Gardening, “Austin-style”
Contents
Our native landscape is the inspiration for this guide to Earthwise plant choices for Austin area gardens. The Grow Green plant list was created to help you select beautiful native and adapted plants that are naturally drought tolerant and resistant to pests and diseases. The less watering, fertilizing, and chemical control required in your yard, the more you contribute to the conservation and preservation of our precious water resources – our streams, lakes, and aquifers.
Native plants belong here; they thrive with minimal care and provide habitat for local wildlife. We have chosen plants you should be able to find without too much trouble. Some non-natives are also recommended, for special situations, like shady areas, poorly drained soils or for their deer resistance. Many plants were included simply for their great beauty.
Some people move to Austin and try to surround themselves with plants they are familiar with from their past homes. These plants are often poorly suited to our climate and soils. By choosing native and adapted plants, you become more knowledgeable about, more aware of, and more connected to the land of Central Texas. Incorporate them into your landscape for a garden-style with a sense of place. We hope you enjoy using this guide to recreate Austin’s natural beauty in your own backyard.
Deer Resistant Plants
Landscaping in Austin can be both enjoyable and demanding. Austin’s distinctive location combines the modern center with the Hill Country of Central Texas. This blend provides the Austin landscape with an appearance and feels that is distinct from the rest of Texas.
With nature and people coexisting, it is typical to observe deer in Austin neighborhoods. These deer can cause serious problems for inexperienced landscapers. It is critical to understand the different types of shrubs and perennials that can be planted to beautify your yard while keeping deer away from your new plantings. While the plants indicated are normally deer resistant, in extreme drought situations, deer will consume practically any plant.
Every landscaping should include a good balance of evergreen shrubs and flowering perennials. As a result, your garden will not look dead in the winter and will be colorful in the spring, summer, and fall. Here are a couple of plants that have worked well for us when landscaping in Austin.
Deer Resistant Evergreen Shrubs:
- Silver Germander Bush Germander
- Pineapple Guava
- Dwarf Yaupon
- Cotoneaster
- Upright and Trailing Rosemary
- Bicolor and African Iris
- Jerusalem Sage
Deer Resistant Flowering Perennials:
- Salvia species (Several varieties and colors to choose from–I like ‘Hot Lips’,
- Mexican Bush Sage and Salvia Greggii)
- Indigo Spires
- 4 Nerve Daisy
- Copper Canyon Daisy
- Turk’s Cap
- Bat Face Cuphea
- Yellow Bell
These shrubs and perennials will vary in height and texture, so be sure to plant in the right location. You don’t want to plant Pineapple Guava in front of a window or an Upright Rosemary too close to a sidewalk–allow for adequate growth. If not, the plants will overwhelm the space and crowd your garden. By planning ahead before you begin landscaping in Austin, you will save valuable time, and money AND keep deer from eating your plants!
Annuals vs Perennials – Why plant both?
Lots of folks ask us what is the difference between perennials and annuals, and whether should they plant both. Annuals are flowers that, from seed, grow, bloom, seed, and die in one growing season. These types of flowers usually bloom between late spring and (for Austin) late Autumn. Perennials are plants that live three years or more, lying dormant during their off-season months (which are usually winter).
So why would you want to spend money on flowers that only live one to two growing seasons? The answer is in the variety and versatility. These plants are usually cheap and in full bloom by the time they are planted. Also, even one type of annual can come in a multitude of colors, whereas a single type of perennial will usually be the same, consistent hue. Think of perennials as anchors of a particular area. These plants are placed to last in an area season after season, but if you are looking to create multiple designs with your landscaping space, we recommend annuals.
Austin Plant Recommendation List
| Plant Type | Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Cover | Artemesia (Powis Castle) | Artemesia |
| Ground Cover | Dichondra argentea | Silver Ponyfoot |
| Ground Cover | Rivina humilis | Pigeonberry |
| Ground Cover | Rosmarinas officinalis var. prostratus | Trailing Rosemary |
| Ground Cover | Sedum sp. | Sedum (Stonecrop) |
| Ground Cover | Teucrium cossonii | Creeping Germander |
| Ornamental Grass | Bouteloua curtipendula | Sideoats Grama |
| Ornamental Grass | Carex perdentata | Meadow Sedge |
| Ornamental Grass | Carex texensis | Texas Sedge |
| Ornamental Grass | Carex tumulicola | Berkeley Sedge |
| Ornamental Grass | Chasmanthium latifolium | Inland Sea Oats |
| Ornamental Grass | Liriope muscari | Liriope |
| Ornamental Grass | Muhlenbergia capillaris | Gulf Muhly |
| Ornamental Grass | Muhlenbergia dumosa | Bamboo Muhly |
| Ornamental Grass | Muhlenbergia lindheimeri | Big Muhly |
| Ornamental Grass | Muhlenbergia rigens | Deer Muhly |
| Ornamental Grass | Nolina texana | Basket Grass (Sacahuista) |
| Ornamental Grass | Ophiopogon intermedius | Aztec Grass |
| Ornamental Grass | Ophiopogon japonicus | Monkey Grass (Mondo Grass) |
| Ornamental Grass | Pennisetum alopecuroides | Dwarf Fountain Grass |
| Ornamental Grass | Penstemon baccharifolius | Rock Penstemon |
| Ornamental Grass | Penstemon tenuis | Gulf Coast Penstemon |
| Ornamental Grass | Penstemon triflorus | Hill Country Penstemon |
| Ornamental Grass | Setcreasea pallida | Purple Heart |
| Ornamental Grass | Stipa tenuissima | Mexican Feathergrass (Wiregrass) |
| Palm | Sabal minor | Texas Dwarf Palmetto |
| Perennial | Achillea sp. | Yarrow |
| Perennial | Aquilegia canadensis | Red Columbine |
| Perennial | Aquilegia chrysantha | Yellow Columbine |
| Perennial | Aspidistra elatior | Cast Iron Plant |
| Perennial | Aster oblongifolius | Fall Aster |
| Perennial | Callirhoe involucrata | Perrenial Winecup |
| Perennial | Calylophus berlandieri | Calylophus (Square Bud Primrose) |
| Perennial | Calyptocarpus vialis | Horseherb |
| Perennial | Capsicum annuum | Chile Pequin (Chile Petin) |
| Perennial | Ceratostigma plumbaginoides | Leadwort Plumbago |
| Perennial | Chrysactinia mexicana | Damianita |
| Perennial | Coreopsis lanceolata | Coreopsis |
| Perennial | Cuphea x. (David Verity) | Cuphea (David Verity) |
| Perennial | Dalea frutescens | Black Dalea |
| Perennial | Dalea greggii | Gregg Dalea |
| Perennial | Dietes bicolor (Morea bicolor) | Bicolor Iris (African) |
| Perennial | Echinacea purpurea | Purple Coneflower |
| Perennial | Eupatorium greggii (Conoclinium greggii) | Greggs Mistflower |
| Perennial | Gaura lindheimeri | Gaura |
| Perennial | Hamelia patens | Firebush |
| Perennial | Hibiscus moscheutos (hybrids) | Perrenial Hibiscus |
| Perennial | Iris germanica | Bearded Iris |
| Perennial | Justicia brandegeana | Shrimp Plant |
| Perennial | Justicia spicigera | Mexican Honeysuckle |
| Perennial | Lanatana x. hybrida (many varieties) | Lantana (hybrid) |
| Perennial | Lantana horrida | Texas Lantana |
| Perennial | Lantana montevidensis | Trailing Lantana |
| Perennial | Liatris mucronata | Gayfeather |
| Perennial | Melampodium leucanthum | Blackfoot Daisy |
| Perennial | Oenothera missouriensis | Missouri Primrose |
| Perennial | Orbexilum sp. (nova) | Mountain Pea |
| Perennial | Origanum vulgare | Oregano |
| Perennial | Perovskia atriplicifolia | Russian Sage |
| Perennial | Phlomis fruticosa | Jerusalem Sage |
| Perennial | Phlox paniculata | Garden Phlox |
| Perennial | Phyla incisa | Frogfruit |
| Perennial | Physostegia virginiana | Fall Obedient Plant |
| Perennial | Plumbago auriculata | Plumbago |
| Perennial | Poliomintha longiflora | Mexican Oregano |
| Perennial | Rudbeckia hirta | Black-eyed Susan |
| Perennial | Ruellia brittoniana | Ruellia (dwarf) |
| Perennial | Salvia (Indigo Spires) | Indigo Spires |
| Perennial | Salvia coccinea | Tropical Sage |
| Perennial | Salvia greggii | Cherry Sage (Autumn Sage) |
| Perennial | Salvia guaranitica | Majestic Sage |
| Perennial | Salvia leucantha | Mexican Bush Sage |
| Perennial | Salvia penstemonoides | Penstemon Sage (Big Red Sage) |
| Perennial | Salvia regla | Mountain Sage |
| Perennial | Salvia roemeriana | Cedar Sage |
| Perennial | Santolina chamaecyparissus | Santolina (Lavender Cotton) |
| Perennial | Scutellaria suffrutescens | Pink Skullcap |
| Perennial | Stachys byzantina | Lambs Ear |
| Perennial | Stachys coccinea | Texas Betony |
| Perennial | Stemodia lanata (Stemodia tomentosa) | Wooly Stemodia |
| Perennial | Tagetes lemmonii | Copper Canyon Daisy |
| Perennial | Tagetes lucida | Mexican Mint Marigold |
| Perennial | Tetraneuris scaposa | Hymenoxys (Four Nerve Daisy) |
| Perennial | Thelypteris kunthii | River Fern |
| Perennial | Tulbaghia violacea | Society Garlic |
| Perennial | Verbena bipinnatifida | Prairie Verbena |
| Perennial | Viguiera stenoloba | Skeletonleaf Goldeneye |
| Perennial | Wedelia texana | Zexmenia |
| Rose | Rosa (Belindas Dream) | Rose (Belindas Dream) |
| Rose | Rosa (Cecile Brunner) | Rose (Cecile Brunner) |
| Rose | Rosa (Knock Out) | Rose (Knock Out) |
| Rose | Rosa (Living Easy) | Rose (Living Easy) |
| Rose | Rosa (Marie Daly) (Marie Pavie) | Rose (Marie Daly) (Marie Pavie) |
| Rose | Rosa (Martha Gonzales) | Rose (Martha Gonzales) |
| Rose | Rosa (Mutabilis) | Rose (Mutabilis) |
| Rose | Rosa (Nearly Wild) | Rose (Nearly Wild) |
| Rose | Rosa (Old Blush) | Rose (Old Blush) |
| Rose | Rosa banksiae | Lady Banksia Rose |
| Shrub | Jasminum mesnyi | Primrose Jasmine |
| Shrub – deciduous | Berberis thunbergii (Atropurpurea) | Japanese Barberry |
| Shrub – deciduous | Buddleja davidii | Butterfly Bush |
| Shrub – deciduous | Buddleja marrubiifolia | Wooly Butterfly Bush |
| Shrub – deciduous | Caesalpinia gilliesii | Yellow Bird of Paradise |
| Shrub – deciduous | Caesalpinia pulcherrima | Pride of Barbados |
| Shrub – deciduous | Callicarpa americana | American Beautyberry |
| Shrub – deciduous | Cassia corymbosa | Flowering Senna |
| Shrub – deciduous | Cornus drummondii | Roughleaf Dogwood |
| Shrub – deciduous | Cotinus obovatus | American Smoke Tree |
| Shrub – deciduous | Cotoneaster spp. | Cotoneaster |
| Shrub – deciduous | Ilex decidua | Possumhaw Holly |
| Shrub – deciduous | Ilex vomitoria | Yaupon Holly |
| Shrub – deciduous | Lagerstroemia x. hybrida (many varieties) | Crape Myrtle |
| Shrub – deciduous | Malpighia glabra | Barbados Cherry |
| Shrub – deciduous | Malvaviscus arboreus | Turks Cap |
| Shrub – deciduous | Mimosa borealis | Fragrant Mimosa |
| Shrub – deciduous | Pavonia lasiopetala | Rock Rose |
| Shrub – deciduous | Philadelphus coronarius | Mock Orange |
| Shrub – deciduous | Pistacia texana | Texas Pistachio |
| Shrub – deciduous | Rhamnus caroliniana | Carolina Buckthorn |
| Shrub – deciduous | Rhus aromatica | Fragrant Sumac (Aromatic) |
| Shrub – deciduous | Rhus lanceolata | Flameleaf Sumac |
| Shrub – deciduous | Senna lindheimeriana | Lindheimer Senna |
| Shrub – deciduous | Sophora affinis | Eves Necklace |
| Shrub – deciduous | Symphoricarpos orbiculatus | Coralberry |
| Shrub – deciduous | Tecoma stans | Esperanza (Yellow Bells) |
| Shrub – deciduous | Viburnum rufidulum | Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum |
| Shrub -evergreen | Abelia grandiflora | Glossy Abelia |
| Shrub -evergreen | Berberis trifoliata (Mahonia trifoliata) | Agarita |
| Shrub -evergreen | Elaeagnus pungens | Elaeagnus |
| Shrub -evergreen | Ilex cornuta (Burfordii) | Burford Holly |
| Shrub -evergreen | Ilex cornuta (Rotunda) | Dwarf Chinese Holly |
| Shrub -evergreen | Ilex vomituria (Nana) | Dwarf Yaupon Holly |
| Shrub -evergreen | Leucophyllum frutescens | Texas Sage (Cenizo) |
| Shrub -evergreen | Myrica cerifera | Wax Myrtle |
| Shrub -evergreen | Nandina domestica (Compacta)(Nana) | Nandina |
| Shrub -evergreen | Nerium oleander | Oleander |
| Shrub -evergreen | Punica granatum | Pomegranate |
| Shrub -evergreen | Rhus virens | Evergreen Sumac |
| Shrub -evergreen | Rosmarinus officinalis | Upright Rosemary |
| Shrub -evergreen | Sophora secundiflora | Texas Mountain Laurel |
| Shrub -evergreen | Teucrium fruticans | Bush Germander |
| Shrub -evergreen | Viburnum suspensus | Sandankwa Viburnum |
| Succulent | Agave sp. | Agave (Century Plant) |
| Succulent | B. frutescens (B. caulescens) | Bulbine |
| Succulent | Dasylirion texanum | Texas Sotol |
| Succulent | Hesperaloe parviflora | Red Yucca |
| Succulent | Opuntia spp | Prickly Pear |
| Succulent | Yucca pallida | Paleleaf Yucca |
| Succulent | Yucca recurvifolia | Softleaf Yucca |
| Succulent | Yucca rupicola | Twistleaf Yucca |
| Tree – deciduous | Acer grandidentatum | Bigtooth Maple |
| Tree – deciduous | Aesculus pavia | Red Buckeye |
| Tree – deciduous | Bauhinia congesta | Anacacho Orchid Tree |
| Tree – deciduous | Carya illinoinensis | Pecan |
| Tree – deciduous | Cercis canadensis var. mexicana | Mexican Redbud |
| Tree – deciduous | Cercis canadensis var. texensis | Texas Redbud |
| Tree – deciduous | Chilopsis linearis | Desert Willow |
| Tree – deciduous | Chitalpa tashkentensis | Chitalpa |
| Tree – deciduous | Diospyros texana | Texas Persimmon |
| Tree – deciduous | Eysenhardtia texana | Kidneywood |
| Tree – deciduous | Fraxinus texensis | Texas Ash |
| Tree – deciduous | Leucaena retusa | Goldenball Leadtree |
| Tree – deciduous | Parkinsonia aculeata | Retama Jerusalem Thorn |
| Tree – deciduous | Prosopis glandulosa | Honey Mesquite |
| Tree – deciduous | Prunus mexicana | Mexican Plum |
| Tree – deciduous | Prunus serotina var. eximia | Escarpment Black Cherry |
| Tree – deciduous | Quercus fusiformis | Escarpment Live Oak |
| Tree – deciduous | Quercus glaucoides (Quercus laceyi) | Lacey Oak |
| Tree – deciduous | Quercus macrocarpa | Bur Oak |
| Tree – deciduous | Quercus muhlenbergii | Chinquapin Oak |
| Tree – deciduous | Quercus polymorpha | Monterey Oak (Mexican White) |
| Tree – deciduous | Quercus shumardii | Shumard Oak |
| Tree – deciduous | Quercus texana | Texas Red Oak |
| Tree – deciduous | Quercus virginiana | Southern Live Oak |
| Tree – deciduous | Sapindus drummondii | Soapberry |
| Tree – deciduous | Taxodium distichum | Bald Cypress |
| Tree – deciduous | Taxodium mucronatum | Montezuma Cypress |
| Tree – deciduous | Ulmus crassifolia | Cedar Elm |
| Tree – deciduous | Ulmus parvifolia | Lacebark Elm |
| Tree – deciduous | Ungnadia speciosa | Mexican Buckeye |
| Tree – evergreen | Cupressus arizonica | Arizona Cypress |
| Tree – evergreen | Juniperus virginiana | Eastern Red Cedar |
| Tree – evergreen | Prunus caroliniana | Cherry Laurel |
| Turf Grass | Bermuda Tif 419 (Sahara, Baby, Common) | Bermuda |
| Turf Grass | Buffalo 609 (Stampede, Prairie) | Buffalo |
| Turf Grass | St. Augustine Common (Raleigh, Delma) | St. Augustine |
| Turf Grass | Z. japonica El Toro (JaMur, Palisades) | Zoysia (Coarse Leaf) |
| Turf Grass | Z. matrella (Emerald), (Zorro) | Zoysia (Narrow Leaf) |
| Vine | Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii | Flame Acanthus |
| Vine | Antigonon leptopus | Coral Vine |
| Vine | Bignonia capreolata | Crossvine |
| Vine | Campsis radicans | Trumpet Vine |
| Vine | Ficus pumila | Fig Vine |
| Vine | Gelsemium sempervirens | Carolina Jessamine |
| Vine | Ipomoea fistulosa | Bush Morning Glory |
| Vine | Lonicera sempervirens | Coral Honeysuckle |
| Vine | Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Virginia Creeper |
| Vine | Passiflora incarnata | Passion Vine |
| Vine | Trachelospermum asiaticum | Asian Jasmine |