Passiflora lutea
This climbing or trailing vine grows to about 15 ft. in length. The greenish-yellow flowers, an inch across, give way to purple or black berries. Wide, shallowly lobed leaves with entire margins turn an attractive yellow in fall.This is a major food plant for several species of butterfly larvae. The pollen of this species is […]
Nolina texana
Texas Bear-grass is a 1 1/2-2 1/2 ft. perennial with large, woody, basal stems growing in a clump. Leaves evergreen, firm textured, long, thin, up to 4 feet long by 3/16 inch wide, forming a thick clump. The roundish leaves often have tiny widely-spaced teeth along portions of the margins. Flowers small, usually white to […]
Magnolia grandiflora
One of the most beautiful native trees, evergreen with straight trunk, conical crown, and very fragrant, very large, white flowers. The pyramidal southern magnolia does not get extremely large in most of its range. It is usually 50 ft. tall, rarely growing to 100 ft. They have a dense growth of smooth, leathery evergreen leaves […]
Gaillardia suavis
Perfumeballs or Rayless Gaillardia is a slender, upright, clumped perennial, to about 30 in. tall, often forming dense stands. Fragrant, solitary flowers are terminal on leafless stalks. Rays are few, yellow to orange or red, very short, and soon falling off. Reddish-brown disc flowers are numerous, forming a rounded, pincushion-like head. Leaves are all basal.Not […]
Frangula caroliniana
This small, deciduous tree or shrub, usually 12-15 ft. tall, can reach 30 ft. in height with leaves that stay green into late fall. Leaves up to 5 inches long, with a petiole as much as 1/2 inch long; blade ovate to elliptic, sometimes narrow, pointed at the tip and tapered or rounded at the […]
Fraxinus albicans
Texas Ash is a small tree, 30-45 ft. tall, of limestone hills and canyons with an attractive, densely branched canopy. Pinnate leaves have brilliant fall color. Leaflets usually 5, rounded, not as elongate as in Red Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica). Wings usually not extending beyond the middle of the seed. (See Red Ash for comparison.)Confined to […]
Dracopis amplexicaulis
This is a smooth-stemmed, annual coneflower, usually 2-3 ft. tall, with terminal, solitary flower heads. The leaves are oblong with heart-shaped, clasping bases. The yellow petals, with reddish-purple bases, are numerous and droop away from the dark, elongated, cone-shaped center. This species’ clasping leaves differentiate it from Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) and Mexican Hat (Ratibida […]
Delphinium carolinianum
This is a slender, upright perennial, with unbranched stems usually from 1-3 ft. tall. White to pale blue, spurred flowers in a narrow cluster on a finely downy stalk. Pale blue to white, spurred flowers appear in a narrow, terminal spike. Leaves are divided and lobed into narrow segments. Basal leaves often form a winter […]
Clematis texensis
Scarlet Leather-flower or Scarlet Clematis is an herbaceous to slightly woody vine, climbing to 10 ft. Bell-shaped flowers, blooming only on new growth, are held in axillary clusters of one to seven. The flower petals are actually thick, leather-like, scarlet-colored sepals. A feathery ball of plumed seeds follows the floral display. Stems are bare for […]
Catalpa speciosa
Northern catalpa is a 75-100 ft., deciduous tree with a narrow, oval crown. The rugged winter outline is striking. Grayish- to reddish-brown bark breaks into thick scales. Leaves heart shaped with a drawn out tip and usually smooth, sometimes shallowly lobed, margins, petioles up to 8 inches long and blades to 12 inches long by […]