By: Morgan L. Russell, Roger Q. Landers, Jr., and Allison Watkins
Land fragmentation and human development have dramatically altered wildland habitats throughout the urban interface area. The introduction of exotic and ornamental plant species associated with these two processes has had a negative impact on the ecological productivity of these areas. These human-created and -dominated landscapes do not support functioning ecosystems and further deplete natural habitats that are vital to native wildlife.
Many of the landscaping plants currently available in nurseries are species introduced from other countries. These plants not only disrupt the food web, but some like saltcedar, Russian olive, buffelgrass, and johnsongrass have become invasive pests that outcompete native species and degrade habitat in remaining natural areas. The negative impacts on habitat caused by these introduced species have caused homeowners and landscapers to instead seek help with using native plants.
Native landscape design is centered on using plants that evolved naturally in one’s particular region. Native plants are generally well adapted, low maintenance, competitive with weeds, and use little water. With good landscape design planning, many native plants can be as attractive as the introduced ornamentals.
A native plant landscape can be as simple as a sustainable backyard habitat or as extensive as a native plant garden. Native plant landscapes not only support nearby natural biodiversity, they also require fewer resources.
Low maintenance
Once established, native plants generally require little maintenance and have a competitive advantage over weeds for resources such as nutrients.
Aesthetics
Texas bluebonnet, Indian paintbrush, Indian blankets, and many other native plants offer beautiful showy flowers, produce abundant colorful fruits and seeds, and brilliant seasonal changes in colors. They range from the tender, thin greens of early spring, to the vibrant yellows and reds of autumn.
Enhanced water conservation
Because native plants are adapted to local environmental conditions, they save time, money, and perhaps the most valuable natural resource, water. According to the EPA, native plants can reduce your water consumption by 60 percent compared to traditional non natives. Using native species increases overall system efficiency which leaves more resources available to freshwater ecosystems and essential habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.
Wildlife habitat
In addition to providing vital habitat for birds, other wildlife species also benefit. Colorful butterflies, including the iconic monarch, all depend on very specific native plant species. These plants provide nectar for pollinators including hummingbirds, native bees, butterflies, moths, and bats. They also provide protective shelter for many mammals. The native nuts, seeds, and fruits produced by these plants offer essential foods for many forms of wildlife.
Improved soil conditions
In many cases, native plants can improve soil conditions. For example, black willows can withstand flooding, stabilize soil, and grow quickly, making them ideal native plants for revitalizing degraded river and stream banks. Additionally, native plants support beneficial insects (ladybird beetles, lacewings, predatory beetles, etc.) that help control pests in the landscape.
Homeowners in the Edwards Plateau are fortunate to have many native plants to choose from. However, this variety contributes to confusion about which to plant where, which existing plants to encourage, and which to remove. Questions also arise regarding which native plants are available through commercial sources, and which must be collected or traded.
Because introduced plants can become invasive and spread without regard to the damage they cause, using regionally-adapted natives is directly and indirectly important to maintaining or restoring proper ecosystem function. But with all the choices available, how can homeowners learn to identify the natives? There are several illustrated reference books, but no single book covers them all for the Edwards Plateau ecoregion. Perhaps the best approach to using native plants is to learn as you go. Start small and expand as you gain confidence in recognizing the plants that are important for the Edwards Plateau. Consultants that specialize in native landscaping plants are available to help you. Unfortunately, the offering of native plants from traditional suppliers is often limited. You can overcome this limitation by becoming a member of the Texas Native Plant Society (TNPS). TNPS provides a newsletter offering information on meetings, nurseries, seed sources, books, and consultants as well as interesting stories about native plants.
The table on the next page outlines native plants that are adapted for the Edwards Plateau region of Texas. This list is not exhaustive, but it is a starting place to guide efforts at enhancing or restoring native plant habitat. Landscaping choices have meaningful effects on native wildlife populations. The bottom line is that homeowners, landscapers, and local policy makers can benefit wildlife and habitat by selecting native plants when making their landscaping decisions.
Other plants could be added to the table. Some of these native plants are suitable to certain situations and not others. For example, flameleaf sumac and Western soapberry, send up hundreds of root sprouts around the original plant. Don’t plant them if you don’t want a thicket in a few years or don’t want to mow the area to control them. Additionally, plants such as algerita usually require decent drainage. Maxmillian sunflower, Alamo vine, and silver sage can take over a flowerbed in a few years because, if watered and fertilized, they grow aggressively.
It is important to match native plants with their specific native habitat. Another example is that of pecan trees and American elm which are native but are not drought tolerant. If planted in a landscape near a water source (such as a river bottom) they can thrive but would require regular watering if planted in an average yard. Native plant species will not solve all the challenges that urban landscapes present, but they can provide numerous direct and indirect benefits for wildlife and those who maintaining those landscapes.
Botanical names of native species
Trees
Liveoak (Quercus virginiana)
Spanish oak (Quercus falcata)
Little walnut (Juglans microcarpa)
Texas mulberry (Morus microphylla)
Netleaf hackberry (Celtis laevigata var. reticulata)
Chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)
Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)
Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)
Texas ash (Fraxinus texensis)
Westerm soapberry (Sapindus saponaria var. Drummondii)
American elm (Ulmus americana)
Ceder elm (Ulmus crassifolia)
Chittamwood (Bumelia lanuginose)
Goldenball lead tree (Leucaena retusa)
Honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa)
Vasey shin oak (Quercus pungens var. vaseyana)
White shin oak (Quercus sinuate var. Breviloba)
Mohr shin oak (Quercus mohriana)
Gum bumelia (Bumelia lanuginose)
Shrubs
Algerita (Berberis trifoliolata)
Littleleaf sumac (Rhus microphylla)
Texas persimmon (Diospyros texana)
Mexican plum (Prunus mexicana)
Rusty blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum)
Texas hawthorn (Crataegus texana)
Roughleaf dogwood (Cornus drummondii)
Lotebush (Ziziphus obtusifolia)
Mexican buckeye (Ungnadia speciosa Endl.)
Carolina buckthorn (Rhamnus caroliniana)
Roemer’s catclaw (Acacia roemeriana)
Flameleaf sumac (Rhus copallinum)
Redbud (Cercis canadensis var. texensis)
Evergreen sumac (Rhus virens)
Skunkbush sumac (Rhus trilobata)
White honeysuckle (Lonicera albiflora)
Fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens)
Grasses
Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
Texas grama (Bouteloua rigidiseta)
Eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides)
Buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides)
Curly mesquite (Hilaria belangeri)
Texas cupgrass (Eriochloa sericea)
Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis)
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
Yellow Indiangrass (Sorgastrum nutans)
Texas bluegrass (Poa arachnifera)
Silver bluestem (Bothriochloa laguroides)
Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Lindheimer muhly (Muhlenbergia lindheimeri)
Seep muhly (Muhlenbergia reverchonii)
Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
Virginia wildrye (Elymus virginicus)
Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis)
Red grama (Bouteloua trifida)
Inland sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
Annual Forbs
Texas bluebonnet (Lupinus subcarnosus)
Mountain pink (Centaurium beyrichii)
Narrowleaf bitterweed (Helenium amarum)
Lemon beebalm (Monarda citriodora)
Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella)
Indian paintbrush (Castilleja indivisa)
Spotted horsemint (Monarda punctata L.)
Clasping coneflower (Dracopis amplexicaulis)
Blackeyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Huisache daisy (Amblyolepis setigera)
Scrambled eggs (Corydalis aurea)
Texas star (Sabatia campestris)
Basketflower (Centaurea Americana)
Limestone gaura (Gaura calcicola)
Purple eryngo (Eryngium leavenworthii)
Lazy daisy (Aphanostephus skirrhobasis)
Deer pea vetch (Vicia ludoviciana)
Perennial Forbs
Meally cup sage (Salvia farinacea)
Engelmann daisy (Engelmannia peristenia)
Orange zexmenia (Wedelia texana)
Bush sunflower (Simsia calva)
Maxmillian sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani)
Texas skeleton plant (Lygodesmia texana)
Golden, purple dalea (Dalea lasiathera)
Rock daisy (Melampodium leucanthum)
Ironweed (Vernonia Schreb.)
Dotted gayfeather (Liatris punctata)
Rain lily (Cooperia pedunculate)
Antelope horn milkweed (Asclepias asperula)
Upright, purple prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera)
Bush morning glory (Ipomoea fistulosa)
Standing cypress (Ipomopsis rubra)
Wild petunia (Ruellia)
White, purple winecup (Callirhoe involucrate)
Vines
Deer apples (Ibervillea lindheimeri)
Carolina snailseed (Cocculus carolinus)
Mustang grape (Vitis mustangensis)
Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Leather flower (Clematis pitcheri)
Texas clematis (Clematis texenis)
Passion flower (Passiflora lutea)
Dutchman’s pipevine (Aristolochia coryi)
Buffalo gourd (Cucurbita foetidissima)
Sensitive briar (Mimoas nuttallii)
Trailing ratany (Krameria lanceolata)
Cotton morning glory (Ipomoea cordatotriloba)
Balsam gourd (Ibervillea lindheimeri)
Ivy treebine (Cissus incisa)
Alamo vine (Merremia dissecta)
Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata L.)
Honeysuckle (Lonicera albiflora)
Other
Narrowleaf yucca (Yucca angustissima)
Buckley yucca (Yucca constricta)
Sacahuista, Lindheimer sacahuista (Nolina texana)
Nipple cactus (Coryphantha sulcate)
Claret cup cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus)
Lacy cactus (Echinocereus reichenbachii)
Strawberry cactus (Echinocereus enneacanthus)
Mormon tea (Ephedra nevadensis)
Sotol (Dasylirion texanum)
Horse crippler (Echinocactus texensis)
Tasajillo (Opuntia leptocaulis) Agave (Agave Americana)
Red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)
Twistleaf yucca (Yucca rupicola)
Iceplant (Verbesina virginica)
Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora)
Pigeonberry (Aralia hispida)
For More Information
Ajilvsgi, Geyata. 1984. Wildflowers of Texas. Shearer Publishing. Bryan. Texas. 414 pp.
Correl, D. S. and M. C. Johnston. Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas. 1970. Texas Research Foundation. Renner. Texas. 1881 pp.
Diggs, George M., Jr., Barney L. Lipscomb & Robert J.O’Kennon. 1999. Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas. Botanical Research Institute of Texas. Fort Worth. 1626 pp.
Enquist, Marshall. 1987. Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country. Lone Star Botanical. Austin. 275 pp.
Kirkpatrick, Zoe Merriman. 1992. Wildflowers of the Western Plains. University of Texas Press. Austin. 240 pp.
Loughmiller, Campbell and Lynn. 1984. Texas Wildflowers. University of Texas Press. Austin. 271 pp.
Metzler, Susan and Van Metzler. 1992. Texas Mushrooms. University of Texas Press. Austin. 350 pp.
Native and Adapted Landscape Plants. 2016. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and City of Austin Watershed Protection.
Native Plant Society of Texas. P.O. Box 891. Georgetown TX 78627. www.npsot.org
Native Prairie Association of Texas. P.O. Box 210. Georgetown TX 78627.
Powell, A. Michael. 1994. Grasses of the Trans-Pecos and Adjacent Areas. University of Texas Press. Austin. 377 pp.
Powell, A. Michael. 1988. Trees & Shrubs of Trans-Pecos Texas. Big Bend Natural History Association. 536 pp.
Tull, Delena. 1999. Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest. University of Texas Press. Austin. 518 pp.
Weniger, Del. 1984. Cacti of Texas and neighboring states. University of Texas Press. Austin. 356 pp.
Wasowski, Sally. 1988. Native Texas Plants, Landscaping Region by Region. Gulf Publishing Co. Houston. 406 pp.
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