Welcome to our Plant Library! Dave and his staff share their years of experience trying out different plants, along with the maintenance know-how that comes from doing it all yourself. The photos and descriptions here will introduce you to some of the wonderful plant material we can enjoy here in North Texas. We hope you enjoy this handy resource.
Show All AnnualEvergreenGrassesGround CoversLarge TreesOrnamental TreesPerennialsShrubsSpring ColorVines
(Malaviscus drummondii)
An indestructible native plant with big bold texture for semi-shady locations or even full sun. Red-orange or pink turban-shaped flowers seem most prolific in the worst heat, when everything else in the garden has fainted. Hummingbirds, bees and fruit-eating mammals love the nectar and fruits (you can eat them, too, if you’re inclined). If you’ve got a black thumb, this is your perennial.
(Salvia leucantha)
Long spikes of purple and white make a massive display in the early fall garden.
‘Santa Barbara’ is a more dwarf form which will get 24”-30” tall and stays more compact than the straight species.
Typical grey-green fuzzy sage leaf arrayed on tough woody stems, which should be cut back in winter.
(Eupatorium purpureum)
Gorgeous pinkish to purplish flowers in a large domed inflorescence draw butterflies by the dozens to your garden in July and August into September if you cut off the spent blooms.
Can reach from four to seven feet, so put it in the back of the border. A smaller version, ‘Gateway,’ runs around 3 ½’ to 4’ tall.
Long, coarse, dark green leaves grow in a whorl around the stems.
Likes even moisture and full sun. Various related species native all over the eastern half of the U.S., co-evolved with numerous butterfly species.
(Hymenocallis)
Exotic looking but native to Southern swamps, these fragrant white lilies bloom on and off for a month in May and June. Large strap-like leaves create a lush tropical effect all summer through frost. Great when combined with crinums and lycoris, which have different bloom times but similar foliage. (Photo: Univ of GA School of Ecology)
(Salvia greggii)
A staple of North Texas gardens, beloved for its long bloom season and attractiveness to hummingbirds.
Autumn sage is a small woody native shrub that likes rocky soil, but will grow well in the garden with judicious pruning, good drainage and not too much water.
Comes in coral, pink, red, white and purple. Usually has one big flush of spring bloom; prune hard after that and you’ll get light blooms through the summer and the best display of the year in the fall.