What's the best flower/plant to grow in Texas?
by
Susan
+49
I know that opinions vary, but what's your opinion?!
I have great luck w Rosemary plants. Green all year long.
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We use to live in Houston and planted begonia, bougainvillea, crepe myrtle tree and had blooms most of the year. Gardenia's do well in the morning sun and will bloom till first frost. The hot sun will wilt the flowers sooner. Petunia's bloom till the first frost but require water twice a day. There are others like Amarillo's but they only bloom once. Magnolia's do well. i just like flowers all the time.
The YELLOW ROSE!
Oxblood lilies and Mexican petunias are two favorites of mine!
I love the Blue Bonnet.
Amending the soil to improve its current condition is the key. This way the water can sink in as well as drain better. Roses do need ample water two to three times per week and are heavy feeders, hence a bloom booster every 10-14 days. Check out the Antique Rose Emporium in Texas for the best advice about roses and other flowers in your area. Also the Master Gardeners at the Extension office.
Fellow Texan here :)
Sun: Texas sage, of course roses, lantana, foxtail fern, asparagus fern, sometimes marigolds and geraniums, gardenia, ginger (the variegated is so pretty), plumbago, liriope (sp?), hibiscus, agapanthus (LOVE THESE), elephant ears, zinnias (usually seed out), daisies, coneflower, day lilies (actually all kinds of lillies-so beautiful); amaryllis; tulips, daffodils, narcissus, gladiolus, 4 o'clocks (seed out), canna, Mexican heather, "firecracker bush(?)", bottle brush bush (?) something like that; dianthus; Passion flower, clematis, trumpet, mandevilla (all vines)-I may be wrong on the mandevilla, may not come back...lilac bush, rosemary, sago palm, of course crepe myrtles and oleander.. some of these plants can get as big as trees almost (definitely the crepe myrtle but you probably knew that) BUT you can sometimes get dwarf versions of plants.... also if have nice neighbors, sometimes they'll give you some of these, as some of them need to be thinned out periodically such as canna, liriope, daylillies, sago, --heck, most of them, actually. And many of them produce seeds like crazy.... that ought to get you started for sun plants!
Shade:
some of the sun plants will also do ok in shade, especially if it's dappled shade (at least where I am, near Houston); but for sure-azaleas, nandina, ferns, sometimes if you mulch it real well in winter impatiens will come back (and there are different varieties); wrought iron plant, various ivies, leather leaf fern (popular in arrangements), caladiums-so many possibilities with these-so many colors!) sometimes coleus will come back-there's also a sun version of these that are real pretty), jasmine (vine)--hostas and hydrangeas are just beautiful further north but I personally haven't had great luck with these down here... honestly I'm kind of stumped on shade plants... I'm sure I'm missing a bunch but hopefully this helps you!
try herbs; basil makes a great bush.
Mulch heavy as I know I live in Texas too ! Another is Texas sage it has a blue gray color and blooms little blue flowers
If you are looking for a flowering bush that has many different heights and colors look at crepe myrtle. They bloom in the summer and are beautiful.
I lived in Dallas for many years and we planted Lantana ,it lived the heat and came back every year.
When I lived in hot, dry Riverside my rose bushes were six feet tall and bloomed profusely. When I moved to the beach area they barely survive. One other success I had in Riverside was Gardenia bushes. Great fragrance! Hope this helps
I live in North Texas, south of Fort Worth/Dallas. Japanese boxwood and crepe myrtle work pretty well and you also don't have to water them much after they are established except when it gets really dry (end of August). Good luck!
You want to pick plants that won't need a lot of watering. Also, I know soil varies depending on where you live. My family lived in Amarillo for generations, and my daughter did her Masters in El Paso. My grandmother always had a small flower bed next to her house, where it got some shade during the hottest part of the day. Look for native plants that are drought resistant. I used to love the Poinsettias and sunflowers that grew in Northern Texas. In El Paso, desert type landscaping was very popular. There was grass in areas, trees, and flowers, but, they took water and upkeep. The clever thing I saw was again, the use of areas that got less sun during part of the day. A local nursery will be a wealth of information.
I agree with Cynthia. Go with native flowers and plants. I was told by a well known Horticulturist that Lantana was drought resistant. Not! It needs water just like any other flowering bush or plant. During a drought in East Texas, the Gardenias, Azaleas, Mountain Laurel showed little stress to the drought. Everything else just barely survived even though we watered them. I hope we don’t have to go through another one of those. There were forest fires all around us! Very scary!
Go to your local nursery. They only stock what grows well in your region.
I have the same problem. I planted zinnias and they have been great. They have been self-seeding, so that's cheap! Also, I tried lavender and it has been thriving for years. My south facing house gets so hot I have to open the storm door with my shirt tail.
Marigolds are great, they self seed but they like water every day
Portulaca is called Desert Rose. Many vibrant colors! They could probably be perennials there.
If it’s for the late afternoon sun I use Lantanas and Sweet Williams. Also Cannas and Snap Dragons love the sun. I also live in Texas and my back yard is the hot afternoon sun. These are just a few that I use.
Lantana. It will come back every year and can take quite a beating. Native.
Plumbago - a shrub-like plant that has a lovey blue flower and flourishes in sun. It may tend to take over, but should be pruned back in winter.
Depends on where in Texas. All types of weather and soil in this state. Alkaline, acidic, sand, clay, rocks and kalachi, wetlands and desert. Cold winters to no winters.
I use to be a florist and in the early years was surprised how many flowers have no scent. Living in Texas you have a nice growing season and scented roses would be a good place to begin. Other blooming plants would include jasmine, honeysuckle, gardenias to name a few. If you're looking for cut flowers peonies, lavender, phlox, sweet peas (short season) would also be options.
With that being said you can grow an abundance of neat flowers down here that don't smell and then fill in with scented herb plants.
Come on over and visit my blog you may find some fun ideas there, I also live in Texas.
https://www.gardenupgreen.com/
Try the White Honeysuckle plant! It smells so good and should grow well in Texas!
Lantana,Verbena,and blue sage is all I am able to find
Alyssum
Corn Flowers, Fall Asters, Petunias, and Blue Bonnets.
Camellia tree
Go for silk bushes, sprayed with sealing spray. Plant hardy landscaping grasses and bushes and set up a bed of silk bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush. Or silk daisies or roses. Succulents need some shade in Texas, but are very hardy. Some cacti do not have thorns. Many roses are hardy and bloom for months. Or you could forget most flowers. Have lots of shrubs, and prairies grasses, but have colorful benches and yard art and birdhouses. But I’m not kidding about the silk. ☺️
Ask your nearest Garden Centre , I'm sure they will be able to help!
Marigold for sure can handle heat
You must have heard of the song...Yellow Rose of Texas?
Wish I can help
We used shade cloth and covered the patio making a humid place for bromeliads and orchids.
So the answer depends on what you like and your ability to make the area around something they will thrive in.
Also the twice daily showers were good for the humidity but never water plants at night it just encourages diseases.
Check with your local Cooperative extension for the best advice.
It really depends on what area of Texas you're in. East Texas soil is acidic and grows most everything beautifully. But the farther west you go, the more alkaline the soil and less grows well. So it's best to check with a reputable gardening store for advice.
Hi Susan, hope this helps you out.
https://nativebackyards.com/texas-shrubs/
And for flowers, https://www.bhg.com/gardening/gardening-by-region/south/super-plants-for-texas-landscapes/
My best friend lives in Texas and she love her Oakleaf hydrangeas. The are gorgeous and huge and do well in the heat.
Hi kim, hope this helps you out. These flowers bloom all summer long in Texas.
Pine trees grow nicely, but are a mess in August when they shed. I have Oleanders that I absoutely love and they even made it thru the February freeze. Rose-a-sharon bushes grow nicely as well as red tip Photinia.
If you want to be different and a bit exotic orchids. Just provide indirect sun (shade cloth works great) and mist them several times a day. Used to have half of the patio devouted to plants outside in texas.
Check with you County Extension Agent's office. They can advise you on what grows best in your particular area.
Hi Susan: This site should give you some help: https://www.bhg.com/gardening/gardening-by-region/south/super-plants-for-texas-landscapes/ or even this one :) https://www.thelokengroup.com/tips-tricks/low-maintenance-plants-in-texas/
All I can add is my best wishes - Enjoy the Project!
This video might have some good ideas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiI5kPeJbGI
Check into Encore Azaleas. They are a nice bush and bloom in 7b Alabama from spring to end of October. They are low maintenance and very hearty.
Moonflower, Mallow, Peruvian Lilly, really all Lillie's ex: Stella de Oro, Purple de Oro, Irises, Daffodils, Cannas tall and dwarfs. Crinnum there are so many I have had good luck with these and more. Good luck.