kallstroemia parviflora

Least Pepperwort
Lepidium virginicum

Toothed Spurge
Euphorbia dentata

Talayote
Cynanchum racemosum

Hachinal
Heimia salicifolia

Wedgeleaf Draba
Draba cuneifolia

Texas Baby-bonnets
Coursetia axillaris

Hairy-pod Pepperwort
Lepidium lasiocarpum
Texas Ebony
Ebenopsis ebano

Smallflower Groundcherry
Physalis cinerascens

Slender Snakecotton
Froelichia gracilis

Variable Leaf Snailseed
Cocculus diversifolius

Poison-bean
Sesbania drummondii

Necklaceweed
Veronica peregrina

Gulf Cordgrass
Spartina spartinae

Curvepod
Corydalis curvisiliqua

Nuttall's Monolepis
Monolepis nuttalliana
Seaside Brookweed
Samolus parviflorus

Canada Spikesedge
Eleocharis geniculata

Brown Beetle-grass
Diplachne fusca

Humped Bladderwort
Utricularia gibba

Pigweed
Chenopodium berlandieri

Mexican Ash
Fraxinus berlandieriana

Southern Cattail
Typha domingensis

Slender Yellow Wood-sorrel
Oxalis dillenii

Climbing Hempvine
Mikania scandens

Prairie Bluets
Stenaria nigricans

Narrowleaf Four O'clock
Mirabilis linearis

Erect Dayflower
Commelina erecta

Roughpod Spurge
Euphorbia spathulata

Stinging Serpent
Cevallia sinuata

Tropic Croton
Croton glandulosus

Carelessweed
Amaranthus palmeri

Velvet Lantana
Lantana achyranthifolia

Chintul
Cyperus articulatus

Small-flowered Gaura
Oenothera curtiflora

Hoary Bowlesia
Bowlesia incana

Bluewood Condalia
Condalia hookeri

Berlandier's Wolfberry
Lycium berlandieri

Tansy Mustard
Descurainia pinnata

Upright Burhead
Echinodorus berteroi

Pyramid Flower
Melochia pyramidata

Ridge-seed Spurge
Euphorbia glyptosperma

Desert Yaupon
Schaefferia cuneifolia

Slimlobe Globeberry
Ibervillea tenuisecta

Bristleleaf Pricklyleaf
Thymophylla tenuiloba

Stiff-stem Flax
Linum rigidum

Mustang Grape
Vitis mustangensis

Calingale
Cyperus odoratus

Lemon Cinchweed
Pectis angustifolia

Texas Madeiravine
Anredera vesicaria

Common Ground-cherry
Physalis longifolia

Desert Goosefoot
Chenopodium pratericola

Vahl's Fimbry
Fimbristylis vahlii

Prairie-berry
Solanum elaeagnifolium

Texas Hog Plum
Colubrina texensis

Escarpment Live Oak
Quercus fusiformis

Feather Dalea
Dalea formosa

Babyslippers
Hybanthus verticillatus

Ashe Juniper
Juniperus ashei

Bladdermallow
Herissantia crispa

Prostrate Sandmat
Euphorbia prostrata

Matted Sandmat
Euphorbia serpens

Water Star-grass
Heteranthera dubia

Carolina Crabgrass
Digitaria cognata

Cortes Croton
Croton cortesianus

Japanese Poinsettia
Euphorbia heterophylla

Longflower Tuberose
Manfreda longiflora

Redseed Plantain
Plantago rhodosperma

Great Plains Ragwort
Packera tampicana

Balsam Gourd
Ibervillea lindheimeri

Bitter Rubberweed
Hymenoxys odorata

Guayacan
Guaiacum angustifolium

Wild Tantan
Desmanthus virgatus

Texas Star
Sabatia campestris

Crow-poison
Nothoscordum bivalve

Scarlet Spiderling
Boerhavia coccinea

Woolly Plantain
Plantago patagonica

Balloon-cherry
Physalis angulata

Poverty Weed
Baccharis neglecta

Bractless Blazingstar
Mentzelia nuda

Texas-pea
Astragalus nuttallianus

Lindheimer's Indigo
Indigofera lindheimeriana

Texas Bull-nettle
Cnidoscolus texanus

False Water-pepper
Persicaria hydropiperoides

Chisos Mountain False Indian Mallow
Allowissadula holosericea

Poison-ivy
Toxicodendron radicans

Southern Marsh Yellowcress
Rorippa teres

Bearded Flat Sedge
Cyperus squarrosus

Florida Snake-cotton
Froelichia floridana

Golden Corydalis
Corydalis micrantha

Dotted Smartweed
Persicaria punctata

Vine Mesquite
Hopia obtusa

Texas Ragwort
Senecio ampullaceus

Woolly Croton
Croton capitatus

Birdwing Passionflower
Passiflora tenuiloba

Heller's Rosette Grass
Dichanthelium oligosanthes

Spiny Sheepbur
Lappula occidentalis

Spiny Hackberry
Celtis pallida

Needle Grama
Bouteloua aristidoides
Tropical Amaranth
Amaranthus polygonoides

Dunbible-weed
Ambrosia psilostachya

Pennsylvania Pellitory
Parietaria pensylvanica

Annual-bristle Grass
Aristida adscensionis

Broad-leaf Arrowhead
Sagittaria platyphylla

Bicolor Fanmustard
Nerisyrenia camporum

Guajillo
Senegalia berlandieri

California Caltrop
Kallstroemia californica

Eyebane
Euphorbia nutans

Arkansas Leastdaisy
Chaetopappa asteroides

Purple Bindweed
Ipomoea cordatotriloba

Sleepy Catchfly
Silene antirrhina

Sixweeks Grama
Bouteloua barbata

Wright's Plantain
Plantago wrightiana

Pink Thoroughwort
Fleischmannia incarnata
May grass
Phalaris caroliniana

Mexican flowering fern
Anemia mexicana
Fall care in the South Texas Plains
What to do right now for plants commonly grown here. Each links to the full regional care guide for that species, with sources.
- Indiangrass
Fall is Indiangrass at its best on the South Texas Plains. Golden plume-like seed heads rise above the clump and the foliage warms to orange and purple. It is a low-effort seasonal highlight for a native bed.
- Purple love grass
Fall is the best show. The seed heads glow bronzy purple-red and the clump colors up, then the panicles break off and tumble across the ground in the wind.
- Purple prairie clover
Fall is seed-set and slow-down. The heads ripen and the plant eases off. Collect a little seed or just let the heads drop.
- Blue mistflower
Fall is the peak. Blue mistflower blooms strongly through the fall in the McAllen area and is a magnet for the fall butterfly flights, so leave the flowers standing.
- Common buttonbush
Blooms mature into round seed balls in fall. Birds feed on them and the plant keeps giving structure and wildlife value.
- Tall grama grass
Fall brings tan foliage with red-purple tints and dried straw-colored seed heads. The look holds through the mild South Texas winter.
- Big bluestem
Fall is the payoff. The clump turns reddish copper and the turkeyfoot seed heads stand up over the bed as the weather eases.
- Common yarrow
Cooler fall weather is when yarrow bounces back in the South Texas Plains. It is the best time to plant or divide.
- Esperanza
Fall is often the peak flower show for esperanza in South Texas, since bloom keeps going right up until the rare frost.
- Little bluestem
Fall brings little bluestem's mahogany color and seed set to the South Texas Plains as temperatures finally ease.
Build a plan for the South Texas Plains
Pollinator Patch turns plants like these into a front-yard plan tuned for the soil, climate, and HOA expectations of the San Antonio area.